Many utilities are not aware that automated gas outage management is available to them. The Northeast Gas Association has worked with its member companies to bring to market a GIS-based gas outage application that reflects the common requirements of their operations members. It works with Esri and other GIS systems found at utilities.
The application was developed by UDC, an experienced Utility Industry solution provider, and is available for the growing number of gas utilities beginning to focus on improving their outage practices from manually handling outages to a more automated solution.
While automating gas outage management provides enhanced operating efficiencies for the utility as a primary focus, another key benefit is that it also elevates customer satisfaction.
Amplifying Customer Communications
Based on results from The 2019 Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study surveying 57,879 residential customers of 84 of the largest US gas utilities, JD Power executives call attention to the importance of proactive customer communications as a direct influencer of overall satisfaction.
“Customers that recall receiving communications from their gas utility providers have a significantly higher satisfaction score. Specifically, if these providers are reaching out with information regarding reliability of natural gas delivery and important safety measures.”
Carl Lepper, Director of the Utility Practice at J.D. Power
Leveraging existing technology, the NGA driven gas outage management solution provides additional opportunities for customer interaction including the capacity for an external customer facing website component that can communicate real-time outage information.
The Gas Outage System illustrates the outage area on a map and defines the dimensions of the outage affected area. Defining the outage area, informing customers and providing timely updates provides a new dimension to customer service. This approach, using an external facing website, can also provide relevant information such as time to restore and pertinent individual customer details of activities such as re-lighting. The outage information is appreciated by the customer and instills confidence in their utility.
Customer Satisfaction ROI
Increased satisfaction provides value to the utility in several ways and can serve to impact the utility’s regulatory environment. Reducing customer complaints during an outage through the ability to provide customers with accurate and timely information directly equates to higher customer satisfaction ratings. Higher ratings in turn are a positive factor when dealing with State Regulatory Commissions, especially during rate making proceedings. Regulators and customers alike are more accepting of justified rate increases when customer satisfaction is high.
Transparency for Regulators
In conjunction with elevating customer satisfaction, utilities moving to an automated solution for outage management and communication can experience increased regulatory satisfaction. The ability to provide regulatory staff with accurate and timely information, as well as documented information and audit trail, can reduce complaints and negative scrutiny during an outage. Following the outage, capacity to playback the outage for utility management and regulatory staff to literally show how the outage occurred and was restored, provides the level transparency many utilities and regulators are seeking.