Highlights
INFORMATION SYSTEM BACKGROUND
1.1 Management Information System
Management information is an important input for efficient performance of various managerial functions at different organization levels. The information system facilitates decision making. Management functions is including of planning, controlling and decision making.
1.2 Customer Information System (CIS)
Customer Information System (CIS) is a complete Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Application that allows you to easily customize the database dynamically with user-defined fields allowing the system to fit your business rather than forcing you to fit the software.
1.3 Utilities of CIS
Market restructuring and regulatory requirements are changing the way utilities operate. At the center of industry change is the Customer Information System, often referred to as the CIS. By upgrading or outsourcing the company CIS, utilities are repositioning themselves as innovative, customer- friendly, and technologically savvy companies.For the utilities of the CIS, the systems help improving the company customer service, discovering new marketing opportunity and efficient operation of company business.The CIS has traditionally been seen as a back-office collection and billing system. Today, the CIS is viewed as an essential part of the evolving, larger picture of customer relationship management, and a new way for utilities to streamline operations and improve customer service. New CIS technology is helping utilities to:
Efficiently gather and manage customer information
1.2.1 Customer Information
Commonly, a company that not keeping information about all interactions with customers and to make that data available across its operations will usually face a significant hurdle to achieving long lasting customer relationships.A unique feature of some CIS systems is the capability to support a customer data entity and promote a single point of customer contact. With this information system, new and potential customers are assigned a customer identifier that tracks and records all customer interactions.CIS also featured with systems for customer contact that provide customer service representatives (CSRs) with instant access to customers’ contact histories, including service calls, meter readings and payment records. Some systems also allow for the recording and managing of all correspondence with customers, including bill inserts, telephone inquiries and email.The system reduces errors and saves time by recording, tracking and scripting customer interactions and conversations, while allowing immediate processing of requests and automatic generation of service orders and correspondence.Systems like electronic work queue also help the company to improve customer service by facilitating work load management, allowing them to set up multiple service goals guidelines in order to determine the level of service the company provides to its customers.Electronic work queue systems can also determine if a task has passed service goal tolerances. If so, the system automatically escalates tasks to the attention of targeted people (e.g. a CSR assigned to the account) within the organization.
1.2.2 Marketing Opportunities
Historically, a company that have focused their marketing efforts on building their marketing profiles, taking little time to target their customers with specific promotions or sales incentives. The CIS’s functionality provides an ideal solution for utilities looking to embark on new target marketing programs.Another CIS feature, like targeted marketing systems, accessing raw data that allows utilities to design, manage and execute customized marketing programs. If the customer is calling regarding a high bill, it can prompt a CSR to promote items such as energy efficient light bulbs, and easily set up scripts for CSRs to follow. The system allows utilities to target specific market segments and track the results and effectiveness of each program.
1.2.3 Improve Operation
A significant challenge for a company is managing meter-based work and equipment and product-based orders efficiently and accurately. The challenge is compounded when the company needs to manage the information across a large customer-base and a wide geographical distribution area.CIS service order system allows company to assign, schedule, and track all activities for the customer base, including meter maintenance and collections, and allows the company to:
Maintain the status of service orders and events
A geographical control capability helps the company to address sprawling service areas and growing customer-bases. The system tracks financial information as well as sales, tax rates, customer growth and work assignments for each service area, allowing the company to break their information up into smaller segments, to spot inefficiencies and to ensure consistent and optimal service throughout their operations.
1.2.4 Flexible Billings
Current CIS technology allows for the consolidation of multiple accounts, as well as combining multiple products and services for an account, into a single customer bill. Rates can also be unbundled into separate components, and available bill formatting allows the company to quickly change the company bill format to accommodate new products. Increased functionality enables company to offer advanced billing, allowing for a more effective collections process and additional customer choice.
1.2.5 Internet leverage
Deregulation and competition are driving many companies to compete for customers using the Internet. As a result, major corporate bodies are increasingly using the World Wide Web as an integration medium to support new customer service initiatives, including Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment (EBPP).With EBPP customers can view, store and pay bills online. Customers can receive an electronic bill by email, or view their bill at the utility’s Web site. Links to consumption history, graphs and bill profiles enable customers to get a better understanding of what they are paying for and how to reduce their usage costs.Instead of managing paper transactions, EBPP allows utilities to manage an electronic process that is economical and efficient. Electronic billing reduces missed payments, bounced checks and associated costs, and automatically updates accounts when payments are made.
A further benefit is that EBPP enables targeted marketing initiatives. For example, the banner ad at the top of a customer’s bill can be relevant to their interests, living conditions and demographic characteristics (e.g. if you live in a condo, you wouldn’t see a banner ad selling you high-efficiency home heating systems or air conditioning) EBPP also allows energy providers to take advantage of print stream three-in-one solutions that eliminate the need to manage multiple systems and ensure consistency for all bill presentment needs. A three-in-one solution creates an electronic bill, a paper bill, and a CSR bill view, all of which are identical. A simple click on the CSR’s screen allows the CSR to view bills exactly as customers see them, ensuring CSRs are better equipped to handle customer questions.
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