Customer Management System
There are tons of systems out there trying to improve business processes of utility companies in general or electric companies in specific.
The key is still doing the re-engineering process well and the application system will just a tool to follow the processes. I put some of my thoughts about Electric Management System in this blog. Feel free to read and comment.
In my previous post, I wast posting about how to by pass meter (electricity meter). The commonly done is by tampering electric meter. Tampering does not always mean to open the meter and manipulate the internal process of the meter. The common meter tampering is just by use magnet to slow down or to stop completely the disc rotation.
I was looking at this video that I found. The author of this video seems to do a lot of stuff with magnet with the main objective is to slow down meter disc rotation. I am not quite sure why he needs to put wire, cup, water, etc. Only with magnet alone, this can already slowing down or completely stop the meter disc from rotation.
In any case, doing these kind of meter tampering is easily noticed by electricity company (through readers). And in most countries, doing such an illegal activities can end up to a penalty bill or even a jail terms. So, think twice again if you want to tamper your electric meters.
Electric Meter Tamper! How To Reduce Your Electricity Bill In Half! - video powered by Metacafe
Are your meter readers going at the rate of 60 readings a day or 200 readings a day? Do they fast enough? These can only be answered considering some major parameters below:
1. Does the reader using paper of HandHeldUnit (HHU) during reading?
2. Does the area rural or city?
3. Do most of properties are a single meter (house) of multiple meters (apartments)
Below are some average reading speed from my experiences on different utility companies:
1. HHU, city, multiple meters: 400 or more readings a day
2. HHU, city, single meter: 100-200 readings a day
3. HHU, rural, single meter: 30-60 readings a day
4. Paper, city, multiple meters: 300 or readings a day
5. Paper, city, single meter: 70-150 readings a day
6. Paper, rural, single meter: 30-50 readings a day
The other combinations I don't have any statistics. So now, are your meter readers fast?
Meter reading is one of the important aspects for utility companies. Proper meter reading management will ensure that the bill will be produced correctly and timely for collection. However, some companies are very relying on their current readers. Once one reader for selected area is absent, the meter reading process is postponed.
The way to always having non-interruptions of meter reading process is to have a back-up readers. Some technicians can be put as back up meter readers as part of their job descriptions. Before putting them as back up readers, the company should define the area of meter reading in the maps. This is to avoid technicians will give reasons like "I do not know the area". Well defined meter reading maps could be very usefully even for new technicians that do not know well the area.
INTRODUCTION
This process involves the setting up of the order by which meters of supply points will be read. Metering points will be grouped into different routes according to their reading nature. Each of these routes will be cut into different itineraries to be read by one meter reader in one day.
UTILITY/SERVICE APPLICABLE TO
- Electricity
- Water
RESPONSIBILITY
Meter Reading Head
- Setting up of Meter Reading routes and itineraries
REMARKS
INPUT
Meter reading strategy, Number of metering points expected to be read during the year, Reading nature of metering points, Number of readers, Number of meter reading days per month
OUTPUT
Routes, Itineraries
OWNER OF THE PROCESS
Meter Reading Group
CLIENT
Meter Reading Group
PROVIDER
Meter Reading Group
