Benefits of AMA Integration
While every utility has its own set of challenges and needs, there are common pain points most utilities seek to resolve. AMA supports water and gas utilities in six key areas: improved customer service delivery, water and energy conservation, revenue management, operations/asset management, government regulation, and information integration.
Utilities can use ReadCenter Analytics to satisfy their individual business requirements. For instance, setting up a customized system exception and ensuring response(s) is easy:
1. Define the system exception condition. Badger Meter ReadCenter Analytics has made this easy with the help of customizable templates.
2. Determine monitored accounts.
3. Select alert recipients and communication method (to-do list, e-mail, SMS text, or system dashboard) for use when an exception occurs.
4. ReadCenter Analytics software now continuously monitors incoming system data for the exception condition.
Within its customer service functionality, AMA enables utilities to quickly analyze customer consumption over selected periods. This information can be printed and mailed, or even provided via a customer web portal for easy access. A beneficial tool for utility customers, it allows them to monitor and manage use, and in turn, helps utilities mitigate billing disputes.
Plus, customizable reporting functions are included so utilities can more easily satisfy the many different government utility reporting requirements.
When it comes to revenue management, AMA enables utilities to track the consumption profiles of their largest customers, and then design alerts to notify them of irregularities. And, because AMA facilitates continuous data monitoring, it helps eliminate the need to run reports to find these irregular exception conditions. Alert notifications are readily and proactively sent to the appropriate utility personnel.
AMA also helps in operations and asset management with modules that allow utilities to easily schedule and track maintenance. Utilities can locate assets on a graphical map via GPS coordinates and easily generate work orders for needed maintenance.
In the area of water and energy conservation, AMA facilitates rapid water leak detection, because it enables utilities to uncover premise and distribution system leaks through continual usage flags, acoustic leak detection and by observation of district metering areas. It also provides the ability to monitor the effects of water conservation programs such as odd/even watering restrictions and the implementation of low flow devices in homes.