ARTICLE: More Than 140,000 Automated Work Orders Processed; 600,000 Assets Tracked in System's First Year

More Than 140,000 Automated Work Orders Processed; 600,000 Assets Tracked in System's First Year
By David Rager, Director, Greater Cincinnati Water Works

[Source: U.S. Water News, August 2003] Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) recently had to make some tough decisions. Because Cincinnati's industry was shifting from large manufacturers to more of a service industry, our customers' water consumption was declining. Therefore, we needed to take on new customers to generate new revenues. But, as with most utilities, our infrastructure was distributed over several hundred square miles and was difficult to track and maintain. We were reaching a point where we couldn't expand any further with our current processes. Additionally, we were challenged to contain expenses in the face of rising labor and supplier costs and improve information availability to enhance customer service.

Putting a Premium on Efficiency
Top management agreed to use technology to meet these challenges. So, we drafted a strategic business plan which would enable us to function more efficiently and a technology migration master plan to achieve these goals. Although the master plan would touch upon all major business processes, the consensus was to focus on four main areas:

1. Create a Single Point of Customer Contact
Our 25-year-old homegrown, mainframe-based billing system required human intervention at almost every customer-related action. In order to make the process more efficient, we wanted the system to give all the information needed to the call center staff to address any customer question.

We chose the Banner Advantage customer information system (CIS) from SCT, now owned by Indus International, to bring all the information and customer points of contact together in one place. Now, a single person can take a customer call with access to the bill and any other information to help solve the problem. Further, our CIS system is linked to enhancements within our call center so that customers can address many of their own needs without human intervention.

Furthermore, a new work management system links directly to the CIS, so when a service call is made to customer premises, the technician is armed with customer knowledge (e.g. service issue, service history, water consumption, etc.) via the work order. This level of customer intimacy facilitates efficient service and reduced costs; and, it improves customer relations.

2. Automate our GIS
We used a geographic information systems (GIS) system developed by a consortium of local Cincinnati utilities and government entities. The system showed us where the water was via manhole locations, but it didn't provide the data we needed to optimize maintenance, management and customer service. So, our field service personnel were forced to copy and carry plant maps with them into the field on service calls.

To automate and modernize these practices, we installed a suite of GIS applications using software from ESRI to track service requests and actions. More than 2,800 miles of pipe were part of the digital GIS database. All existing water main system records were fully converted to the digital format, essentially eliminating all paper records.

3. Use a Process Control System to Monitor Assets and Water Quality
Our supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system allowed us to perform simple chores like actuate control valves and motors and control water flow. But, it did not allow us to monitor water quality or the condition of our assets to proactively determine if they needed attention. Modernizing this system allowed us to reallocate staff, reduce costs and tie this performance data into our work order and asset management system.

4. Connect Everything Together Through Work Order Management
Our paper-based work management system made understanding work volume and required resources very difficult. So, we designed the Total Enterprise Asset Management (TEAM) system to give us the ability -- from a single source -- to determine the work facing the organization at any point in time, as well as to set priorities and dynamically reallocate resources. We selected EMPAC from Indus International for this keystone role.

EMPAC connects asset management, work order management, inventory management and fixed assets, while providing 17 point-to-point interfaces with other enterprise business applications such as financials, purchasing and HR/payroll. Using EMPAC, we have integrated 450 users from our supply, engineering, commercial, distribution, water quality and treatment and business services divisions. Now our field and maintenance forces get their day's work electronically and report electronically on conditions found and repairs made.

Changing the Employee Mindset
Changing business processes means changing the way people work. So, not only did we have to put these new tools in front of employees; we had to teach them to use them efficiently. The results have more than justified the effort. The system has been enthusiastically endorsed across the organization, top to bottom. Employees feel a renewed sense of pride in learning new job skills and participating in a forward-looking organization.

Reaping the Benefits
Last year, we processed 140,000 work orders through the TEAM system, tracking close to 600,000 assets. All six of our business divisions are integrated, in a wonderfully concerted effort.

Some examples of the benefits we're realizing from the new systems include:

Prepared for the Future
Technology has opened our eyes to many possibilities. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. In a few years, we expect to be Internet-based in terms of gathering information, purchasing and interfacing with our customers.The technology we have installed today will be an increasing part of the metamorphosis of the organization. Its been a long road to get here, but we feel great about our position.