The Competitive Edge: Mobile Computing and Deregulation
Stopping trouble before it starts
There’s another old saying -- “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This
is particularly appropriate for customer service in the utility industry -- where preventive
maintenance is served-up on mobile devices that weigh mere ounces, instead of pounds.
While not quite one ounce, these mobile devices are a fraction of the size and weight of a
typical notebook computer, yet offer vastly superior communications capabilities. As
these mobile computing devices continue to replace the more traditional systems of pen-and-
clipboard, they are also providing utilities with new customer service functionality,
such as -- enhanced communications, better data synchronization, reduced need for data
entry, and new methods for automated forms. The result is better customer service at
lower lost.
Installation
Next to experiencing trouble, installation of equipment probably creates the most
enduring perception of service quality among customers. As utilities install more
intelligent devices at customer sites, the utilities themselves are relying on more
sophisticated equipment to streamline the installation process.
Take, for example, upgrading standard utility meters -- which represent points of
presence in 100 million customer locations across the country, according to EPRI --to
automated meter reading devices (AMRs) capable of automated two-way
communications. While the AMR is far more intelligent than the dumb meter it replaces,
the handheld mobile devices is a more intelligent choice for the installation process.
Mobile computing devices are capable of capturing all the critical data that needs to be
recorded -- old consumption figures, several serial numbers from the old meter, the serial
number of the new meter, and various levels that need to be set on the new AMR. The
handheld device can even store installation scripts on customized forms, to instruct
personnel on procedures for installing new equipment.
And since mobile devices are as much communicators as they are computers, all record
information is instantly transmitted -- either over wireline or tirelessly -- to a central
computer. This reduces the need for travel, minimizes the possibility of errors by
eliminating redundant data entry, and increases customer satisfaction by providing
accurate billing information.
Inspection
Once equipment is in place, the constant challenge to keep it running begins. Inspections
are both routine and ad hoc, but most of all, they are continuous. Automation improves
this process by sending crews to a site at the first sign of trouble. Many utilities have
maps that can be loaded into portable mobile devices capable of directing field crews to
poles or substations for inspection. In the event of suspected equipment ftilure utilities
can locate the closest crew in the vicinity of the equipment that needs attention,
communicate with them and redirect them to the site -- as they do when trouble arises,
Once at the site, information on the inspection can be transmitted directly to the crew
over wireline connections (via phone line) or tirelessly. Likewise, inspection reports can
be electronically fed back into data bases for storage and analysis.
|
