A new report from Chartwell Inc., an Atlanta-based, independent publishing company serving the utility industry, reveals that North American electric and natural gas utilities are moving more toward outsourcing their metering and billing needs.
Using data compiled from Chartwell’s industry-leading publications, the report, titled Outsourcing: Solutions for the New Utility, 2001, says that some 24 percent of utilities outsource their meter reading function to a third-party provider, while 8 percent report completely outsource their billing services. The report also details the state of outsourcing activity in information services and management of essential functions surrounding the vital areas of customer service in the utility industry.
Sections in Outsourcing: Solutions for the New Utility, 2001 include:
- Customer service
- CIS and other IT initiatives
- Metering
- Billing
- Human resources
- A listing of outsourcing vendors serving the industry
To order a copy of the full report, which costs $495 plus shipping, contact Chartwell or call (800) 432-5879.
Based on a report from ElectricNet.com
