SAP(R) Best Practices for Utilities Streamlines Water Utility Processes for
More Efficient Implementation and Faster Return on Investment
NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa., April 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SAP America Inc., a
subsidiary of SAP AG (NYSE: SAP), today introduced SAP(R) Best Practices for
Water Utilities, a tailored offering for small and midsize water and
wastewater utilities. The solution provides fixed-scope, pre-defined packages
of software that address specific business processes for water utilities and
can be implemented rapidly with fast return on investment. As the leading
provider of solutions used globally by more than 950 gas, electric and water
utilities, SAP is introducing this new offering in the United States to
provide water and wastewater organizations with a way to accelerate
implementations of customer information systems (CIS) and reduce integration
risks.
Water utilities are faced with the need to replace existing customer
information systems with newer, more advanced technology to support rapid
customer growth, reduce operating costs and support increased expectations for
excellence in customer service. SAP Best Practices for Water Utilities aids
water facilities in improving operational excellence in customer service,
asset, financial and reputation management. Designed to meet the resource,
price and industry requirements of water utilities, the offering includes
tailored capabilities for call center management, meter-to-cash operations,
integrated work management, customer financial management, consumption data
collection, connections and device management and consumption billing.
"Small and midsize utilities are looking for support from vendors with
domain expertise and knowledge of vertical and business processes and the
commitment to support these utilities in achieving value over a long-term
relationship," said Zarko Sumic, vice president of Energy Information
Strategies, META Group. "A solution that is built on understanding of business
scenarios and core mission-critical business processes enables more efficient
resource utilization, greater employee productivity and better return on
investment. This adds up to longer term growth and helps water utilities meet
the evolving market needs."
Integrated Business Environment in Less Time and with Quicker Return on
Investment
SAP has worked extensively with Deloitte Consulting LLP ("Deloitte
Consulting") in developing SAP Best Practices for Water Utilities, which
includes proven implementation tools, configurations and methodologies -- a
knowledge base of documented business and technical scenarios for water
industry business practices. This solution can be implemented independent of
an SAP or non-SAP ERP system in stages to align with strategic business goals,
priorities and available resources to leverage a facility's existing
technology investments.
"Today, water utilities need to replace aging technologies with top-tier
solutions," said Tom Turco, Deloitte Consulting principal, responsible for
Deloitte Consulting's SAP Utilities Practice. "This need is driven by aging
infrastructures, the need to improve operational efficiency and the need to
provide customer care on par with other service providers. With this lower
design complexity, water and other small and mid sized utilities can leverage
the 'best practice' similarities of other utilities without the enhancements
that can be required to meet multiple jurisdictional requirements. Template
solutions build on these common denominators, eliminating the need to start
from scratch."
Specialized Tools for Core Water Processes
SAP Best Practices for Water Utilities features pre-configured business
scenarios based on water utility best practices -- including invoicing water
and sewage and processing connections and disconnections -- integrated with
end-to-end management support for customer service management, billing, meter
reading services and enterprise asset management. The solution provides
efficient support for call center services and helps call center agents
capture customer data and service requests such as move-in/move-out, high bill
inquiry, contract management, disconnection/reconnection and bankruptcy and
lien processing.
"The introduction of tailored best practices to the U.S. market
demonstrates our commitment to bringing innovative products to the utilities
midmarket sector," said Gary Johnston, utilities industry solution director,
SAP America. "SAP Best Practices for Water Utilities leverages not only our
extensive expertise in enterprise software but also SAP's years of service to
small, midsize and large utilities. Through targeted investment in product
research and development we are able to provide the latest tools for managing
the unique needs of water utilities and work closely with our customers and
partners to respond to industry requirements."
The framework of SAP Best Practices for Water Utilities is based on the
SAP for Utilities set of solutions, leveraging SAP's deep industry expertise
and technology experience from more than 17 years of serving more than
200 water and midsize utilities globally-including U.S.-based Fairfax Water,
Virginia and the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, Pennsylvania.
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About SAP for Utilities
SAP for Utilities is the industry's leading and most comprehensive
business solution to help midsize and large utilities gain enterprise-wide
visibility for better decision making in critical business areas. This is
leading to increased operational efficiency, mitigated risk, and innovation in
the utilities value chain. The integrated, highly reliable, and scalable
solutions enable the end-to-end management of business processes because they
are built on the open architecture of the SAP NetWeaver(TM) technology
platform. Today, in 56 countries around the globe, more than 950 leading
electricity, gas, water, and municipality utilities in regulated,
transitioning, and deregulated markets rely their business on SAP for
Utilities.
About Deloitte
Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, a Swiss
Verein, its member firms and their respective subsidiaries and affiliates. As
a Swiss Verein (association), neither Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu nor any of its
member firms has any liability for each other's acts or omissions. Each of the
member firms is a separate and independent legal entity operating under the
names "Deloitte," "Deloitte & Touche," "Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu," or other
related names. Services are provided by the member firms or their subsidiaries
or affiliates and not by the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Verein.
Deloitte & Touche USA LLP is the U.S. member firm of Deloitte Touche
Tohmatsu. In the U.S., services are provided by the subsidiaries of Deloitte &
Touche USA LLP (Deloitte & Touche LLP, Deloitte Consulting LLP, Deloitte Tax
LLP, and their subsidiaries), and not by Deloitte & Touche USA LLP.
About SAP
SAP is the world's leading provider of business software solutions*.
Today, more than 26,150 customers in over 120 countries run more than
88,700 installations of SAP(R) software -- from distinct solutions addressing
the needs of small and midsize businesses to enterprise-scale suite solutions
for global organizations. Powered by the SAP NetWeaver(TM) platform to drive
innovation and enable business change, mySAP(TM) Business Suite solutions are
helping enterprises around the world improve customer relationships, enhance
partner collaboration and create efficiencies across their supply chains and
business operations. SAP industry solutions support the unique business
processes of more than 25 industry segments, including high tech, retail,
public sector and financial services. With subsidiaries in more than 50
countries, the company is listed on several exchanges, including the Frankfurt
stock exchange and NYSE under the symbol "SAP." (Additional information at
http://www.sap.com .)
(*) SAP defines business software solutions as comprising enterprise
resource planning and related software solutions such as supply chain
management, customer relationship management, product life-cycle management
and supplier relationship management.
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For customers interested in learning more about SAP products:
Global Customer Center: +49 180 534-34-24
United States Only: 1 (800) 872-1SAP (1-800-872-1727)
For more information, press only:
Jeff Chang, +1-650-320-3197, jeffrey.chang@sap.com, PDT
SAP Press Office, +1-610-661-3200, press@sap.com, EDT
Shoshana Lombardi, Burson-Marsteller, +1-202-530-4550,
shoshana_lombardi@was.bm.com, EDT
Daniel J. Mucisko, Deloitte Services LLP, +1-212-436-2701,
dmucisko@deloitte.com, EDT
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CONTACT:
press only, Jeff Chang of SAP,
+1-650-320-3197, or jeffrey.chang@sap.com, PDT, or SAP Press
Office, +1-610-661-3200, or press@sap.com, EDT; or Shoshana
Lombardi of Burson-Marsteller, +1-202-530-4550, or
shoshana_lombardi@was.bm.com, EDT, for SAP; or Daniel J. Mucisko
of Deloitte Services LLP, +1-212-436-2701, or
dmucisko@deloitte.com, EDT
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