Expand digital strategy in the long term
The foundation, consisting of the house connection portal and the digitalization of the commissioning process, was laid.
„We had the advantage of starting digitally from the beginning, and we also didn't have to transfer any entrenched paper processes."– Andre Freude, Head of Grid Sales and Contract Management
What was the initial situation?
- Grid operator SWTE Netz started as a gas distribution grid operator in 2020
- Additional takeover of the power distribution grid in the concession area at the beginning of 2021
- Processes should be automated and digitalised from the outset in order to position the company for the future
The decision for epilot was quickly because according to Andre Freude, Head of Sales and Contract Management, not only do the agile cultures of the two companies fit together very well, but also the requirements for the software solution and its performance.
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What was implemented with epilot?
- Since 2020, SWTE Netz has been processing new house connections for power and natural gas via epilot’s digital house connection portal
- The entire house connection process is controlled automatically: End customers, installers and other parties involved, such as civil engineering companies, can upload documents, track appointments and view data paperlessly
- A few months after the epilot journey went live: a total of around 1300 house connections handled completely digitally via portal and digital house connection process linked to SAP PM via epilot’s SAP connector
- SWTE Netz was also a pilot partner for the development of the digital commissioning process to improve data quality and transparency and standardize processes overall
- In the first 6 months after release: over 2600 commissionings completed via the portal
- Since 2021 Journey of the commissioning portal available online, including the commissioning processes for power, gas and an renewable energy system
- Different processes, e.g. meter installation, are also possible
- According to Andre Freude, you can offer support to installers for example by providing additional documentation on the specifications for metering concepts for generation and consumption systems
For Freude transparency is a very important factor in the use of the portal: “Installers should be able to check the status of commissioning at any time,” he explains. SWTE Netz guarantees their customers a response to their request within three working days. “That’s definitely ambitious, and it won’t work without digitization,” Freude knows.
He points out that it was a particular challenge to take the market players along on the digital journey: “Installers like to fall back on familiar processes,” says Freude, describing the initial situation. In order to pick everyone up here, they involved various companies already in the pilot phase and simulated and tested various processes with them and incorporated their subsequent feedback. According to Freude, the installer advisor also plays a crucial role: “They know the topics in depth and pick up the installers accordingly.”
- Installer directory also in cloud environment since 2022 to make it even easier to keep track of installer licenses – both licensees from the SWTE Netz area and external companies with guest concessions
- Following on from the commissioning process, registrations of generation plants were also implemented using a digital registration form and workflow management
