Digital transformation of processes and customer service desks

Digitisation of processes and remote customer service in the utilities industry

Zakład Wodociągów i Kanalizacji Sp. z o.o. in Grodzisk Mazowiecki (ZWiK Grodzisk Mazowiecki) is responsible for water and sewage management in the Grodzisk Mazowiecki municipality and the municipalities of Brwinów, Milanówek and Podkowa Leśna. The company systematically modernises and expands its water supply network, providing access to high-quality services to individual as well as business and institutional customers. Its main goal is the satisfaction of its residents, which it pursues through modern management standards, a high level of competence and the responsible work of its entire staff.

Improved key areas: customer communication, process handling and payments

ZWiK Grodzisk Mazowiecki makes multi-million zloty investments, obtains energy from natural sources, conducts multidirectional educational activities and uses the latest technological solutions. In its activities, it focuses on protecting the environment and improving the living comfort of its residents. Therefore, in 2020, it decided to implement IT solutions to digitise several key areas of the company's operations, including customer communication, process handling and payments, among other things. This became particularly important due to pandemic restrictions. In the implementation of such a complex project, it was crucial to choose a supplier who would not only provide modern IT solutions, but also provide support throughout the implementation phase. Therefore, ZWiK Grodzisk Mazowiecki decided to cooperate with Asseco Data Systems (ADS), a leader in paperless services in Poland, which several years earlier had been responsible for implementing KOM-Media's billing system in the company.

A wide range of electronic public services for residents and customers

The goal of the project, which began in April 2020, was to build a unified, secure paperless environment providing the residents of Grodzisk Mazowiecki and the company's customers with access to the widest possible range of electronic public services. The company was keen to create a reliable system to ensure full digitisation of process handling, the introduction of electronic payments and the ability to remotely handle matters at the plant.

The project involved the implementation of two new solutions: eBOK – for handling digital communication with customers, and KOM-Bok – for exchanging e-documents and information within the company. For full digitisation of processes, it was also necessary to implement solutions for electronic confirmation of customer identity and signing documents with electronic signatures. The Asseco team was also responsible for the expansion of the KOM-Media billing and ERP system, as well as integration with external platforms such as National Node, ePUAP and e-Payments.

As part of the implementation, solutions were also developed and delivered to optimise internal budget control for purchasing processes. As a result, the processing of such documents is now carried out in electronic form. It has also been covered by automatic compliance inspection against approved financial plans and concluded contracts, both at the stage of expenditures planning and their settlement.

A major challenge with this project was its scope, which included many different substantive areas requiring detailed and extensive domain knowledge. Another was the significant number of modules being implemented, which had to be expanded as part of data integration and data processing.

Due to the pandemic restrictions, both analysis meetings and prototype presentations were held remotely, as was the training conducted by Asseco for users and administrators. Despite the large scope of work, the implementation of the entire project was completed in May 2021. This was possible, thanks to the competence, experience and commitment of the teams of Asseco Data Systems' Municipal Solutions Division, who responded to the client's suggestions and needs on an ongoing basis.

The project was co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the Regional Innovation Strategy for Mazovia for 2014–2020.

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• Processing of all documents in digital form
• Modern channels of communication with individual and business customers
• Maintaining business process continuity during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Reduce the cost of handling, mailing, and storing of paper documentation
• The image of a modern company and increased customer satisfaction.
• Convenient eBOK that offers self-service and remote service to customers
• Customers get easy access to information about water consumption, deadlines, receivables
• Electronic generation and self-payment of invoices by customers

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