Oracle Utilities The Digital Utility

Transcription

1 Oracle Utilities The Digital Utility 6 Things That Are Possible When You Own Digital Transformation

2 THE DIGITAL ERA Look around you. Chances are good you have a smart phone nearby, you may be in fact reading this ebook on a tablet. Perhaps a reminder has just popped up in your inbox alerting you of a meeting in 15 minutes (in that case, read quickly!). When you drive home tonight you may jam to your favorite satellite radio station; when you arrive you may order pizza on a mobile app and set the kids up with a with a quick show over Hulu or Netflix to keep them occupied as you unpack bags and unwind from a hectic day. Digital transformation is all around us. It is in our work, transportation, communication, entertainment, home care. As our digital world continues to unveil new devices and technologies, we find ways to incorporate those technologies into our lives and derive value from them. Whether that value comes from more efficiently communicating with our loved ones, or from improving our performance at work or at school, when we find that value we are, in fact, owning digital transformation. when we find that value we are, in fact, owning digital transformation.

3 Looking closely at the utility industry, digital transformation brings a unique set of challenges: utilities must find ways to leverage new technology capabilities within an already rapidly changing industry. As mobility needs change, data volumes grow, intelligent device capabilities advance, and consumer expectations evolve, utilities around the world must be prepared to take on those challenges and adopt new digital capabilities in order to produce value across the business. And in succeeding in this imperative, utilities will be rewarded when they open the door to virtually limitless opportunities for growth and innovation in the digital world. For utilities, there are three main focus areas of digital transformation: Transformation of Information & Technology Transformation of the Workplace Transformation of the Customer Experience» As we transition from reactive to proactive use of information in digital transformation, we require new skills and strategies as we rely more heavily on analytics.» We require more advanced, integrated technology to support the transitioning role of information and take advantage of the full business value of data.» In digital transformation, improvements in access to information, automation, and integrated business processes will result in new ways to work.» Our expectations for technology systems will be much higher as we rely on them to support and improve our new ways of working.» Digital transformation allows us to quickly pivot as consumer expectations and communication trends change.» It becomes critical that we define a deeper level of customer engagement across all channels and incorporate more consumer technology within our business and technology strategy. So what are some things that happen when a utility takes on digital transformation? Let s take a look.

4 # 1 YOU ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS FIRST CHOICE SERVICE PROVIDER When your customers have questions about services for their homes or businesses, you are the first call. Why? Because they know you deliver. Whether they want to know more about conservation programs or maintaining HVAC systems, your customers trust you to give them the information they need and deliver services, safely and efficiently, at the right price. As technologies and consumer expectations shift, new market entrants emerge to try to fulfill those expectations. But you re not worried about the competition because you have something they don t: your customers trust and loyalty. You have transformed to deliver a modern customer experience by nimbly shifting to meet their needs as prosumers. You break down business process barriers to develop and execute new programs and services quickly, and you remain your customers fearless service leader. As a leader in digital transformation, you:» Engage with customers consistently through all digital channels to offer the information they need quickly and on their terms.» Segment customers using detailed data and offer targeted programs and services to best fit their needs.» Diversify and grow revenue streams through a wide range of programs and services, including tree maintenance, HVAC commissioning, solar installation, and water-efficient landscape design services.» Deliver services quickly and efficiently and help customers optimize service impact.» Easily add new programs and services as your customers expectations and available technology evolve.

5 # 2 YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR CUSTOMERS NEEDS BEFORE THEY DO We hear the ideas all the time now: smart watches diagnosing a cold before the first sneeze, refrigerators placing orders as groceries run low. While these ideas sometimes still seem like something from a science fiction novel, predictive capabilities are here, and for utilities, they are powerful. As a digital transformation all-star, you are completely in tune with your customers service needs as you capture usage and behavior data from a growing number of sources. As that data is automatically aggregated and analyzed, you are able to identify your customers challenges and needs before they re even aware that there is a challenge. You can deliver:» Targeted, proactive maintenance programs to keep customers homes and businesses running at their best.» Proactive communication to alert customers of challenges and targeted services to resolve those challenges.» Personalized conservation plans to keep customers on the best path.» New programs to address the challenges you foresee in the industry.» Predictive service disruption detection and automated restoration.

