A perfect cooperation.

Stadtwerke Fellbach GmbH is a supplier of electricity, natural gas, drinking water, and district heat for Fellbach and the EnBW AG.

Due to information breaks at various points, some processes took an extremely long time. For example, additional administrative work was required in collecting meter readings in the 20,000 households to which the municipal utilities supply electricity. At the time, technicians recorded the meter data by hand and then entered the data into a stationary PC system at the energy supplier’s headquarters at a later point.

The need for optimisation was also apparent in the processing of orders placed via the online form on the municipal utilities’ website. In the previous process, all submitted enquiries were manually retrieved and transferred into the existing ERP system.

The project

Ordering electricity rates directly through the website – this process had to become even more comfortable for customers. By introducing the online electricity rate "Net(t)strom", there emerged a need for an online portal with a direct ordering option for customers. In addition, a central system for data management and smooth processing was required. From order to delivery, the goal was to optimally support customers.

To optimise meter management, we developed a mobile app for smartphones. This meant that electronic data collection and processing could take place directly on site and be transferred to the ERP system with just one click and without media disruption.

Our solution

Today, customers not only have the option of making inquiries, they can also independently book their desired rates. The CRM tool controls order processing up to the point of delivery. Thanks to automated email coordination via the CRM system, the customer is up to date on their current order status at all times.

All partial processes are now controlled from one central place. And meter data can be recorded immediately in the same system by means of a mobile app. The municipal utilities have not only optimised the processes, but also gained a clear overview of all information.

The online portal and the mobile app for recording data form a perfect synergy with the CRM and ERP systems.

All requirements

For one, the goal was to develop an online portal, integrated into the website, for ordering various online electricity rates. Furthermore, we had to create a database for a centralised customer support and management of incoming data. Aside from a unified data storage of all transferred information, all processes that had been carried out manually in the past were to be automated. This included the data transfer to the Schleupen ERP system, in which both the master data as well as the orders are managed.

Online portal and CRM tool

With the kameon-based online portal and CRM, the entire ordering and delivery process can now be managed through one app. Via the link between the ERP and the CRM tool, no extra effort is required to manually manage the data. With the export function, all data is converted into a CSV file and transferred to the ERP system. It is also possible to import data on prices and grid operators with the system. In addition to master data management, the CRM tool coordinates the standardised email dispatch as soon as an ordering process is initiated on the website. Depending on the order status, the customer receives an email containing all information on the current delivery status.

The mobile app for meter readings

The mobile app is optimally integrated into the CRM system. For the municipal utilities or the technicians, this results in a significant shortening of the process. This is because technicians now only need to record the data once – and can do so directly on site. The double effort of transferring the data into the central system is omitted. The connection to the in-house ERP offers a steady data reconciliation with synchronisation.

Offline availability was an important criterion. It was essential to be able to operate the app at any time, even without an internet connection. After all, meters are generally located in cellars and therefore often in places without signal.

To make this possible, we developed a container app for data processing. Technicians can hereby comfortably enter data – and as soon as their signal returns, the data is automatically synchronised. If the technician wants to retrieve data while offline, they will receive the latest version from the point before the connection was interrupted.

With the new system, meter data, any complaints, repairs, or the device status can be protocolled anywhere – even without an internet connection.

Find out more here.

I will gladly advise you and look forward to receiving your questions.

Managing Director

Volker Baisch