Client Background

• Client: Leading Australia-based water utility company
• Industry: State-owned corporation
• Products or services: Drinking water, waste water, recycle water and storm water services
• Areas of operations: Australia
• Number of customers: More than 5 million people

Challenge

The client faced a challenge with their existing systems, which were on aging legacy applications and non-upgradeable. The old system required high cost to serve satellite applications. They incurred massive costs in existing human resources for a combination of senior employees and contractor services. Multiple teams were required at the client’s end to manage the business.

The client had to face high backlogs and delayed billings due to multiple touchpoints from different business areas.

Solution

Wipro analyzed and brought in an advanced model to manage the situation with an upgraded system,  SAP S4 HANA. We focused on quality assurance, and value added exception management by setting proper system rules. We looked at customer experience with a focus to support the utility’s vision 2020. In addition, we helped them with an as-is investigation from a new technology system with faster billing and invoicing resulting in high yielding blocked revenue for the company.

Wipro provided an onshore support layer to manage the process and volumetric deflection on a real time basis. Wipro’s support team, with lesser team strength and broader coverage on business areas, led to cost-effectiveness.

Business Impact

Wipro facilitated accurate billing, and reduced estimation or incorrect meter read releases, reduced late bills and, most importantly, cost to serve. It also lowered outstanding debts and resulted in higher cash flow.

• Annualized benefit of $0.36 million (reduced effort, higher cash flow, reduced cost to win/retain).
• Reduction in exception volumes from 80k to 50k, annualized to 38%.
• 99.99% on-time closures of SAP exceptions.
• Overall, AHT (average handle time) reduced from 12.5 mins to 8.5 mins.
• Reduction in onshore support teams.