Customer experience is becoming an increasingly important competitive tool. We are spoiled with digital interfaces that make it easy to quickly get status and information about our case, reschedule meetings, and get help and feedback from the supplier.
A field service case management system enables utilities to meet energy customer expectations.
Here are three key reasons for this:
1) Integrated case process
It is the rule rather than the exception in the energy industry that those who handle the case use a variety of systems, from customer support and contract management to maintenance planning. Systems that are out of sync.
This often leads to a poor service experience: orders get stuck on the road, the service company has not received the order on time, field technicians do not get the right equipment and have to make return visits.
A case management system connects the different systems and their users. It ensures that everyone works according to the same common process and that everyone has access to the status of the case and the information they need in real-time – including the subcontractors and the end customer.
This means that the end customer, electrician, energy company and contractor collaborate much more efficiently throughout the case process.
With the help of predefined flows for different case types, the system ensures that each case is carried out under the right customer agreement and in the right way. To perform something or close a case, relevant forms or checklists must be filled in, and what is entered is automatically validated using set business rules.
The result is that the customer is kept informed of what is happening, is involved in the process and that the work is carried out faster and with higher quality.
2) Better flow of information
Everyone knows that communication with the customer is everything. The customer does not know what has been done, when the technician will arrive and when the work is expected to be completed. The result is a dissatisfied and frustrated customer.
A case management system digitizes the customer interface and makes it easier for the customer to access current information about cases - and to communicate with their installer or their electricity company.
It keeps the customer continuously informed of the status of the case via a customer portal where it is also possible to rebook, leave a message about their availability and request a reminder via SMS for future visits.
The flow of information is, of course, also central for everyone who works with a case. With a case management system, they can continuously monitor how the work is progressing without having to wonder if everything goes as promised when the installer would arrive or if the work is done.
For example, a local electrician who receives a request for a new connection can register a pre-registration via a partner portal. The customer then receives a quote from the energy company, and when it is signed, the case is registered and the customer and installer receive a notification that the case is started.
Customer notifications about planned maintenance, upcoming service outages, or scheduled appointments can also be automated. The customer can feel safe and well-informed - and as a bonus, customer service receives fewer requests.
The improved flow of information thus enhances the customer experience through both faster and better deliveries and better customer communication.
3) Automated planning and resource management
A good case management system supports common scheduling for all work resources, including external contractors. This provides an overview of available staff and current customer needs and thus better conditions for resource optimization. The work can be directed to available people with the right skills with the least possible travel time.
Scheduling can also be partially automated:
Field workers who have time to spare can choose from an automatically updated list of jobs that are well-suited for them.
Automatic assignment ensures that the work order goes to an installer with the right skill profile who is in the right place, which reduces the number of return visits.
The system can find a new installer nearby if the person who has been commissioned becomes ill.
In this way, the customer can get help faster, more efficiently and more professionally.
