Inspiration for Change
Time-Consuming Legacy Tech
Innovative for its time, the utility relied on radio-connected computers with the ability to only send small data packets and no documents while limiting workers to the truck where the device is mounted. Field staff struggled with multiple apps for work, navigation, and time keeping, requiring ~5 min. to receive each of 20 to 30 trouble tickets per day, enter into GIS, and start navigating to the job.
Data Silos Limit Situational Awareness
Planned work (e.g., routine maintenance, inspections, construction), and unplanned work (e.g., storm events, outages, equipment failure) were managed in disconnected systems that impeded the free flow of information. The siloed data in field and back office systems prevented workers from adapting to evolving situations, requiring staff to return to field offices for updates, text, or call.
Reliance on Large Contract Workforce
The electric utility has a hybrid workforce of 80% contractors with no access to the company’s back office systems for crew assignments, work order management, outage management, an time tracking. As a result, most of the utility’s workforce relied on paper feeder maps, phone calls, and text messages to coordinate work with no access to up-to-date digital docs, e.g. circuit maps.
Damage by Outside Party Claims
Like all electric utilities, the Midwest service provider struggles with large numbers of third party damage to utility-owned assets, e.g., vehicle knocks down a pole. Manual DBOP claims required massive back office resources and long time frames to process as appropriate documentation is gathered, impacting cash flow from slow reimbursement or write-off.
“We needed to do more with fewer linemen while increasing our capital spend and work load – Arcos is doing just that and improving our situational awareness.”
— Business Technology Leader | Private Midwest Electric Utility
Arcos Suite Benefits
More Wrench Time, Less Windshield Time
An Arcos Callout customer for more than 10 years, the utility selected Mobile Workbench to advance workforce mobility and bring disconnected systems into a single pane of glass on Apple and Android devices. The utility expects to eliminate more than 8 hours per week per worker on trouble tickets alone (~$25M per year in savings for 1,000 workers) and anticipates at least a 5% increase in business efficiency.
One Solution for All Work Types
The single pane of glass that Arcos provides empowers field staff to seamlessly manage their day in one app spanning all planned and unplanned work types, assignments, time sheets, and geospatial data. Crews also gain instant access to the latest circuit diagrams and as built designs + correct switch cut off order, elevating safety and situational awareness to new levels.
Seamless Collaboration Across Hybrid Workforce and Regions
Arcos provides seamless communication between the field and back office, full time employees and non-native crews across work types and multiple operating companies in more than 10 states. The utility’s hybrid workforce is now empowered with more data and broader context so they can adapt and further improve customer satisfaction.
Faster DBOP and FEMA Payments
The Arcos solution accelerates damage by outside party claims by automatically capturing key information about damaged assets, managing claim documentation digitally, and enabling field staff to attach photos and notes. Likewise, FEMA storm cost reimbursements are processed digitally, all of which enable the utility to uplift margins and improve return on capital deployed.
