Accelerating Digital Transformation and Enhancing Operational Efficiency
SERVICES PROVIDED BY CROSS 8
Cross 8 consultants conducted an initial assessment of the client’s business capabilities, identifying priority areas for transformation across their operating model. The team then led the design and implementation of new end-to-end operational capabilities and supported stabilisation efforts to ensure seamless transitions.
Key Themes
Target Operating Model Design
Business Case Development
Operational Excellence
Data-Driven Insights
Customer Experience
Client Overview
A leading UK utility embarked on an accelerated Smart Metering transformation to enhance sourcing, deployment, and management of smart meters. This transformation aimed to leverage enriched data for better operational performance, improved customer service, and optimised consumption management.
Industry
Utilities
The Challenge
The client needed to transform its operational capabilities to enhance meter operations, maintain customer service, and improve consumption management.
However, there were gaps in stakeholder understanding of interdependencies, priorities, and risks, as well as significant operational inefficiencies impacting metering operations, costs, and customer experience.
Cross 8 needed to provide a rapid roadmap for operational and technological success to meet deadlines.
The Client
A prominent utility organisation.
Our Approach
1. Understanding the Current State
Cross 8 collaborated with the client’s internal teams and suppliers during a Discovery phase to identify requirements, dependencies, and risks. Using a range of analytical techniques, we assessed the organisational structure, systems, information flows, and processes to ensure the desired outcomes would drive meaningful change.
Through tools like our Stakeholder Matrix and Heatmap, we identified stakeholder needs and priorities. Cross 8 then developed a business case and options analysis for transitioning from AMR to AMI smart meters
2. Defining the Future State
Cross 8 designed an end-to-end Target Operating Model for the deployment and management of the client’s Smart Metering initiative. This model streamlined infrastructure, enhanced operational efficiency, and ensured integration with existing systems, ultimately boosting operational delivery, customer satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness.
3. Data-Driven Insights and Operational Efficiencies
Leveraging advanced data and business process analysis, we developed a location-based model to match Field Force engineers’ skills more effectively, reducing travel time and ensuring first-time fixes. This led to faster repairs and improved service delivery for customers. Additionally, data analysis enabled the team to identify high-return areas under regulatory guidelines (e.g., avoiding joint supplies) and implement real-time leakage detection to drive compliance and operational efficiency.
4. Business Change
Cross 8 placed a strong emphasis on the ‘people’ side of change, engaging stakeholders early and fostering collaboration. Through focus groups with Field Engineers, we incorporated valuable feedback into the solution design, ensuring smooth implementation. Multiple communication channels and knowledge transfer methods facilitated a successful transition.
5. Governance
From the outset, Cross 8 established a robust Program Management Office and provided Assurance support. We identified and implemented key KPIs for internal and external stakeholders and developed a suite of operational and executive-level reporting tools, including a Power BI dashboard to monitor the program’s performance over time. This reporting supported program momentum and kept stakeholders consistently informed.
RESULTS
- Delivered a comprehensive end-to-end Target Operating Model to help the client optimise its organisational structure and service delivery.
- Secured funding to roll out the Smart Metering capability to over 1 million customers.
- Unlocked £0.5 million in annual savings by moving to AMI smart metering.
- Enhanced customer experience by reducing response times.
- Achieved £1 million in annual savings through optimised Field Force operations under the Data-Driven and Operational Efficiency workstream.
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