Why utilities need to upgrade their application map now and how OBF can help

As we previously stated on this blog by talking of the trend of digital sales and the importance of cloud services, we believe that today not only the good name, but the very survival of a company is linked to its approach to progress and digital trends. To achieve the right balance of innovation, digitization and outstanding services, utilities need to raise their game by upgrading their application map: a new toolbox is needed, made of agile, smart, and flexible tools such as OnBoarding Funnel.

Digital revolution: why it is more complex for the utility field 

If we take a quick look at the market during recent years, it will be clear that some fields have embraced digitization more easily and quickly than others. In this analysis the utility world is one of the most complex: in it, digital has struggled to make its way, many companies have postponed necessary changes and upgrades until waiting was no longer a plausible option (i.e. when the Covid health emergency hit) and in general the services offered to customers have been affected. Except for some virtuous companies, most of the giants of water and energy have timidly lagged behind in the race for industry 4.0.

Although the cause of all this may seem the lack of foresight of some CEOs and boards of directors, the causes for what happened are to be sought more deeply: this delay in the evolution of the entire field has its roots in the very history of the creation of the great companies of the utility world and we can somehow say it’s in their DNA. The fact is that the huge utilities come from an era in which the costs of creating and managing a company in the sector were so high as to leave no room for private investments: only the public sector could invest in the field. And so, most of the historic utility companies are or have been public, with the rigid and complex regulation that this entails. Furthermore, public companies coincide with national companies, and this involves a myriad of complex regulations, a different one at least for each country or area.

This is the burden that utilities have dragged up to the present day: a legacy that, while on the one hand is the proof of a century-long experience, on the other has made the sector less agile and open to innovations. However, this can – and must – change, as many young utility companies are already doing thanks to their smaller and lighter dimensions which enable them to innovate the market more easily. Today, after the impact of Covid, the need for new digital methods has become urgent for companies of any size, and on top of the contingency situation, there are some recent trends to take into consideration, such as the increasingly widespread energetically self-sufficient communities, the liberalization of energy markets and a general more attention to renewable energy.

Customers are changing and companies need to change too if they want to continue meeting their needs. To do this and overcome the complexities that the utility sector carries with it once and for all, the time has come to change, and to do it in the right way.

Smart, long-term change is needed 

Since the utility world delayed the digital passage and therefore fallen behind, change now is necessary. Fortunately, this little delay comes with an advantage: attempts have been made, mistakes have been corrected and therefore now we know that the way for a successful digital transition passes through the right tools. These must boast three main points:

  • having a long-term attitude;
  • being flexible, both solution and resource-wise;
  • being able to involve and engage the final client.

Companies in the utility world must pay particular attention to tools that can accompany them in the future. For this reason, they need to choose tools and methods that can keep up progress in the long term. An optimal choice is to go for cloud and SaaS technologies because these are constantly evolving products that allow the optimization of resources based on the actual use and needs of the customer.

This last factor is crucial: in an extremely changing market, ideal solutions are also flexible as regards to rates and costs, to allow companies to be competitive on the market. 

Flexibility is also the key in view of the future: to meet the renewed needs of end customers, companies in the utility sector are increasingly offering complementary services, and the tools used must be malleable to consider the next new offers.

Finally, the ideal new tools must prioritize the needs and involvement of the final customers within processes: if the market landscape and the companies themselves are changing, the final customers are as well. The user of energy services in 2021 has needs that just twenty years ago would have been considered pure science fiction, but today they are reality. A utility user today wants a sales experience and services that are intuitive, simple, and clear; but above all, he wants control over processes and data at all times of the relationship with the service provider.

Given all this, the adoption of digital tools is not enough: the digitization of the utility world today must be smart.

Why OnBoarding Funnel is the perfect tool for the new utility application map 

Therefore, a crucial factor for the right digitization is the need to look for new tools to create the perfect application map. OnBoarding Funnel stands out because it is designed to offer an extraordinary, flexible, and engaging long-term experience.

  • Cloud-based and SaaS. OnBoarding Funnel is a completely cloud-based tool offered with a SaaS model: this means that it is constantly updated and maintained at the highest level of technology and progress. In addition, Dazerolab completely manages the technical part, and the customer can do their job without worrying about it.
  • Extremely flexible. Thanks to its innovative business model, OnBoarding Funnel is available with tailor-made solutions designed on the specific needs of each customer; this allows great savings and resource optimization if compared to the purchase of a rigid suite of tools.
  • An incredible experience for customers and companies. Finally, OnBoarding Funnel is born from the attention to the needs of today’s customers, with a focus on their involvement in the onboarding and contract signing moments: thanks to experiences such as the Web Self and the Web Assisted ones it gives the user control over the signature and choice over supply offers, making at the same time the process both enjoyable and efficient for the business team.

Thanks to its features, OnBoarding Funnel is the perfect tool to complete any utility’s application map while integrating perfectly with the rest of the software and platforms already owned by the company. 

Do you want to try OnBoarding Funnel to experience all its power and flexibility firsthand? Request your free demo now!

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