We have become accustomed to a digital customer experience where we can easily check the status in real-time, get relevant information, rebook, get help and give feedback. But when it comes to energy services, expectations often fall short.
It is high time for the energy industry to enter the game and digitize its case management.
Risk of future customer flight
When you buy something online, you can usually follow the order all the way through. You can see that the order is confirmed, the expected delivery date and where the package is. If you've ordered a pizza, you can follow its path to your door, and even chat with the delivery person.
In many cases, however, electricity customers can count on something completely different. They don't know when the installer will arrive, how long it will take, or if the work is complete. When a charging post is to be installed, four or five different companies may be involved, and they are not always completely up-to-date either. Then there can also easily be misunderstandings, delays and errors that affect the customer in the end.
And there is one thing a frustrated customer can always easily do online: switch providers.
An efficient flow of information is key
A good customer experience requires that the customer has access to the right information about the case and can easily interact with the person performing the service. But of course also that the work is carried out in the right way and at the right time.
This is easier said than done for many energy companies, especially when it comes to new services such as connecting solar panels, charging stations and smart home services.
To be successful, the collaboration between the customer, installer, electricity company, contractor (and any subcontractor) needs to work effectively. This requires that all actors have access to the information they need to be able to carry out their part of the work. They also need to be able to easily update the information and each other.
Information flow is the heart of case management and, one could say, also the key to the customer's heart. And this is where a modern case management system comes into play.
Modernized case management - improved customer experience
The fact that Öresundskraft wanted to improve the customer experience was one of the biggest reasons why they introduced a case management system.
The solution enables significantly more efficient workflows and collaboration between the various actors. The system stitches together information from all the existing systems needed to handle a case, for example, systems for customer support, contract management and maintenance planning. The information is made available via a user-friendly interface where the customer and everyone working on the case can continuously follow how the work is progressing. No one has to wonder if everything is going as promised, when the installer would come or if the work is done.
Predefined standard flows for different case types, such as troubleshooting, maintenance and installation, mean that everyone using the system works according to the same process.
Different business rules are set up for the different case types and govern which forms or checklists must be completed to start or end a case. The digital forms make it easy to report back from the field in real-time. In this way, the system also ensures that the energy company's staff and subcontractors follow your customer agreements and SLAs.
This acts as quality assurance. 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 - again both the service provider and the customer.
Öresundskraft's system also supports joint scheduling, which makes it possible to optimize the use of internal and external resources. This makes it possible to direct the work to people with the right skills with the least possible travel time. Scheduling can advantageously be partially automated, for example, error correction. Field workers with time to spare can also choose from an automatically updated list of jobs that suit them. This also contributes to a better customer experience through shorter delivery times and fewer return visits.
The technology to digitize case management and customer interaction exists. Some energy companies, such as Öresundskraft, have taken the plunge. The battle for customers in the fast-moving energy market has only just begun.
