Case Study
Client Self Service Portal
Integrated self-service portal for natural gas utilities including web and mobile client applications, delivering 24/7 customer access and automated billing solutions.
Project Overview
Our client, a SAP for Utilities system integrator with expertise in Customer Relationship Management and Billing (CRM & B) systems, needed a comprehensive self-service portal solution for natural gas utilities.
The Vision
Create a comprehensive self-service portal that addresses customer service, field service, call center, and payment processing challenges while providing 24/7 access to utility services.
Portal Features
The Challenges
Utility companies face complex challenges in customer service, payment processing, and operational efficiency that require innovative self-service solutions.
Customer Service Mandate
Improve customer service, meet expectations, provide transparency and easy-to-use bill payment systems.
Call Center Overload
Increasing load on call centers with high volume of customer service calls and inquiries.
Payment Collection
Constricted payment collection processes and limited payment options for customers.
Communication Costs
High costs in mailing marketing materials, promotional offers, and billing notifications to customers.
Field Service Access
Field service personnel struggle to access customer data easily and conveniently.
Cost Reduction
Need for cost savings in customer service, field service, call center, and payment processing.
Our Solution
We built a comprehensive self-service portal solution based on Microsoft .NET platform with advanced technologies and APIs, addressing all critical utility challenges.
Core Portal Features
Multi-User Access
Comprehensive self-service portal for customers, field staff, and customer service representatives (CSR).
Payment Processing
Online payment of outstanding bills with credit, debit, and bank draft options for enhanced convenience.
Energy Consumption
View natural gas consumption patterns and historical data for better energy management.
Paperless Solutions
eBilling and eNotifications for transactional, promotional, and billing activities.
Technical Implementation
Modular Architecture
Registration, Profile, Billing, Notification, Common, Payment Gateway, Web API, Mobile API modules.
Payment Gateway
Integrated payment processing solution with multiple payment options and secure transactions.
MSMQ Notifications
Message Queuing-based notification solution for reliable and scalable communication.
24/7 Availability
Round-the-clock portal access ensuring customers can manage their accounts anytime.
Results & Impact
Client delivered exceptional results with successful implementation across multiple utility companies and significant operational improvements.
Revenue Collection
Improved revenue assurance and collection with $500,000+ in billing revenue collected in the first week.
Call Center Relief
Significant reduction in volume of customer service calls and reduced call center costs.
Customer Satisfaction
Focus on customer needs with improved overall engagement and satisfaction through self-service options.
Key Achievements
Successful Go-Live
5,000+ customers registered on the portal within the first week of implementation.
Cost Reduction
Reduced costs in mailing marketing materials and promotional content to customers.
Real-Time Data Access
Administrators can view customer profiles, bills, payments, consumption patterns, and meter data in real-time.
Multi-Utility Deployment
Successfully implemented at two different utility companies on hybrid cloud infrastructure.