Customer Connection

Customer First

Last issue we introduced you to our new leader, Colin Sabol. In this issue, Colin shares how he spent his first 100 days at the helm and his thoughts on the future.

Listening. Traveling. Taking it all in. It’s been a busy first 100 days on the job for me.

I’ve spoken with customers, partners and employees around the world, gauging where we currently stand and plotting a course for the future. Those conversations uncovered a number of useful facts.

I learned how resilient our customers are. You’ve stayed with us through challenging moments because you believe in our technology and appreciate the way we respond at critical moments.

I learned you’re overwhelmed by the choices and confusing messages in the marketplace. There are so many different platforms and technologies that it’s hard to know which to choose. Helping you understand and experience the benefits of selecting us over the competition is something we can, and will, do better.

I also learned how willing you are to share feedback and help us. All we have to do is ask, and we will.

Guiding pillars

It’s clear you see your relationship with us as a partnership. That feeling is mutual. To ensure we hold up our end, we’ll be steered by these three pillars:

• Customer First: Customers are where everything starts. We will deliver on our commitment to customer first from every corner of our business.
• Compelling Solutions: We will develop and commercialize compelling solutions that will establish us as the undisputed global leader across our key vertical markets.
• Continuous Improvement: We will embrace continuous improvement and drive it into every aspect of our organization to enable more efficiency, reliable execution of our business plan.

Tying it all together

We’re putting those principles in action with new initiatives, processes and structures. One of the most exciting is the expansion of our solution lab. At the center is the addition of water products for the international market as well as those from Xylem. These additions allow us to demonstrate solutions covering the entire water cycle across the family of Xylem brands. And we can do that anytime, anyplace on earth with an internet connection.

We’ve also realigned teams and created new ones. Joining Sensus with other fast-growing, technology-focused Xylem brands and newly acquired companies, we’ve established a new segment known as Measurement & Control Solutions (M&CS). Part of Xylem’s quarterly public earnings disclosures, MC&S is comprised of Sensus, SELC, Visenti, Xylem Analytics and two recent acquisitions—Pure Technologies and EmNet.

Together, these brands bring a broader end-to-end solution set to the entire smart water lifecycle (and to gas, electric and lighting applications, too) and allow us to demonstrate what beyond AMI can mean for you.

We couldn’t do that without dedicated, driven people. They bring to life new products, solutions and services. We’re proud of them and want to showcase their efforts.

We begin with the new customer success organization, which is dedicated to continuing to improve your interactions with us throughout the solution lifecycle. It includes customer service, professional services, training, technical support and RMA services. Central to ensuring a positive customer experience, it’s a department that’s there to help you, whenever the need arises.

Building a better tomorrow

It’s never been a better time at Xylem Measurement & Control Solutions. The team is stronger than it’s ever been. Our people are passionate about what they do, and they’re committed to helping you in every way they can. Their spirit, their drive and their energy are all directed to creating the solutions that will help build a better tomorrow.

We’re excited about the road ahead. We hope you are, too.

Colin R. Sabol
Senior Vice President and President
Xylem Measurement & Control Solutions

With the promise of commercial and residential growth, officials at Washington Municipal Utilities (WMU) knew that the city’s aging utility infrastructure would no longer be enough to support the needs of its more than 11,000 residents.

The outdated electric and water systems made it difficult to track meters or monitor for issues such as water leaks and power outages. Leaders knew they needed a flexible solution that would unify water and electric metering under a single solution while seamlessly integrating with the current billing system. They needed the Sensus Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) solution.

Read the case study to learn more.

Got a compelling story of your own? One that will educate and enlighten others in the industry? We want to hear from you. Contact Paula Dickerson, and share your story. The next customer highlighted here could be you.

After just a few minutes of speaking with David Duke, Senior Manager, Systems Integration Test at Sensus, it’s clear he doesn’t just like his job. He loves it.

As he puts it, “I’ve got the best job in the building.”

Duke oversees the operation and now expansion of the Sensus Solution Lab located in our R&D headquarters in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

What makes his job so special? Take it from him: “It’s very rare that you get to work on a product where you can demonstrate it to the customer and immediately get their feedback. I do, and that’s really rewarding.”

A broad view of what we can do

Begun five years ago, the lab is undergoing its third major expansion with the addition of water products for the international market as well as those from Xylem. That’s not to say new products and technologies haven’t been added to the lab’s repertoire. They have been. All the time.

What makes this expansion different is it’s the first under the Xylem umbrella and the first incorporating solutions from the family of Xylem brands. Now we’re able to demonstrate solutions across the entire water cycle.

Live demonstrations can be scheduled for anyone with an internet connection—anytime, anyplace in the world. Last year, we hosted more than 500 demos with 5,000 external viewers in countries as diverse as Kenya, Switzerland, Germany and Japan.

