PCS is always brainstorming ways to enhance our clients experience in both the field and the office. So, developing the ability for utilities to eliminate the service order paper shuffle and need to return to the office for more orders or submit completed ones, was a must. The Mobile Service Orders (MSO) application not only allows the field crews to get their orders electronically, but it also eliminates the need for the office staff entering all the data gathered in the field. In fact, the order can automatically be completed from the field and immediately uploaded to the utility office.
MSO is in production at multiple utilities. Some of the utilities took a more aggressive approach to implementing it. While others started with a slow rollout approach to fully migrate to paperless service orders. Kittitas PUD in Ellensburg, Washington was one the clients who have taken MSO and ran with it.
We talked to MaryDawn Buntin, Customer Service Supervisor at Kittitas PUD, and got her perspective on their experience through the implementation process.
“I started working for Kittitas PUD just a few months before we implemented Mobile Service Orders, so I only experienced the paper shuffle a little bit – but I can’t imagine trying to manage service orders that way! I love the flexibility it gives us, and the ability to react quickly to requests that come into the office and situations in the field.
Because of the wide territory our District covers – my Serviceman may be almost an hour away from the office. Knowing that I can enter a service order or update the crew on a pending service order, and he’ll be able to refresh and see it immediately makes it possible for us to address something right away and work more efficiently. I don’t have to tell customers that the soonest their issue can be addressed is the next day because he has to wait for a piece of paper to be printed.
It also improves our record-keeping tremendously! With the ease of adapting service order set up to meet our needs – we’ve been able to create a great system for gathering information. I especially love that we can add images to our service orders – what a huge benefit to be able to see a picture of the meter he installed, or the tree that’s leaning into the lines! And, when he’s out in the field, if he identifies something that needs to be done – he can call the office, I quickly enter the service order, and he completes it. No more scraps of paper with notes on them that we have to just hope to get to the right place and have the right information.
Mobile Service Orders truly is a huge benefit to our District for managing service orders and enables us to do a better job for our customers!”
The MSO app has been crucial to many of the utilities we service especially in a time when we’re all trying to minimize contact and stay safe. The trend more and more seems to be moving to a mobile platform and PCS will continue to develop ways to keep our clients connected and efficient. MSO is the first in a series of mobility solutions empowering utility staff to rapidly communicate across the utility operation from office staff, line crews, dispatchers, engineering, and management.
To learn more about MSO or get the process started for your utility, contact your PCS Business Services support team or PCS Business Developer. GO MOBILE TODAY WITH PCS.