Re-architecting Web Self-Service Portal
The Client
The client is one of the largest electric utilities in the U.S. with 4,000MW generating capacity. It serves over one million customers.
Business Needs
The client sought to redesign their website, while leveraging existing investments to become competent for future growth initiatives.
Challenges
- The client faced several challenges including aging technology, evolving applications, growing volumes, heightened demand for data integrity, and the need to provide real-time data to customers
- The point of near-crisis came when the client started experiencing double-digit growth in customer enrollment. The easy option was to enhance hardware to match the growing needs
Our Solution
Infosys partnered with the client to design a successful upgrade program that enabled migration to a new platform. Without adding additional hardware, throughput was increased by integrating the website to the Customer Information System (CIS) backend systems and use Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) to isolate business logic from the presentation layer.
The final solution used .NET front-end interfacing with a Content Management System (CMS) that connects to Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) services over TIBCO, which in turn uses Customer Information Control System (CICS) callables, to access the CIS system.
Benefits
Our client won the Chartwell Award for Customer Service and Marketing as a result of enhanced customer engagement using web channel.
The solution resulted in:
- Increased website usability. The website was top-rated among North American Utilities’ websites
- Increased flexibility for future growth. Implementation of SOA architecture provided reusability and flexibility for further development activities, and also leveraged the services across other channels
- Reduction of project cost by leveraging Infosys' expertise in web self-service, and end-to-end technical service offerings
- Increased online customer pull-through. Over 40% customers registered online to leverage the easy-to-use portal
- Reduced billing costs. Upward trend in payments and paperless billing
- Increased customer satisfaction. Positive customer feedback on easy and intuitive navigation
- Increased online business functionality. Client was positioned to exploit the technology investments and rapidly expand online business functionality at optimal cost