We give you peace of mind

What does that mean for you? In a word: savings. The potential reduction in travel costs alone is significant. Demos can be viewed wherever, whenever. No flights or hotel rooms needed.

More importantly, there’s the reassurance that comes with knowing the technology works. As the saying goes, the proof’s in the pudding, and our pudding is the solutions we demonstrate in the lab.

We don’t just show you a slide deck and ask you to believe us. We show you our solutions in action. You see with your own eyes in real time exactly what our technology is capable of. You know before you buy that it will work.

More than just water

Say you also provide electric or gas services, too. Maybe you manage street and area lighting. We’ve got those solutions covered as well.

The lab is the one place where you can see the various Sensus product lines in action with Xylem solutions being added now and in the future. It’s a living example of how we’re integrating product lines into a common family designed to help you better serve your customers.

While the 2018 Sensus Reach Conference is months away, we’re already hard at work planning this year’s event. A waitlist has been created, and the agenda will be announced soon.

You can help shape that agenda by submitting your abstract to present.

Take a lead role and help others, too

Feedback from previous years consistently indicates that the most popular conference sessions are those led by our customers.

The Reach Conference is the perfect venue for you share your knowledge and insight with fellow attendees. It’s a great opportunity for you to step up and be that trusted advisor who helps others reach farther.

Not sure where to start?

Abstracts are needed on a variety of topics. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking:

• AMR to AMI migration
• Building an AMI business case
• Distribution automation
• Data analytics
• Lighting control
• Non-revenue water
• Smart cities/smart utilities

It’s easy to apply. Complete the abstract submission form, which includes a brief, 250-word description of your proposed session, your 100-word biography and a high-resolution headshot.

Abstracts are being accepted for consideration through Friday, June 8, 2018.

The stars will shine in Hollywood

Join your fellow public sector luminaries October 21 to 24 in Hollywood, Florida for the 2018 Sensus Reach Conference.

Add your name to the waitlist now, and we’ll let you know when registration opens later this year. We’ll see you there!

This issue we’re introducing a new column where we focus on a specific department here at Sensus and share how their work directly affects you. We begin with the new Customer Success organization headed by Jeff Woody, VP, Customer Success. Read on to learn more about what’s top of mind with him.

Stop by Woody’s office and you’re likely to wonder if he just moved in or if he’s moving out. It’s pretty sparse. You’ll find one photo of his wife and three kids. His daughter started high school this year, and his two boys are 8 and 11.

In addition, you’ll find one messy (his words) stack of papers in the corner. In it are things Woody keeps because he thinks he’ll need to refer back to them in the future. Finally, there’s always a full candy jar. As you can imagine, that last item is a big draw and ensures Woody gets several visits throughout the day. And he likes that traffic. It keeps him going, and it’s one way he keeps his finger on the pulse of things.

In search of big ideas to help you

There’s a lot to keep track of, too. Comprised of about 200 people across seven groups, the Sensus Customer Success department is devoted to providing a seamless experience across all stages of the customer lifecycle. We’ll introduce you to specific groups in future issues and begin here with a general overview.

Each team faces the customer at some stage in our relationship with them. It could be customer service, technical support or RMA services to name a few. Each team is charged with finding ways to collaborate with one another, find synergies and discover ways to help customers achieve not just incremental gains, but life-changing ones.

“We’re looking for new big opportunities to serve our customers better, not more of the same,” said Woody. “We want to push well beyond others in the industry as far as capabilities, ease of doing business and overall customer satisfaction. Our intent is to prove our commitment to be with you throughout the entire cycle—to be partners for the long haul.”

Your Feedback Needed

Of course, we can’t do it alone and need you to share your feedback. That dialogue is critical. To start us off we’ve already scheduled conversations with several of you to map out the customer journey and arrive at a baseline of how we’re performing. From there we’ll check in with you at regular intervals to make certain we’re on the right track and are making good on our commitments.

Be on the lookout for your opportunity to participate. And look for future stories about the people dedicated to putting you, our customer, first.

Recently, we caught up with Eddie Augusto, Chair of the Sensus Partner and Advisor Network (SPAN), and Manager of Retail Metering, Alectra Utilities, to ask him about SPAN’s goals for 2018. He eagerly shared the organization’s roadmap for the year ahead. Read on to see what he had to say.

Building relationships and learning from others are repeatedly touted as key benefits of membership. Perhaps Augusto put it best by saying, “Sensus and the sales channel have great resources that can assist with most issues, but it’s great to have a community of users that share their experiences and help one another consider the business processes that need to be addressed with any major change or technology deployment.”

