In a major move towards computerisation, the Brihanmumbai Electricity and Supply Transport (Undertaking) Limited (BEST) has awarded a Rs 30-million contract to Siemens Information Systems Ltd (SISL) to undertake on-line computerisation of all its operations, especially in the customer and commercial divisions.

This system, labelled BPR & Customer Information & Billing System (CIBS), will help on-line processes and workorder planning. According to an SISL official, "The proposed system will involve BPR to carry on as a 'one window' interface for all BEST activities including electricity billing system with drill down inquiries. It will support major business processes covering revenue management, customer service management, meter reading and billing, accounts receivable, communication to the corporate level and communication to the wards as well. The interface developed also has other standard revenue management system and will be operated with Hand Held Terminals (HHT), to enable spot billing to be carried out which has been chalked out for energy meters."

Built for the first time in India, the solution called BPR & Customer Information & Billing System (CIBS) on Oracle, BPR as a proposed system, will include solutions for the commercial and customers wings of BEST. Additionally, services such as electricity billing with drill down enquiries are also being developed. The system will take care of work order management for planning, preparing, assigning, and executing and the setting up of customer service cell to improve customer service.

Additional services will include conversion of legacy data from Cobol to Oracle. The conversion will take care of the customer/meter/billing and static information from the existing legacy data. The system will also possess interface with AM/FM/GIS systems.

This innovative solution will attempt to also involve work order management for work order planning, preparation, assigning and executing and the setting up of a customer service cell to readdress customer complaints and grievances.

BEST hopes to provide efficient, timely and accurate billing to boost customer confidence through this solution.

BPR will address a longstanding need for the state-run utility to evolve an efficient system based on IT to manage its various tasks and functions thus fostering better inter connectivity between its various work nodes. Presently, there are 9 sub-zone offices and cash collection centres spread across the metropolitan, where SISL will have to service and work at the sites.

SISL on its part has been entrusted to fully provide support for the necessary hardware and for conducting training sessions to BEST staff in addition to annual technical support services.

According to a BEST official, it intends to carry out on-line computerisation of all activities of Commercial and Consumers Departments including the electricity billing system. The introduction of the IT is intended to not only make the organisation more responsive to the needs of the consumers but also to improve and streamline the existing system and internal management. The long-term aim is to evolve an efficient system based on IT to manage various tasks and functions and to bring about inter connectivity between the various work nodes, the official pointed out.

The task of introducing IT is entrusted to GPD division of Siemens Information Systems Ltd. (SISL) at a cost of Rs 30 million for software development alone, who will work closely with the user departments to accomplish the same. SISL is fully responsible for the necessary hardware to be procured (including connectivity, estimated at another Rs. 30 million) and for training the personnel and providing annual technical supports. The locations for the installations and introduction of IT-based system are for the 9 sub-zonal offices and cash collections centres spread all over the limits of Mumbai and SISL would have to work and service at these sites.

SISL offer:
It is a major challenge to BEST to manage revenue collection at optimum level while ensuring quality customer service. Efficient, timely and accurate billing will not only ensure customer's confidence but will also enhance company's financial position.

We have studied BEST requirement & suggested our process model called BPR & Customer Information & Billing System (CIBS) says a Siemens official.

The proposed CIBS system supports major business processes covering revenue management, customer service management, meter reading & billing, accounts receivable, communication to the corporate level and also communication between wards. The proposed system will have interface with other standard revenue management system. Also it interfaces with Hand Held Terminals (HHT) to enable spot billing to be done, which is currently planned for energy meters.

The proposed system will involve BPR to be carried out in all the activities of commercial & consumer dept. including the electricity billing system providing plenty of drill down inquiries to bring the respective personnel more closer to the information. The solution will also involve work order management for work order planning, preparation, assigning & executing & setting up Customer service cell to improve the customer service. Conversion of presently available customer/meter/billing & static information from legacy data to Oracle will also be the part of the solution to make the data available for on-line inquiring. The system will also have interface with AM/FM/GIS system.

Key Issues & goals _ Present vs Future:

Delays in handling customer request due to disparate system - To improve customer service with up-to-date & wide information access.
Delays in billing the new customer - To improve on the internal check points to significantly reduce billing cycle.
Significant billing error due to manual calculation & paper processing - To reduce errors by automating reading & billing processes with integration to HHT.
Delays in payment recognition & reaction due to non-payment - To improve payment process with active monitoring of non-payment.
Lengthy process to consolidate data for management reporting - To provide real time management information for quick business decision.
Paper based work order planning & scheduling did not optimise resources - To improve planning & scheduling by automated creation & monitoring or work order.
Existing process does not provide timely information for the technical wing for planning - To reduce the information gap as the tech. wing would be immediately notified.
With on-line processes and work order planning coupled with BPR & conversion of legacy data from Cobol to Oracle, BEST is expecting a significant improvement in their processes & expect ROI in three years time.