Challenge
Lack of Automation
From taking meter readings to manual entry of meter readings data bills, the dependence was higher on manual effort than on technology.Existing technology was outdated and hence not very efficient. It could also not help to validate meter readings or to prevent revenue losses.
Solution
Photo Meter Reading
Bynry’s solution made meter reading simpler and more accurate. The introduction of photometer reading enabled with GPS tags and inbuilt quality control validations reduced the risk of human error and improved the quality of readings. The system was integrated with bill generation to shorten the bill creation cycle which in turn improved cash flow and curbed revenue losses.
Challenge
Incorrect Consumer Indexing
For about 1500 consumers each month, there was no address found in a actual field Incorrect consumer indexing and tagging led to a number of inconsistencies in terms of bill generation. This further led to a high number of dissatisfied consumers which, in turn, affected BkESL’s reputation and perception.
Solution
Route Sequencing and SMS Alerts
By introducing GPS tagging on each meter, System gave field agents a way to plan their route and ensure that no meter reading was skipped by mistake and a billing schedule was adhered to. An SMS alert system was also introduced that sent consumers a message if they were unavailable when the team visited their home or the intimation of next visit. This helped track and regularize bill generation along with improving schedule adherence. In addition, it improved communication between BkESL and consumers.
Challenge
Poor Quality Data of Meter Reading and Average Billing
BkESL was dependent on a field team to take each meter reading manually and maintain its mannual records.There was no standardization in terms of how the data was collected and recorded, In addition, most meters were located within homes and there were many instances when a meter reading was skipped or entered average reading because the address associated with the account was wrong or the homeowner was not at home or sometimes for a suspicious reason. This made the meter reading records questionable and increased the chances of bill related issues.
Solution
Consumer Tagging
Bynry digitized the process of managing consumer records. This simplified the process and minimized the effort required. This reduced the cases wherein bills were generated without having the correct address and ensured that all consumers were accurately tagged. This ensured that once they were generated, the bills reached the right person and could thus be paid in time.
Challenge
Irregular Billing Cycles
Relying solely on manual forces for meter readings made the process slow and affected the overall efficiency of the organization Faulty meter readings, unbilled consumers and human error led to incorrect/average billing for up to 14% of all accounts. This affected the company’s profit margins and caused commercial losses of around 28%. Clumsy billing, in turn, caused delayed payment collection and affected cash flow.
Solution
Real-Time Dashboard and MIS Reporting
Bynry’s digital solution gave BkESL a reporting module which helped their team to identify the exceptions in meter reading, such as abnormal consumption and suspicious activities on which BkESL team could take action. BkESL could now collect real-time information in meter readings and updates to consumer complaints. This helped improve communication between the company and its consumers and reduced the number of complaints they received by 85%.
Challenge
Lack of Transparency
All the departments included in the process that must must work independently and yet be connected to each other. A lack of standardized procedures made it difficult to track information flow between and the paper trail. This issue was further aggravated by a high reliance on manual effort for key tasks and slow technology adoption.
Solution
Field Force Training
In addition to the technological upgrade, Bynry helped recruit and train a team of 50 field executives and a ground management team.The team was taught takethe best praactices for accurate meter readings and to capture other relevant data. Combined with the MIS, this brought about more transparency in the internal processes and improved billing accuracy.
