At the end of last year, the UK’s water sector came together to publish the 2050 Water Innovation Strategy. The vision that guided it? Cross-sector collaboration – to discuss innovative opportunities that can drive change and deliver greater value to customers.
One of the focus areas in this report is “providing the services society needs, expects, and values” – and rightfully so. In a time where customer expectations around digital experiences are defined by technology companies, it’s vital that the water industry rethinks how they engage with their customers.
But this doesn’t just mean building digital experiences of their own. It means putting the customer at the centre of the transformation – both now and in the future.
Putting Customers At The Centre Of Your Thinking
According to this recent study, water and other utilities providers are the lowest-performing for digital customer experiences – and that needs to change.
One key step towards modernisation is adopting a digital customer platform – one with network, business, and user data as the foundation. Fuelled with these insights, utilities providers can deliver tailored interactions throughout the customer lifecycle – connecting with people at the right time and in the right way.
This insights-led approach can help users in lots of different ways and drive further engagement. Internally, employees can use the data to improve both performance and maintenance operations and collaborate with customers. Externally, customers are better able to self serve as they use these platforms.
As the water industry continues to transform its customer platforms, this holistic and connected approach to data will lead to increased transparency, improved customer care, and more agile maintenance services.
Imagine using water usage and customer data to inform preventive maintenance, conduct remote water management, and monitor automated drinking water treatment plants. Using consistent personalisation – supported by rich insights – providers can expect enhanced customer satisfaction scores, leading to increased revenue.
Setting The Standard For The Future Of Water
As UK water providers outline in the 2050 Water Innovation Strategy, innovation will be crucial to moving the sector forward and exceeding customer expectations. Adopting a digital platform and making better business decisions with customer and business data is a first step towards driving further innovation – but it doesn’t stop there.
Take United Utilities, for example. They have deployed FIDO AI, a specialised software-based leak detection system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to identify areas of concern, to improve the accuracy of its systems. Using this technology, United Utilities has become more efficient and has been able to re-prioritise its resources.
Meanwhile, Anglian Water was the first water distribution company in the world to leverage digital twins – real-time virtual representations of their physical operations informed by AI and IoT solutions. This approach is proving key for managing water consumption, reducing waste, minimising the company’s carbon footprint, and enhancing customer satisfaction.
It’s About More Than Just Water
Water providers are responsible for delivering a vital necessity to people across the country. By embracing innovative digital solutions, crafted with human-centric design, this sector can take a step further and play a significant role in improving the wellbeing and mental health of their employees and customers. Adopting a modern data-driven digital customer platform is a must.
To see what this looks like in practice, watch this video showcasing how water providers are using Salesforce.