A solid plan for the coming year

Fostering connections and advancing knowledge continue to live at the heart of the SPAN agenda. You see that fact reflected in the organization’s key goals for the coming year. In 2018, members have committed to:

• Reaffirm the relationship with Sensus in light of October’s organizational and leadership changes
• Strengthen, support and extend the focus groups
• Leverage technology to enhance the member experience

The newly-elected leadership team will lead those efforts, which in addition to Augusto includes:

• Vice-Chair – Jeff Parish, Metering Services Supervisor, Georgia Power Company
• Secretary – Kevin McCauley, Director, Measurement & Communications,
  Utilities Kingston
• Past Chair – Mitch Cason, Director, AMI Operations, Georgia Power Company

Break it down into manageable chunks

The goals are interconnected. Progress on one certainly means progress on the others. The buzz though is clearly on the focus groups. “Through the focus groups, we’re providing much-needed feedback and helping to define blueprints for product development,” said Augusto. “Better products will result, and people will be better able to understand their networks or make their meter shops more efficient, for example.”

Focus group participants represent the complete range of Sensus customers: small, medium and large utilities, munis, co-ops and IOUs. That diversity will help ensure everyone’s voice is heard and that attention centers on core issues across the customer base.

Make your voice heard

Sound interesting? Want to be a part? Share your expertise and join today.

“Every customer should be a member,” said Augusto. “There’s no cost, and you can participate as much (or as little) as you want. It’s a journey, and you chart your own course.”

Contact Augusto at 905-532-4433 or [email protected]. and book your passage now.

• DistribuTECH
  January 23-25, 2018
  Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, TX
  

  Derl Rhoades, Systems Development and Support Manager at Alabama Power Company, and Jared Gregory, Product Manager, Electric Solutions Marketing at Sensus, will conduct a session entitled “Evaluating Phase Detection on the Distribution System and Lessons Learned from Deployment” on Thursday, January 25 starting at approximately 9 a.m. (CST).

• TechAdvantage
  February 25-28, 2018
  Music City Center, Nashville, TN
  Booth #701
  

  Join us at the Sensus booth to experience a fully immersive virtual reality environment and explore the possibilities of AMI technology. Skip the lines. Sign up for your complimentary TechAdvantage VIP pass today.

• Southern Gas Association Spring Gas Conference and EXPO
  March 19-21, 2018
  Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, Columbia, SC
  
  
• Smart Cities Connect
  March 26-29, 2018
  Kansas City Convention Center, Kansas City, MO
  Booth #201
  
  
• NACE Corrosion
  April 15-19, 2018
  Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix, AZ
  Booth #1707
  
  

• Sensus FlexNet EasyLink™ Mobile Communications is a new solution for utilities that will increase read rates and decrease drive time. Fast, flexible and future-proof, the system simultaneously reads Sensus FlexNet SmartPoints® and enables electric, gas and water utilities to easily migrate to AMI. The one-box, portable technology consists of the FlexNet EasyLink Reader, FlexNet EasyLink Workbook Application and FlexNet EasyLink Workspace Application.
  
  
• When considering technology investments, Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB), Oregon’s largest customer-owned public utility, prioritizes safety and the ability to provide better, faster and more affordable customer service. For that reason, when upgrading to AMI, EWEB selected the Stratus® electricity meter and has implemented the one millionth manufactured and sold by Sensus. Though early in their deployment, meter reading is working fantastically, with well over 99 percent read success.
  
  
• Ravalli Electric Co-op (REC) selected the Sensus AMI solution to take its metering infrastructure to new heights. Comprised of Stratus electricity meters and the FlexNet system, the solution will enable better customer service for seasonal users and provide greater flexibility and coverage across Montana’s mountainous terrain. REC anticipates the full deployment to be completed by the end of 2019 and for it to pay dividends in helping the co-op foster better relationships with members.
  
  
• For the second year in a row, rural cooperative utility leaders honored the Sensus AMI solution as the “Best Smart Utility Solution” during the Rural Smart Grid Summit (RSGS).
  
  
• The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, which ended November 30, will be remembered as one of the top 10 most active in recorded history. Millions of Americans were left without critical services as storms devastated the continental United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The FlexNet communication network has a long history of helping utilities restore services and has played an integral role in recovery efforts. Neuces Electric Cooperative in Texas relied on the FlexNet system to restore power to all affected customers less than 48 hours after Hurricane Harvey made landfall—even to those who had evacuated and were not at home to report an outage.
  
  
• Ever wonder the cash flow and savings you could realize by adding the Sensus VantagePoint® Lighting Control solution to your infrastructure? There’s an easy way to find out with our new smart lighting return on investment (ROI) calculator. Enter the values specific for your proposed deployment, and the calculator will compute the results. You can download the results into a report to share and request a demo. Also available are the smart gas ROI calculator and smart water ROI calculator with one for electric coming soon.
  
  
• Mark Sprague, Utilities Manager at Sensus customer City of Fountain Valley, talks about AMI and Water Loss Control in California-Nevada SOURCE Magazine.
  
  
• Sensus VP Communications Solutions Randolph Wheatley offers insight about how to Harness Your Data for a Cleaner Future in COP 23: Climate Change—The New Economy, United Nations Climate Change Conference.