Content Guru
Providing cloud-based Communications Integration services to the Utilities sector

The utilities sector is subject to unpredictable service outages. These can be caused by a huge number of factors including storms or even collisions between vehicles and power lines. During these disruptions, utility communications systems can become overwhelmed with huge volumes of inquiries from customers wanting to know what happened to their supplies, and when they will be restored.

However, with the systems at maximum capacity, calls can be dropped and customers left unable to get to this critical information. This inability to process customer calls during periods of high intensity can then be made worse by a lack of multi-channel communications, meaning that customers do not have any alternative ways of getting the service information they need. In today’s always-connected, multi-channel world, this is no longer acceptable to consumers who expect to interact with organizations whenever, wherever and using whichever method they wish.

Content Guru solves this problem by delivering its award- winning portfolio of communications solutions through a cloud delivery model. Its Communications Integration platform, storm, provides a mass-scale cloud service for utilities companies, enabling them to process any simultaneous demand for customer information across any channel, without losing critical frontline communications.

Integration with utilities IT infrastructure, such as high- voltage monitoring systems, enables real-time data to be delivered; customers can navigate over-the-phone with up-to-date information on power status in their area. By enabling any volume of customers to self-service, storm ensures that critical information is always accessible, even during the most severe crises.

The multi-channel capabilities of storm enable end-customers to interact with utilities organizations using newer channels, such as via tablets or smartphones connected to cellular data networks, enabling dialogues such as web chat with a live agent, or automated SMS with real-time updates based on location, or via email as appropriate.

Furthermore, mass personalized outbound communications proactively connect end-customers, such as vulnerable customers relying on medical equipment, to ensure that customer safety is managed to a high standard. The flexibility of the platform, its integration capabilities and its cloud model are key to the success of the solution and has made it the dominant player in Europe.

Instead of having to invest heavily in new infrastructure that would rarely be used to its full capacity, companies can instead layer storm communications over their existing contact centers. This was the case for storm customers UK Power Net- works (UKPN), the UK’s largest Distribution Network Opera- tor (DNO), which is responsible for delivering power to two of Europe’s most populated regions, and Scottish Power, another of the UK’s largest electricity distributors. In this way, storm customers are able to substantially improve their customer service levels without having to go significantly over budget, with both organizations rapidly climbing up the UK regulatory customer service leader-board for utilities.

“Our storm utilities proposition is a fantastic example of what can be achieved with cloud technologies. Its scale-on-demand capabilities are given the severest of tests, providing mission-critical services at a national level. In the UK, these organizations have received tough criticism in recent months and are working hard to restore public confidence with improved customer service. We’re delighted to be able to help them substantially on that quest,” says Sean Taylor, CEO, Content Guru.

Our cloud platform, storm, has made the company a dominant player in Europe

After the successful implementations throughout Europe, Content Guru is now looking forward to bringing these communications capabilities into the U.S. utilities market through 2015 and beyond. The sector is highly competitive and many providers are in need of the kind of highly scalable and resilient services that the company is able to deliver.