By Tom S. Noda
Computerworld Philippines
May 6, 2010
 
Convergys announced Tuesday the worldwide availability of its Smart CIS Solutions, described as next generation billing and customer care solutions for the utility and energy markets.

The company said they designed their Smart CIS Solutions specifically to improve current utility operations while extending next generation functionality and scale for future utility operations.

Convergys said aging infrastructure coupled with continuing changes in new technology, customer awareness, and regulatory focus, are having a significant impact on the traditional utility business. Utilities all over the world, it said, are facing a future marked by high volumes of data, mandated complex rate structures, and new consumption models that include electric vehicles and consumer-based generation while saddled with legacy systems designed to support low transaction levels. 

Unfortunately, legacy systems are not only functionally challenged, they are also costly to operate, with small changes requiring months to complete and millions of dollars, Convergys added. For instance, existing billing and customer care options cannot fully realize the vision of the smart grid without a fundamental shift in the way they leverage data, manage customer relationships, and develop rate structures. 

“The smart grid will not be successful without the ability to put more information and choice into the hands of customers, empowering them to make wiser energy decisions,” said Stuart Ravens, principal analyst at Ovum.

He explained that utilities must carefully manage their customers both during and after smart meter deployment, particularly with regard to the introduction of time-of-use billing.

“Because the bill is the principal contact point a utility has with its customers, there must be a fundamental shift in the way utilities manage data, provide customer options, and bill for energy,” Ravens said.

Convergys claimed among the key benefits of the its Smart CIS Solutions include: risk minimization, faster time to market, and faster ROI breakeven.

“As smart grid rollouts expand, both the frequency and quantity of data are increasing exponentially.  This puts extraordinary stress on the systems that manage the data – but also presents opportunities to better optimize operations and enhance the customer experience through automation and real-time actionable intelligence,” explained Bob Lento, Convergys president, Information Management.  “Our solutions change the status quo of inflexible, costly, legacy systems.  Convergys’ 25-year experience helping large multi-national firms undergo network transformations gives us the technology and the process knowledge to ensure that our Smart CIS Solutions meet both current and future billing and customer care needs.”

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