The right path to the future
Many municipal utilities and energy suppliers have already recognized the need to expand their business model and have launched initial pilot projects to test new digital services. The trend is clearly moving in the direction of smart, integrated services that create added value for customers in addition to simply selling electricity. If you want to remain competitive in the long term and grow sustainably, you should consistently pursue this path.
The potential of new service models
The competition for customers has changed. It is no longer just about energy prices, but about value-added services that make life easier. One example: municipal utilities could provide a digital card or app that enables access to various services such as parking garages, charging stations, swimming pools or public transport. The advantages for the customer are obvious:
- Everything from a single source: One central system for various services
- Cashless and convenient: Pay directly via the app or customer card
- Attractive benefits: Discounts for existing customers for long-term loyalty
The challenge: Existing systems are reaching their limits
However, the implementation of such models poses challenges. Existing IT and Billing systems are often not designed to combine different services and bill them automatically. Manual processes are often required, which are time-consuming and inefficient. This is a problem, especially in times of a shortage of skilled workers.
If each service is billed separately and with many manual steps, this is not expedient. The normalization of usage data (UDRs) from various sources is therefore central and essential in order to enable uniform and automated billing. These services can only be successfully monetized if this challenge is mastered efficiently:
- Collect UDRs from different sources: Charged kWh, parked time, number of trips in the bus, etc.
- Calculate prices based on the customer's contract and tariff: New customer prices, VIP prices, key account conditions, etc.
- Create a collective invoice: Recurring collective billing or individual billing per transaction - depending on customer preference.
- Recognition of sales in the respective business units: Transparent and correct allocation of revenues.
- Integration into the company's central accounting system: Ensuring comprehensive and consistent financial management.
A modern system must fully automate these processes in order to guarantee an economical and scalable solution. This is the only way to operate digital service models efficiently and monetize them sustainably.
Why now is the right time
The demand for digital and networked solutions is continuously increasing. According to a study by KPMG, 72 % of customers want personalized communication and more transparency in pricing1. At the same time, they expect services to be available more quickly and seamlessly.
Energy suppliers see enormous potential here: a study by the BDEW shows that digital-based offerings, particularly in the areas of smart city, e-mobility and automated electricity trading, are growing by an average of 10 % per year2. This not only means new sources of revenue, but also stronger customer loyalty and greater competitiveness.
If you act now, you can position yourself as an innovative provider at an early stage and secure market share in the long term.
Future-proof IT solutions with doubleSlash
The digitalization of such service offerings requires a well thought-out IT strategy. The aim is to reduce complexity, cut costs and enable a rapid market launch. doubleSlash specializes in supporting companies in this transformation. From conception to technical implementation, we deliver scalable and future-proof solutions for a new generation of service offerings.
Investing now secures a competitive advantage and sets the course for a sustainable and scalable future. Are you ready for the next step?
