Natural gas distributor modernizes metering infrastructure and internal processes

What We Did

Amid increased consumer demand for natural gas, many utilities are modernizing old infrastructure and updating operational processes. Our client, a large North American gas utility, approached West Monroe to help support their efforts to convert all of their 2 million+ customers to advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) technology.

The Challenge

This utility client engaged West Monroe about a year into its Meter Modernization project, a large-scale transformation initiative to convert over two million customers to AMI technology. As one of the first gas utilities to employ AMI technology, the client needed an innovative solution to achieve its deployment goals and help streamline operations.

We assembled a cross-functional team to:

• Increase collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the client’s facilities
• Identify strengths, pain points, and potential risks
• Develop innovative operational solutions to ease technology adoption and eliminate inefficiencies

An Undeniable Approach

We drew from a wealth of knowledge cultivated in previous AMI projects, bringing together a diverse team spanning multiple practice areas to:

• Conduct a quality assurance (QA) project to diagnose current-state challenges facing the client’s leadership and proactively address future obstacles
• Implement an organizational change management (OCM) framework and establish best practices to meet deployment goals ahead of schedule and within budget
• Support internal business needs including employee training, communications, business readiness, and organizational redesign
• Foster a successful future-state AMI system through better deployment tracking, data analysis, and network monitoring

As a result of our engagement with this client, West Monroe was able to:

1. Position the client for a digital future, establishing them as an industry leader in the AMI space
2. Harness data and analytics to better inform executive decision-making and identify future pain points/proactive solutions
3. Leverage ambassadors from every business unit in the company to champion new technology and tools, increasing employee adoption and awareness

Returns You Can Measure

Our team quickly got up to speed and partnered with the natural gas distributor to cross the finish line. With West Monroe’s help, the client installed over two million AMI modules— all ahead of schedule and on-budget. West Monroe’s operational solutions have continued to help cut labor spend and increase meter read rates. One year into a three-year AMI transformation initiative, the utility is well positioned to achieve its goal of $700 million in meter reading savings over 20 years.