To streamline their case management, all actors in the process need to have access to the information they need at the right time and work according to common processes. A modern case management system solves this by connecting all the necessary systems and ensuring that the information about each case is kept up to date, follows defined processes and is available to all concerned.
Here we take a closer look at how this happens in practice.
Integrates existing systems
For their case management, most energy companies use several different systems.
It can be systems for:
Customer support
Service order
Contract management
Maintenance system
Business system
Data analysis
NIS (Network Information System)
Other field applications
In addition, the subcontractors often use their systems.
Each system works more or less in its own "silo", separated from the others. Cases are initiated by different systems, for example, a fault report by customer support, a maintenance case by Asset Management and a measurement case by NIS.
At each stage, from ordering to invoicing and analysis, people in different roles perform tasks that require information from different systems. This in turn requires them to continuously update the system information.
A case often requires efforts from several different actors, from energy companies and installers to authorities. Everyone is dependent on each other and efforts must be well-timed so that lead times do not drag on.
A modern case management system integrates relevant systems through an open standard API and ensures with built-in automation that the right data is available when it is needed. In this way, everyone working on a case can follow its status, report back and communicate with each other in real-time.
Example: New connection to the electricity grid
So how is a case executed with the support of a modern case management system? We take a common example from reality: a newly built villa is to be connected to the electricity grid.
Before the case is started, "standard flows" have been created for different case types, in this case, a new connection case (error resolution and maintenance are examples of other case types). Everyone working in these standard flows will follow the same process. In each flow, several business rules have been set up that govern which forms and checklists must be completed to begin the next step. When conditions are met, automatic status updates and new activities are triggered.
Now to the matter of connection!
1. Order, pre-register and make an offer
Your customer contacts an electrical installer to order a new connection for his villa. The electrical installer registers a pre-notification via a portal for installers. The customer then receives a quote from the energy company, and when it is signed, the case is registered and both the customer and the installer receive a notification that the case has been started.
After that, the customer is continuously informed about the status of the case via a customer portal, where the customer can also rebook, leave a message about their availability and request a reminder via SMS for future visits.
2. Create, plan and schedule
The energy company creates the activities that its staff and subcontractors need to carry out in the case, for example, planning, preparation and permit applications. The energy company notifies a subcontractor that the matter has been created.
Each company then schedules its staff, books time for execution and assigns the activities to the right resource. A common schedule for all actors means that all resources can be used optimally. For example, the work can be assigned to people with the right skills and short travel time. Scheduling and assignment can also be automated.
3. Design, install and report
The contractor and service technician carry out the assignment, continuously report progress to the energy company via the case management system and mark when the activity is completed.
User-friendly digital forms facilitate real-time feedback. The entered data is automatically validated, and if all conditions are met, the status of the case is updated and its new status is notified to all concerned. This ensures that the information needed about the case is entered and that even subcontractor personnel adhere to your customer agreements and SLAs.
When the work is finished, the energy company informs that the installer can start his work. The electrician is now carrying out the electrical work in the house and laying cable protection pipes at the property boundary.
4. Notification of completion connect and apply voltage
When the energy company via the case management system has received a notification from the installer about the completed notification, a case is created to connect the service and set up the meter. The work is planned, scheduled and assigned.
When the connection is complete and the meter is set up, the electrical installer is notified via the case management system that they can energize the system.
An electrician performs the work and reports that the case is ready for invoicing.
5. Bill, close and analyze
The energy company sends the invoice, closes the case and analyzes the KPIs defined to identify possible improvements to the process. Everything is still done in the case management system.
The example shows how the cooperation between the end customer, the electrical installer, the energy company and the contractor flows seamlessly through the entire case process. In the end, this leads to two major business values: more efficient use of resources and higher quality in work and delivery - and not least: satisfied customers.
