Utilities face a long list of challenges when it comes to managing complex operations, be it smart metering projects or infrastructure maintenance. Workforce management, a critical component of utility projects, also involves the management of a wide range of aspects: field personnel management, task scheduling, asset monitoring and maintenance, project scheduling, etc. Therefore, selecting a WFM (workforce management) solution that optimizes the use of utility resources, improves efficiency and ensures reliable service delivery is a no-brainer. But, simply implementing a WFM solution is not enough. For utilities to truly discover its full potential, they must track KPIs (key performance indicators) that enable them to achieve insights into the WFM’s operational effectiveness.
So, what are these essential KPIs that every utility must track? This blog will explore every KPI that should be monitored and how WFM solutions like Grid further streamlines utility operations.
Essential KPIs for Utilities to Track with WFM Systems
Field operations efficiency
For any utility, field operations form the backbone of its service delivery capability. They include everything from meter installations, to maintenance and repair. Enhancing the efficiency of field operations enables utilities to minimize costs, reduce service disruptions and improve consumer experience. To track efficiency levels, utilities must keep track of:
- Task completion rate: This basically means the percentage or the amount of tasks completed compared against delayed tasks. A high task completion rate may signify efficient resource allocation, effective scheduling approach and streamlined organizational workflows. In contrast, delays could result in consumer dissatisfaction, increased costs and potential regulatory penalties. An ideal WFM system should provide real-time visibility into various task progresses, which in turn allow managers to identify potential delays proactively. The system must also have automated scheduling and dispatching tools ensuring relevant technicians are assigned tasks based on their skillset and availability.
- First time fix rate: Here, we are talking about the percentage of issues that were resolved on the first visit by field technicians. A high-first time fix rate reduces instances of repeated visits, minimizes truck rolls, saves time/money and improves consumer experience. One of the key features for utilities to look out for in WFM systems is that field technicians can have access to comprehensive information about an issue. This can include details about equipment data, consumer history, along with troubleshooting guides. Moreover, the WFM systems should generally have a mobile app version that allows technicians to update the status of the repair immediately.
Like our solution Grid, where personnel can update details like repair status in real-time, close the ticket for resolution and place an order for new equipment if required. Since Grid integrates with existing CRM, HES, MDM and other metering components in the infrastructure, our mobile application also ensures that field personnel have access to every relevant data before arriving on-site.
- Maintenance ticket resolution: Utilities must be able to keep track of the average time taken to resolve each maintenance ticket. This becomes essential as minimizing ticket resolution time would ensure that service disruptions are resolved quickly, reducing consumer inconvenience and improving service reliability. A robust WFM system should be able to automate the creation, assignment and tracking of maintenance tickets. A mobile app that allows technicians to receive tickets, update their maintenance status and close them upon completion should also be a prerequisite. This is to ensure that stakeholders get real-time visibility into each step of the entire maintenance lifecycle.
After integrating Grid into the utility infrastructure, a ticket will be auto-generated whenever a consumer reports an issue. Our system will assign the ticket to the concerned team based on predefined criteria and fast-tracking the process. GridOps (our WFM system) leverages custom rules based on events and alerts to automate ticket creation. So, when a communication error is flagged by the system, a ticket is routed to the HES team and alerts are sent to field personnel.
Project progress and monitoring
To understand this performance indicator in more detail, let us consider utilities undertaking large scale projects, for example, smart meter deployment or infrastructure upgrades. In this context, tracking project progress and monitoring key milestones become essential to ensure timely completion and staying within budget. Utilities must keep track of:
- Survey completion rate: This means the number of surveys that have been completed versus the total number of surveys allocated for projects like consumer indexing. A high-survey completion rate would indicate that the project progress is on track and the utility is able to gather necessary details to make informed decisions. Generally, a WFM solution should streamline the survey process by providing field personnel with a mobile app that allows them to collect information electronically. This eliminates the need for paper-based forms, where the online approach enables managers to track survey progress, and identify any bottlenecks proactively.
Grid’s mobile survey app offers form-level validations that ensure a clean, error-free data collection, and speeds up the overall surveying process. Since Grid integrates with the utility’s CRM system, necessary details are auto-populated in the platform after selecting the consumer ID, reducing instances of fraud or data tampering.
- Installation progress: Utilities need to be able to get a detailed breakdown of meters that has been installed versus pending installation during a project. Being able to track installation progress allows utilities to gain insights into overall project timelines, where managers can identify potential bottlenecks and implement required action. An ideal WFM solution should provide real-time dashboarding and reporting capabilities that helps track the number of meters installed, pending installation units and overall completion rate of the project. Our solution GridOps comes with a mobile application interface that allows field operators to update installation status, capture data, and upload photos to provide other stakeholders with up-to-date data.
Resource utilization
Another critical aspect of workforce management is how efficiently the resources are being used, which includes both technicians and inventory. This becomes crucial for maximizing return on investment in a WFM system. Here, utilities need to keep track of:
- Technical utilization rate: This means the percentage of productive time spent by field personnel versus idle time. A high utilization rate of technicians would indicate that technicians are being actively engaged in productive tasks. This helps utilities minimize time waste and maximize individual contribution to the organization. An ideal WFM system should optimize the scheduling and dispatching process whenever a technical event occurs. Field personnel need to be dispatched for specific jobs based on their skillset, location and availability. Moreover, real-time monitoring or updates of technician activities should also be captured in the system, allowing managers to identify and assess idle time with greater accuracy.
- Inventory availability tracking: Maintaining optimal inventory levels ensures that field technicians always have the necessary resources to complete any given task on time, avoiding delays and reducing downtime. A modern WFM system needs to provide real-time transparency into inventory levels, with managers tracking the location and quantity of materials across multiple storage locations and warehouses. The ideal system should also notify managers in the form of automated alerts whenever inventory levels fall below predetermined thresholds,with warehouse managers replenishing stocks immediately.
Like our WFM solution GridOps, which comes with a digital inventory management system that tracks the receipt, storage and allocation of meters in real-time. Moreover, our mobile app can also be customized to capture details like invoice no, warehouse details, and meter serial numbers, to provide for a clear audit trail.
For any forward-looking utility, the journey to optimizing their workforce management begins with understanding these KPIs and choosing the right tools to improve them. When there is no clear understanding. of these essential KPIs, businesses are often at the risk of flying blind, not able to identify bottlenecks, and take adequate measures for improvement. While multiple WFM solutions offer similar capabilities in these areas, platforms like Grid stand out with their integrated and customizable framework that helps address the unique challenges of a utility infrastructure. Ready to take your utility’s workforce management to the next level? Connect with our experts today and find out how.
