Case Study

A new communication channel for Edison Energia

The project in which Blue Reply took part has changed the way in which Edison Energia interacts with its customers, with services and smart systems, significantly increasing the value of commercial proposals.

Scenario

The energy sector has discovered new ways to innovate itself over the last few years. Key players in the market have launched a process focussed on enriching the gas and electricity offers, with a wide range of increasingly more advanced services, targeted to the requirements of end customers.

Within this framework, in 2016 Edison Energia, the Edison Group company responsible for the sale of electricity, gas and home services, launched a digital transformation strategy of its commercial touch points.

Edison Energia selected Blue Reply as its technical partner for this ambitious project.

The key aim of the collaboration was the development of a new web portal and a mobile App, in collaboration with TamTamy Reply for managing sales and post-sales activities, integrated into the complex architecture of existing systems.

The portal

The collaboration between Edison Energia and Blue Reply has led to the development of a Web portal for sales and after sales services. The portal integrates the customer's proprietary systems, both among themselves and with the rest of the e-commerce, customer relations and home automation realms, as well as enabling end users to be more autonomous in managing and providing consulting services relating to their product range.

The solution

Different systems now have a single point of contact with end users, who have also gained greater autonomy, facilitated by the self-care and complete management of their individual contracts.

In addition to Edison Energia’s internal systems, other realms were also integrated into the solution: the online payment component, which enables customers to pay bills through a simple click; the call centre operators component, with a chat function, through which portal users can receive sales and after sales support; as well as the home automation component, making it possible for customers to remotely monitor energy consumption in their homes.

Innovation was a priority even in terms of the technological aspects of the project: the application of image recognition algorithms to carry out self meter readings using smartphone or tablet cameras, helps transform a potentially complex operation into a simple and immediate task. From a content marketing standpoint, the customer has been given the freedom to modify portal elements in full autonomy. This feature has allowed the customer to become independent in revising and publishing editorial content, which can now be done by staff with skills that do not require Web development expertise.

The adoption of a user-centred project approach has also facilitated the creation of a Web application that is configured based on currently authenticated users, facilitating the task of identifying user profiles in order to always offer the best solutions to end customers.

The value of Blue Reply

During the selection process and from the first interactions with Blue Reply, the distinctive elements leading to Edison's choice, as affirmed by the customer, were the experience, the dynamism and the solid structure characterising the company. In addition to confirming the elements that emerged during the selection phase, during the course of the project Blue Reply demonstrated a high level of competence, an excellent degree of flexibility and responsiveness, as well as a strongly customer-oriented consulting approach.

From the beginning of the project, Edison has expressed a willingness to entrust themselves to a technology partner that would be able to guide them in strategic IT decisions, as well as a partner that could support the company through the complexity of the digital transformation process. With its extensive range of products, Blue Reply has represented and will continue to represent the company that can bring to life the digital presence of the Edison Energia brand, by the implementation of captivating and measurable customer experience solutions using leading web content management technologies for developing a seamless omni-channel experience.

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Edison is the leading energy operator in Italy, with over 130 years of history. The company's mission is to be close to its customers, with intelligent, competitive and sustainable solutions. Edison operates in Italy, Europe and the Mediterranean countries, with nearly 5,000 employees. Edison Energia is the Group company responsible for the sale of electricity and natural gas to end customers. The company supplements the traditional supply of gas and electricity utilities with a wide range of innovative services for families, professionals (self-employed) and business customers. Edison Energia has expanded its product offer for residential customers, by entering the home services sector: from modular smart home solutions, to those focussed on maintenance and emergency services in the event of outages to light and gas installations. Edison Energia serves 1.1 million end users, and soon, thanks to the recent acquisition of Natural Gas Vendita Italia, it will surpass the milestone of 1.6 million customers.

Blue Reply

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Blue Reply is the Reply Group company specialised in digital transformation through services, consulting and the implementation of solutions based on IBM technologies, of which it is a Premier Business Partner. Blue Reply operates a specific competence centre that offers innovative digital solutions for company areas dedicated to Consumer Finance, Insurance and Banking. Blue Reply designs, develops and implements multi-channel and mobile solutions using service architectures and systems integration based on the Business Process Management, Information Management and Business Intelligence processes, as well as digital commerce and digital marketing solutions, with particular attention to social collaboration aspects.