In the AMI era, Utilities have an obligation to leverage technologies and infrastructure to ensure safety of their customers. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Experience/Relationship Management (CxM) software tools play a critical role in responding to the emergency situations. This is done mainly by deploying required resource to take control of the emergency situation, for example, a fire emergency in an apartment complex or downtown area.
Despite the fact that required resources are deployed, on time to take control of the emergency situation, it is still possible that the emergency situation has spread around and caused more than thought of damage.
uPrefer has partnered with MediaAgility to address Emergency situations faced by Utility Customers, at a time when enterprises are forced to adapt Postmodern ERP Models. “Google/ S/4 HANA Geospatial enabled AMI+UtiLitics® Solution” provides Utilities the capability to respond to the emergency scenarios quickly by leveraging the available Advanced Metering Infrastructure, SAP Certified Enterprise Preference Management (UtiLitics®).
Use Case: Minimize damage caused by fire emergency in a densely populated apartment complex or downtown.
Situation: Apartment complex is equipped with Electric AMI & Gas infrastructure. Utility has implemented SAP Certified Customer Preference Management solution. Fire accident takes place in an apartment/group housing. Several customers with medical conditions exist. How to minimize the damage?
Key pain points :
- Difficulty to identify the nearby assets to act on
- Customer communication is not interwoven into the emergency situation management
- Customer preferences based communication not integrated into emergency situation management
- Lack of ability to alert the nearby public, to divert traffic from the emergency site
- Existing infrastructure software usage is limited to back office
- Integration of existing infrastructure software with ERP systems, require specialized skills that has impact on TCO
[Please use the link below to access the slides that explain the process]
In slide 6 of the video presentation, complex 1 has an emergency situation and it is possible that groups of houses 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 are closed to the emergency spot. To contain the damage, it is good to remotely turn off groups of houses from 1 to 7. Emergency notification should be sent to all customers in the geographic location.
uPrefer & MediaAgility Solution: Utility company receives emergency call. SAP based CxM System provides visual of the geographic location including apartment complex building. CSR or the Control Center identifies the building(s) that can be remotely turned off for Electricity. System provides the visual of the apartments that have customers with medical conditions. System provides visual of Gas supply connection that must be turned off. The user selects the area and buildings on the map. System prompts the user for required action. Upon confirmation of the activity, systems sends communication to customers, based on their preferences like, Phone Call, SMS, E-mail, Twitter posting, Facebook posting. System (in collaboration with Municipalities, Apple, Google) flashes emergency alerts to the nearby Phone users to stay away from the emergency location or suggesting an alternative route for travel (avoiding the emergency site).
https://youtu.be/YD3Yileyai0
In the picture above (slide 9), SAP CRM linked Geospatial solution provides ability for the CSR/Control center to identify the assets visually and subsequently perform the required tasks.
In the picture above (slide 10), SAP CR&B based Customer Preference Center solution houses the customer approved communication method and communication data in SAP CRM system. UtiLitics® solution leverages technologies to perform several post emergency actions in a manner that reduces the negative impacts phenomenally.
Gartner in its publication “Post Modern ERP Trends 2014” predicted that with “the Changing of the guard; the mega vendors will no longer dominate and within next 5 years, hybrid ERPs will be the norm”. The need is for a new solution in the already crowded market is to address the following issues:
- Provides ability to pictorially select the assets on which the action is required.
- Integrates Google Maps or S/4 HANA Geospatial Infrastructure with Customer Experience Management environment for operations effectiveness and smooth flow of the process steps.
- Integrates Customer Preference Management (UtiLitics®) solution into SAP CRM environment
- Efficient communication & alert management solution
- Integrates Google Maps or S/4 HANA Geospatial Infrastructure with SAP AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure)
- Built on the philosophy to serve the customer by leveraging Google Infrastructure
- Google's positive impact and penetration into Enterprise Applications.
Summary:
During emergency, utilities need ability to turn off smart meters by group selection, alert customers of emergency based on their communication preferences. The solution provides ability to identify assets visually, and perform required action(s) on individual asset or group(eg. remotely turn off nearby meters and flash messages to customers) minimizing life threats & accelerating post-emergency processes. Inform customers based their communication preferences about emergency. Send safety alerts to nearby population. Customer safety, customer experience management, technology maturity, competing for digital leadership, digital business innovations, providing new types of value. Emerging Post Modern ERPs* with deconstructing ERP suites and “users taking control back”.
About the Authors:
MediaAgility is a Listed official partner for “Google Maps for Work”. Recipient of JAPAC Partner of the Year award for Google Cloud Platform, MediaAgility is a Premier Google Apps Partner for Enterprise and SMB. uPrefer Solutions along with its flagship SAP Certified solution - UtiLitics® develops Google/Geospatial infrastructure based solutions for Utilities, in collaboration with MediaAgility.