Columbia, SC, October 30, 2002 -- SCT, a provider of advanced technology solutions for utilities, announced today that Cobb County Water System, in Marietta, Georgia, has licensed the SCT Banner® Advantage Customer Information System and the components of SCT's CRM Essentials™.
The value of the solutions and services totals approximately $2.7 million and was signed during SCT's fourth fiscal quarter, which ended September 30, 2002.
SCT's solutions will help Cobb County Water accomplish the goals of streamlining customer service and allowing customers to check their water usage and pay their bills on-line 24 hours a day.
In environments such as Cobb's metro-Atlanta location, this type of 24X7 customer support is heavily utilized and is expected to provide a very positive return on investment for the utility. Cobb County Water System serves over 150,000 customers, and is experiencing a strong growth rate.
The SCT solution will be replacing Cobb County's existing legacy main-frame system which was deemed outdated technically and functionally, and too costly to modernize.
"Quality customer service is of primary importance in Cobb County. In our search, we reviewed all the options to determine the solution with the lowest total cost of ownership for the life of the solution, while meeting or exceeding all of our evaluation criteria," said Bob Brice, agency director for Cobb County. "After a long and extensive review, the system which met all these conditions was SCT's. Now we're eager to begin the implementation process."
"Offering new convenience and quick information access to our customers is the most important aspect of this decision," said David Hankerson, county manager for Cobb County. "When we can combine that with more efficient back-office operations, it's a win-win proposition for our citizens."
"SCT is very enthusiastic about joining with Cobb County to provide such positive levels of service for its constituents," said John Gregg, president of SCT global energy & utilities solutions. "Our 27 years of experience in providing utility solutions positions us to provide the County with a solution that is expected to minimize cost, risk and implementation time. Over 200 utility and energy client sites, including 65 water companies, are experiencing success with SCT solutions."
About Cobb County Water System:
Cobb County Water System is a self-funded utility that holds the highest financial ratings from the nation's top bond firms. The system is currently in the midst of a five-year, $413 million program for major improvements such as expansion of wastewater facilities, water-sewer line replacement and repair to stormwater structures...all funded virtually debt-free through water revenue and budget savings. Cobb Water System is supplied by the Cobb-Marietta Water Authority, which was named the Southeast's "best in water quality control" by the EPA.
About SCT:
SCT provides advanced software and services solutions for utilities and energy service companies. SCT strategically partners with energy and utility companies to enhance customer care and billing activities by reducing total cost of ownership, improving customer satisfaction, and increasing operational efficiency.
For more information, visit http://www.sct.com/Utilities/index.html.
