The field services subsidiary of a large distribution business needed to plan and prepare for a $400m mass rollout of 1.1m AMI ‘smart’ meters. Baylink worked with the client to design, develop and implement the required business operating model, a critical element in Australia’s largest and most successful smart meter program – including market-leading safety, customer satisfaction and 28 to 53% cost savings versus comparative programs.
situation
The field services subsidiary of a large distribution business, with responsibility for the installation of over 1.1 million Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) ‘smart’ meters, recognised that it would need to rapidly, reliably and safely scale field metering activities by a factor of ten in order to meet required demand.
The client engaged Baylink to work with it to design, develop and implement the required business operating model to enable it to successfully complete the installation of the 1.1m ‘smart’ meters within the required 4 year timeframe.
objectives
- Establish an integrated management approach to preparing for Field Services aspects of the rollout.
- Define the Field Services operating model for mass rollout.
- Identify, scope and approval of the projects required to implement the Field Services rollout operating model.
- Plan and mobilise the projects required to implement the Field services rollout operating model.
- Define the IT Business Requirements and gain approval of an associated Business Case for IT systems required to enable the Field Services rollout operating model.
approach
Baylink’s approach to the Field Services rollout preparation engagement included:
- Field Services rollout strategy development
- Field Services operating model development, including:
- End-to-end rollout business process
- Organisational aspects
- Business IT systems
- Contractor aspects
- Business requirements definition for required IT systems, including:
- Works planning
- Field force automation
- Automated close-out
- Exception management
- Identification, scoping and planning five key projects to achieve the Field Services operating model.
All of the above were completed with the client and in consultation with stakeholders.
results
The key projects which were created from this engagement were successfully delivered to budget and schedule, which implemented the Field Services mass rollout operating model. The implemented operating model successfully installed over 1.1m smart meters in what is recognised as the leading example of AMI mass deployment in the Australian utilities market, including:
- Market-leading safety, compliance, customer satisfaction and completion rate.
- Unit cost savings of 28-53% versus comparative programs.