Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | 18TH - 24TH MAY 2018 | 19 Operations & Assets I dentifying and supporting vulnerable customers is one of the most pressing challenges facing utilities. Many offer support but are unable to reach or engage those most in need. Utility Week Live, at Birmingham's NEC on 22-23 May, is hosting a live 24-hour hack- athon to tackle this pressing issue. In keep- ing with Utility Week Live's headline theme of Disruption, the hackathon will bring together technical, creative and design experts from the outside world with utilities experts. Sponsored by Microso and Huntswood, teams of hackers will spend 24 hours on the show floor, designing and building proto- types to help utilities work with vulnerable customers. The prototypes will be shared with visitors to the show, and a winning solution will be chosen. For more information and to sign up, visit: www.utilityweeklive.co.uk. Hackers to the rescue! Visit Utility Week Live and meet the teams of hackers who are developing solutions to help utilities support vulnerable customers. Huntswood: Consumer vulnerability and digital T he need for the utilities industry to generally "keep up" when it comes to digital is clear and largely recognised. When it comes to leveraging digital chan- nels in the utilities sector, there are many existing core components driving the pace of change. For example: providing better access to customer service, effectively utilis- ing customer data to deliver a more person- alised experience, and achieving commer- cial benefits by taking operating costs out of distribution and servicing channels. The regulators are expected to keep step- ping up their general focus on how firms are operating when it comes to customer vul- nerability. Clearer regulatory requirements have already been set by Ofgem and Ofwat and, more than ever, firms will be expected to implement some real operational and cultural changes within their business. Natan Doron, head of operational policy at Energy UK, says: "2018 is the year in which energy suppliers will have to demon- strate they are being more proactive than ever before in addressing vulnerability. That means more investment in staff capacity and a review of evidence, policy and front- line practice. "The more that suppliers can co-operate, the better for customers, and Energy UK will be doing all it can to provide that platform." Research carried out over the last year or two by various regulators, firms, consul- tancies, academic institutions and trade organisations means that - for the first time ever – energy, water and telecoms firms have access to a more detailed, complete view of the vulnerable customer popula- tion in the UK through the aggregated data. The challenge for firms will come from becoming more proactive in the usage of that data when it comes to dealing with a vulnerable customer. Firms are starting to recognise compli- ance and conduct as an opportunity to better connect with their customers. 'Getting digital right' is a key aspect of achieving good outcomes for customers, and one that firms, if committed to moving forward in an innovative (yet compliant) way, can gain significant commercial advantages from. It's clear that there are still some hur- dles to face before firms are in a position to attest to, and be able to, demonstrate their fair treatment of customers in vulnerable circumstances. The principal challenge is the ability to identify and deal with vulnerability in a way that recognises individual needs. Factors including organisational objectives and the operating model structure will drive how capable front and back office staff are at identifying and dealing with vulnerability. Microsoft: Empowering utilities to support their vulnerable customers A hackathon provides a venue for people with technical skills to get together and use technology to turn ideas into reality by collaboratively coding a solution from scratch. Microso hosts numerous hackathons all over the world that bring people together to tackle specific problems and make a signifi- cant difference to people and organisations everywhere through technology. Microso's mission is to "empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more", and it strives to drive greater eco- nomic opportunity, inclusion, and empower- ment of people around the globe. Identifying and supporting vulnerable customers remains a priority and a chal- lenge for utilities, and Microso is strategi- cally partnering with utilities in the UK and globally to support and enable them to transform digitally and drive innovation. Next week, Microso will be sponsor- ing the first Hackathon at Utility Week Live, where a team of developers will get together for 24 hours to design and build technology solutions that will help utili- ties overcome a key challenge of identify- ing and supporting vulnerable customers – people who are experiencing financial difficulties, or those who require priority for energy or water supplies because of their personal circumstances. The Hackathon will take place in the mid- dle of the expo floor at the Utility Week Live event and will run across both days, so make sure you stop by to see how the technology solutions are being developed. Hackathon Utility Week Live 22-23 May, NEC Birmingham

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