6 # 3 YOU KNOW WITH CERTAINTY HOW TO BEST SPEND YOUR DOLLARS Budgets are tight. So what do you do when regulators expect more customer value from the investments you make? You use the new currency of the digital world data. With it, you know where you should spend your money and when. That means asset lifecycles lengthen and the value they provide gets extended. Your confidence in decision making will soar, and guesswork will go right out the window. Smart grid investment will become smarter value for your customers as asset performance improves, delivering new heights of reliability and service. You know the value of every decision before you make it:» Align your budget directly to the highest value maintenance and replacement work.» Harness analytics to identify asset risk all the way to the grid edge.» Identify asset patterns that are producing reactive work.» Implement strategies to optimize resource and supply utilization.» Identify conditions that lead to repeat failures before they happen.» Eliminate a % of overtime and truck roll costs each and every year.

7 # 4 YOU TURN INDUSTRY CHALLENGES INTO OPPORTUNITIES Regulations, new technology, consumer trends, massive storms, competition, resource scarcity bring it on. When you see changes coming, you don t wait around to see what s going to happen. You act. With a focus on streamlined business processes and integrated technology systems, you drive operating costs down while top line growth climbs. You rely on full visibility into the data around you and you trust the analytics to keep you one step ahead of challenges. You know that you have the ability to pivot as quickly as your needs change, and to flexibly address any challenges thrown your way. And because of that, you remain on the leading edge of the industry, transforming that challenge into opportunity: new revenue streams, customer growth, business performance optimization. In your digital utility:» New business models are implemented swiftly to spur revenue growth as the industry continues to transform.» Efficient technology systems and business processes drive operating costs down and allow more flexibility to reduce prices.» Consumer trends are met with enthusiasm as you find fresh ways to engage with and serve your customers.» Competitors try, and fail, to win over your customers, as they consistently find themselves one step behind you.

8 # 5 OVERWHELMED IT TEAMS ARE A THING OF THE PAST You remember the days when utility executives would rather be out of a job than take on a new technology project, and breathe a sigh of relief that you never have to feel that way. You know how to make technology work for you. With technology on your side, you spend more time on talent development, allowing your staff to use their skills to add more value to the business rather than babysitting IT systems. With your IT investment strategy, you take advantage of the most advanced capabilities and technology systems that were built to optimize business process integration. And delivered through the power of the Cloud, you get all that without any added IT burden or cost. You have expertly drawn value from the technology resources at your disposal and continue to push the limits of what technology can deliver for you. Your digitally enabled IT strategy allows you to:» Reduce IT maintenance costs and burden.» Take advantage of the latest technology capabilities immediately through cloud deployment.» Streamline technology so IT teams can be more effective and have greater impact.» Redeploy IT teams to perform value-add functions.» Optimize your investments in technology systems.» Improve end-to-end business process integration.

9 # 6 LEVERAGE AUTOMATION FROM THE CUSTOMER TO THE NETWORK AND BACK Automation is efficiency, efficiency optimizes performance. But you know that because you ve embraced the digital era. You have taken on new technologies across your business, and because you understand the importance of deriving value from that technology, you ve ensured that data and processes flow freely across technology boundaries enabling automation. From maintenance operations and asset management, to customer service and billing, your technology systems work together. When a customer s service is disrupted at midnight, you initiate a service order, test nearby service points, identify the problem, fix the issue, restore service, and adjust the customer record, all without ever waking up. You take advantage of automation to:» Keep customers informed of account management tasks and service information.» Identify and resolve service point issues.» Detect leaks and proactively address problematic pipes.» Improve demand response program performance.» Ensure network reliability and efficiency.

10 ARE YOU READY TO OWN DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION? As the utility industry continues to change at a rapid pace, it is more important than ever that utilities take on digital transformation as a critical business initiative. Utilities must be ready to adopt new technologies and use those technologies to uncover value. We are in the digital era and while the challenges around us are great, the opportunity is far greater. Get Started: For more information about Oracle Utilities, visit oracle.com/goto/utilities or call to speak with an Oracle Utilities representative. Copyright 2016, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.