- Smart Meters: It comes with a GPRS & GPS enabled backend updating & real-time tracking system, which helps nullify false reporting. An app based single window solution for specific site activities such as Meter Reading, Bill Delivery and Spot Billing & Collection. Smart Meters have emerged as potential game changers that are expected to gather momentum as a viable tool in terms of transforming the way utility industry will operate in the years to come.
- Wi-Fi enabled meters: Similarly, these devices also are backed by app based consumer interface as soon as it is attached to the optical port, it instantly reads and transmits the meter reading to billing system and notifies the customer with the current. This eliminates manual meter reading errors & saves time.
New and emerging technologies play a crucial role in influencing customer experience, especially in the essential services space. Tata Power, India’s largest integrated power company has always strived to be relevant by constantly upgrading and adopting technological innovations.
In many areas, if not all, it has set a benchmark for developing products and services to suit the current requirement of their customers and at the same time preparing them for the future. In recent years, the company has facilitated uninterrupted power supply with its efficient distribution system and minimised downtime.
Thus, leading the industry by providing best customer experience, it has introduced various technologically advanced hardware devices such as the Smart-meters, Wi-Fi enabled meters while riding the digital way by introducing app based customer interface services such as Know Your Electricity Consumption (KYEC) and has provided multiple options for secure Digital Payment through using various platforms. It has also developed a unique digital platform using Geographical Information System (GIS) to resolve customer grievance, which has successfully converged with its customers.
Speaking on these innovations, Mr. Praveer Sinha, CEO & MD, Tata Power stated, “The introduction of all these services are a testament that we have our customer’s best interests at heart. We have always been a frontrunner in implementing technological innovations and will continue to ensure a smooth, secure and reliable experience by introducing more customer friendly services in the coming years.”
Speaking on the innovations, Mr. Sanjay Banga, President – Transmission & Distribution, Tata Power stated, “At Tata Power, it is our constant and continuous endeavour to ensure our customer enjoy our services in the most quick, easy, friendly and convenient manner. We believe that a customer does not choose only the product, but also the service it has to offer. And, as an enabler of human relationships, we are proud to serve our customers with technologically advanced services, which sets us apart from our peers."
While SMRD and WMIU helps customers to view and manage meter reading and bill dispatch, Tata Power’s ‘Know Your Electricity Consumption’ (KYEC) App, VoiceBot TINA WhatsApp and Microsoft Kaizala service provide a holistic experience to customers for monitoring their home energy consumption.
- Know Your Electricity Consumption’ (KYEC) App: A first of its kind energy monitoring service from Tata Power, allows its customers (in New Delhi, Mumbai and Ajmer) to view, monitor and control their power consumption for any given hour, day and month at the click of a button. In addition, the app also provides residential customers with real-time alerts on crossing the energy consumption beyond the slab thereby, encouraging them to use electricity in an efficient manner. An additional benefit is that consumers can better manage their power need and reschedule their activities to avail Time of Day (ToD) tariff incentives.
- Voicebot TINA: This voice-enabled online customer assistant powered by Google enables customer to understand their electricity usage patterns and take corrective measures to reduce their power bill. It provides real-time notifications of bill due dates, thereby enabling them to make timely bill payments with the help of various digital payment options, and allows them to compare month-on-month information.
- WhatsApp Service: This is another quick solution option provided by the company to resolve consumer queries and concerns as well as get payment details by subscribing to the Tata Power WhatsApp numbers.
- Microsoft Kaizala: In continuation to their efforts to make things easy for their customers, the company associated with secure messaging and work management software application - Microsoft Kaizala, which ensures seamless function of bill generation and payment process along with timely notifications at regular intervals. The process includes the functions from meter reading, bill generation to discount alerts & reminder for outstanding bill payments, digital receipts and disconnection alerts.
- Integrated Grievance Redressal Mechanism: As important, as it is to provide reliable and affordable power, it is equally important to provide simple and straightforward solutions to address customer grievance and complaints. Waiting for a technician to arrive during outages or to manage other issues related to power bothers customers. Hence, in order to ensure a quality field service for Tata Power’s direct wire customers, the company has deployed Geographic Information System (GIS), an innovative first of its kind service provided by any utility in India. Enabled by MARC System, it is a key features backed by real time data analysis and prediction technology It helps customers to track the technician along with his estimated time of arrival (ETA) scheduled to attend the complaints at any given location.
Tata Power is India’s largest integrated power company and, together with its subsidiaries & jointly controlled entities, has an installed capacity of 10,763 MW. A pioneer in the field, it has a presence across the entire power value chain - generation of renewable as well as conventional power including hydro and thermal energy, transmission & distribution, trading and coal & freight logistics. With renewable energy assets in solar and wind accounting for 30% of the company's portfolio, Tata Power is a leader in clean energy generation. In line with the company's view on sustainable and clean energy development, Tata Power is steering the transformation of utilities to integrated solutions by looking at new business growth in EV charging & storage, distributed generation & rooftops, micro grids and home automation & smart meters. It has successful public-private partnerships in generation, transmission & distribution in India, namely ‘Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd.’ with Delhi Vidyut Board for distribution in North Delhi; 'Tata Power Ajmer Distribution Ltd.' with Ajmer Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd. for distribution in Ajmer; 'Powerlinks Transmission Ltd.' with Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. for evacuation of Power from Tala hydro plant in Bhutan to Delhi; 'Maithon Power Ltd.' with Damodar Valley Corporation for a 1050 MW Mega Power Project at Jharkhand. Tata Power is serving more than 2.6 million distribution consumers in India and has developed the country’s first 4000 MW Ultra Mega Power Project at Mundra (Gujarat) based on super-critical technology.
With its 103 years track record of technology leadership, project execution excellence, world-class safety processes, customer care and driving green initiatives, Tata Power is poised for multi-fold growth and committed to 'lighting up lives' for generations to come. Visit us at: www.tatapower.com
