When it comes to utility projects, there are many moving parts and things to consider. For example, we discussed earlier at how crucial having a knowledgeable project manager can be. It’s also important to have solid training and documentation in place both during and post-implementation in addition to third party vendor management, application integration, fiscal responsibility and stakeholder satisfaction. With all of these various factors, the ultimate goal is to deliver a project smoothly, efficiently, and within budget. In this post we will explore why it is so important to do so and also look at how focusing on a positive customer experience directly relates to project excellence.

Everyone matters

During implementation, there are many important key players responsible in getting a project up and running – not just the project manager. Many vendors and other key representatives involved invest and dedicate a huge chunk of their time to ensure a successful outcome making sure all the moving parts work as they should. Utility employees make a lot of sacrifices to make sure the project rolls out smoothly such as working long hours, blocking off vacation time, and taking on additional responsibilities. All these people working together and dedicated to their cause are really what help ensure great success.

Ruler measuring excellenceThe customer is always right?

You’ve probably heard the business cliché a few times too many, but when it comes to a successful project implementation, your customers (or more specifically the customer experience) are another crucial part of the success. Whether you are converting or starting with a fresh installation, during implementation and go-live, the transition should be seamless to the customer. If anything, the customer experience should improve and have no negative impact. Customers are very savvy these days, especially with technology, so it’s important to make things as easy as possible so the customer is satisfied.

Numbers don’t lie

Sure, customer satisfaction is important, but did you know that according to a May 2017 JD Power study, “nearly one-third of residential customers report water quality problems”. JD Power looked at many different factors to measure satisfaction and rated many different utility companies on a variety of topics. We’re proud to say that both Miami-Dade Sewer and Water and Orange County Utilities – two clients of Millennium Consulting LLC – rated highest in customer satisfaction (nationwide). We know how critical the customer experience is and we are proud to make that one of our key focus points when helping to roll out our implementation projects. You can read more details in our press release.