Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | 22ND - 28TH NOVEMBER 2019 | 19 Operations & Assets Operations & Assets meeting of the modification work- group that it is aiming to lower gen- erator transmission charges to €0.50/ MWh, rather than just limiting them to €2.50/MWh. Its said this would "create a level of consistency with other EU members that use this amount". The ESO also advised that the new rules would deem "all local circuits and substations as being assets required for connection". Following further consideration by the workgroup, the modification will be voted on by the CUSC panel before Ofgem makes a final decision on it. If you have an asset or project you would like to see featured in this slot, please send pictures and details to: paulnewton@fav-house.com Market view Cut the cost to communicate Ben Young says utilities can reduce costs through the customer-centric digital transformation of their communications. D igitally comfortable consumers manage their util- ity bills through their phone and online, so energy and water industries should embrace a customer- centric digital transformation of customer service to save money. Personalised digital migration. Accurate information tailored to the individual requirements of each customer through data segmentation is essential to customer-cen- tric digital transformation. Behavioural nudges. The utility sector must help con- sumers reduce bad debt – and the design of customer communications can play a crucial role in this. Digital communications coupled with eye-tracking data ensure that key information, like how much a cus- tomer owes and how to pay, is positioned where it will have the most impact. Innovation cuts costs. The costs of traditional com- munication methods also face greater scrutiny. Research shows that inbound mail items can be handled up to 19 times before they are received by the intended recipi- ent. Innovative digital information capture technologies allow crucial information to be extracted at source when received, stored digitally and transmitted to companies' systems directly. This avoids unnecessary handling and the risk of loss or damage, as well as cutting costs. Reducing environmental impact. Digital transforma- tion can go a long way to reducing a company's envi- ronmental impact. The impact of traditional printed customer communications can also be reduced though the use of innovative products. Traditional post still has a role. Digital transforma- tion does not signal the death knell for print communi- cations. Campaigns that include both print and digital channels boost sales by 27 per cent compared with print or digital only. There are also times when documents must be printed. Fi"y-seven per cent of people still feel more valued when they receive a letter. Utilities can reduce postage costs by working with suppliers that can offer discounts on postage options because of the vol- umes they post. Time to save. The utility sector has several key chal- lenges: enhancing customer service, reducing the cost to serve, reducing bad consumer debt and mitigating envi- ronmental impact. Customer-centric digital transforma- tion that provides an optimised multi-channel approach is one way in which companies can satisfy those expec- tations, reduce the significant costs of outsourcing and, most importantly, prosper in a competitive market. Ben Young, head of utilities, retail and strategic accounts, Adare SEC

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