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Modernizing the gas, water and electricity services that are the lifeblood of our communities
Protected by noncompetitive market structures, utilities have long been sheltered from the headwinds that cause most organizations to transform their business and operating models. Innovation and efficiency have oftentimes been overlooked. Today, the pressure to modernize is real and the urgency to do so is only accelerating. Existing operational models continue to benefit from an increasing number of opportunities to embed technology and automation into everything from power generation through to customers. Allowing for visibility, control and efficiency gains across the value stream. In addition, emerging trends (customer desire for choice, rise of alternative business models, retail competition, etc.) continue to create opportunities for innovation. And risk from standing still.
For legacy players, these trends create substantial challenges. Inertia is difficult to overcome. Coming from a history of relatively protected markets, most utilities have not honed the nimbleness and brutal cost / efficiency focus needed to compete effectively in disruptive markets. The opportunity to realign structure, people, processes and systems to meet those challenges remains. But taking advantage of those opportunities can feel daunting.
We continue to work within the C-suite / GM’s office at major utilities to help them ID the efficiency and effectiveness opportunities available to them, which ones they should act on and the course of action for implementing those improvements. We then take that one step further, working shoulder-to-shoulder with executive staff to not only implement change but to also build the organizational capacity and depth needed to sustain that work on an on-going basis. Thereby standing up a culture of innovation, continuous improvement and a focus on results. Cultural change that allows for progressive year-over-year gains long after we are gone.
Beyond simply advising utility executives on “what” they should do, we play a hands-on role. Rolling up our sleeves to help build capacity within their teams, upskill their people and drive individual transformation and modernization efforts through to completion.