SAN MATEO, Calif., April 29, 2003 -- Siebel Systems Inc., a provider of multichannel eBusiness applications software, announced that the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) will deploy Siebel Energy, a comprehensive suite of eBusiness applications designed specifically for the energy industry, to approximately 1,100 users to improve overall service efficiency.
This marks the largest deployment of Siebel Energy in a municipal utility distribution company environment.
As the nation's largest municipally owned utility, LADWP is a community-focused organization committed to providing the residents and businesses of Los Angeles with reliable, accessible low-cost water and power services along with industry-leading environmental programs.
Prior to its CRM initiative, LADWP had managed customer data, programs, and processes in multiple applications that were increasingly costly to maintain and update. The nonintegrated environment made it difficult for LADWP to facilitate efficient service.
LADWP turned to Accenture, SeeBeyond, and Siebel to provide a consolidated CRM system. Through the CRM platform, employees will be able to automate routine activities, allowing representatives to focus on more complex issues for faster and more accurate responses. As a result, LADWP expects the new system to enable the utility to better understand and serve customer needs, more effectively manage customer programs and customer relationships, and improve customer care.
"Understanding that we needed to update our customer-facing business processes and systems, we embarked on a rigorous vendor selection process," said Pamela Porter, Assistant General Manager in charge of the Business Process Improvement Program for LADWP. "The team of Accenture, SeeBeyond, and Siebel demonstrated that they understood our business and could deliver the complete solution we need."
Specific benefits from the CRM system include:
Real-time analysis -- The utility will use Siebel Energy Analytics and Marketing to provide real-time information, track key performance indicators, and develop target segments for energy and water efficiency programs.
Consolidated customer profile -- Contact center professionals will use Siebel Energy Call Center and Siebel Energy Field Service to provide a single, complete view of customer information to deliver faster, more personalized, consistent service across all communication channels, including the water and power trouble management systems.
Customer portal -- Using Siebel Energy eCustomer, LADWP will enhance customers' options to access and update customer information including billing and usage data, track and submit service requests, and receive and enroll in personalized offers for energy and water conservation programs.
Integration with multiple systems -- Integration to back-office and operational systems will enable LADWP to manage business processes that span multiple systems and leverage all customer data. Complementing Siebel Systems' solutions and demonstrating a uniquely distributed architecture able to support LADWP's high availability and volume requirements, SeeBeyond's eGate Integrator platform was selected to provide LADWP with the infrastructure and essential integration components to connect to its various systems and applications. In addition, the SeeBeyond eInsight™ Business Process Manager will be deployed to enable best-practice business process-driven integration solutions.
"As LADWP deploys the CRM solution across multiple divisions and channels, including Commercial Services, Power Distribution, Customer Service, Water Services, Strategic Planning, Corporate Communications, Environmental Affairs, Economic Development, and the Internet, customers will be empowered to choose their preferred communication channel, further enhancing the customer experience," said George Rofail, CRM Project Manager for LADWP. "LADWP employees in all groups will have complete customer and service history at their fingertips, enabling greatly enhanced one-stop customer service."
"LADWP has been recognized as the industry leader in customer service and innovative environmental programs, as evidenced by their continued first-place rankings in the J.D. Power and Associates 2003 Electric Utility Midsize Business Customer Satisfaction Study," said Jim McCray, General Manager of Siebel Systems' Energy Business Unit. "With its selection of the CRM project, the utility's focus on customer satisfaction is evident, and it is clear that LADWP will be able to elevate its game even further and position itself very well in the continually changing utility market."
About Siebel Systems
Siebel Systems, Inc. is a provider of eBusiness applications software, enabling corporations to sell to, market to, and serve customers across multiple channels and lines of business. With more than 3,500 customers worldwide, Siebel Systems provides organizations with a proven set of industry-specific best practices, CRM applications, and business processes, empowering them to consistently deliver superior customer experiences and establish more profitable customer relationships. Siebel Systems' sales and service facilities are located in more than 28 countries.
