Do you find that you really haven't communicated with anyone from your Utility Billing Service provider in years?
Maybe you're finding that you know most of how your software works, but don't really know how to use your new system to the depth of its capabilities?
There's one thing that can ensure your long-term success with any piece of software...and that's Client Success!
The "secret sauce" to any great software isn't all the flashy features and bells and whistles that the software can do, but it's really the support structures and systems that are in place to help you succeed as a user of the product.
Like any good business operation, an organization's success hinges on the resources your team has access to that help best serve your customers.
This essentially means that you may have the best Utility Billing System in the world, but if your team can't achieve success with that platform, then the most capable platform very quickly can turn into one of the most hated tools in the toolbox.
That's why having a dedicated Client Success team is essential to your success as an organization!
Maybe you're asking yourself right now: What is Client Success?
Well, the answer is in the name... The mission of any Client Success team is to ensure that a client is successful with a product.
Essentially, Client Success is here to act as your liaison between you and your new Utility Billing System to ensure that you're using the product to the full width and power of its capabilities.
Their purpose is to guide your team through your Utility Billing System journey from start to finish in the most efficient way possible using the best tools available.
This includes Client Success's guidance in all of the following:
- Training and Utilization
- Implementation
- Client Onboarding
- Managed Services
- Business Reviews
- Production Cutover
- Product Enhancements
- Tier 3 Customer Support
- ...And even more!
Now, you may be wondering what exactly makes Client Success so important? Maybe you didn't have a Client Success team when implementing your previous Utility Billing System and don't think that extra guidance is necessary. Maybe you've been using the same processes from your previous system and they can "slot right into a new solution."
Client Success can bring so much more to the table! Let's dive into some of the phenomenal benefits of Client Success for utility billing organizations.
Client Success: Your Coach for Utility Billing Success
Client Success is a lot like getting a swim coach when you're first learning how to swim.
Sure, you could jump right into the deep end and try to swim yourself, and you may even be able to quickly teach yourself how to move in the water and get to safety. But even then, you probably won't be setting any record lap times.
However, with a strong instructor that teaches you the proper strokes you can not only be swimming in a pool, but setting lap times and competing. You're not only surviving, but you're thriving in the water.
Client Success is intended to be there to coach you with anything you may need throughout your journey with the software. This can include a wide variety of items, that maybe you had originally assumed would be too much of an issue on your own.
1. Consistency and Accuracy
Entities that bill for utilities often don't have a wide depth of human resources available to help analyze processes and even just bounce improvement ideas off of.
A good Utility Billing Software Client Success team will feel like an extension of your team and be there with you to help you analyze so that your Utility Billing System operates with as much consistency and accuracy as possible.
That is especially important when running critical monthly bills based on metered and non-metered usage. A mistake is not only costly in dollars but also in consumer trust.
Since the idea is for the Client Success team to walk alongside your team, there's several various places for them to help with consistency and accuracy from the get-go, such as:
- Overseeing the importing of existing customer data to your new Utility Billing System's database
- Performing User Acceptance Testing (UAT) after initial setup to ensure your new platform works properly for your team
- Assisting with end user training to teach your team the ins and outs of their new platform to improve platform accuracy
- Catching and correcting any errors during the first billing cycles after setup to avoid costly and time-consuming problems down the road
- Communications to your organization for new features and requests
- Conducting periodic process and system usage reviews to point out new improvement opportunities and system usage possibilities
Looking for solutions with a strong Client Success team is vitally important not only to your software success, but having a Client Success team acting as a coach will only help your team find efficiencies.
2. Improved Customer Service
It seems simple, but sometimes you just need someone to help who really knows your systems and processes.
Providing excellent customer service is one of the top priorities of any Utility Billing System. With a Client Success team in place, you can be sure that your team can provide the best possible support no matter the issue.
However, it's equally as important to understand WHEN to reach out directly to a Client Success rep versus other customer service options.
Many top software system providers approach customer service in a tiered approach, typically in 4 customer support tiers, all designed to help you resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
Ideally most customer service needs are self-solved via "tier 0" service, which can include helpful knowledge base articles, phone system automation, and/or training systems.
But sometimes you really do need to talk to a person. "Tier 1" customer service is the basic triage, or the team who answers the phone, when you first call in with a need. If they can help you immediately with that need, like a password reset or a basic functionality question, then they will, and you will be on your way.
However, when "tier 1" runs into a more complex issue, "tier 2" support is called in. There are more specialized and advance customer support agents who are well versed to help with more technical issues, such as technical report issues or database questions.
If even "tier 2" struggles with the request, that's where your Client Success team comes in.
The mission of a good Client Success team is, again, meant to act as your guide through your system's use experience, but they can also serve as a sort of liaison between your team and other respective departments inside of your new utility billing provider.
So, when those issues are not resolvable by "tier 2" and you need to get them escalated to Client Success, they tend to be very impactful to your system's usage and processes. This means you will need someone who deeply understands those processes AND the software system to help you either resolve the issue and create personalized training on a previously know function, or find a solution to resolve the issue.
4. Reduced Costs
Having a Client Success team in place can also help to reduce costs. You may be thinking how can something after the fact help you recover what you initially paid for. We're talking about your Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
The TCO of your business is a formulated equation that measures and gauges what the cost of a Utility Billing System actually is versus that initial price. If you're interested on learning more about what TCO is and how you can calculate it, then click here to read more about it!
The biggest portion of your TCO that the Client Success team can help you understand is your cost of labor and implementation.
Client Success, as we've mentioned throughout this blog, is all about guiding your team to success through your experience with the software, primarily through helping to ensure you are using in its most optimal way.
Time is money as they say, and they're definitely not wrong about that! The time it takes to build out and implement your new Utility Billing System, plus the cost of labor it'll take to train your whole team on the platform, can end up being pretty costly. Especially if it ends up being a system your team never uses to its full potential.
During your Implementation, the Client Success team serves as the liaison to understand your process and then turn around to ensure the system is setup appropriately. Both sides will have questions and needs that will arise, but with the help of the Client Success team, those needs can find quick and accurate solutions without having to reduce the efficiency of the deliverables.
By catching and correcting errors early on, you and your users are more likely to find value in the purchase of the Utility Billing Software System, meaning you will in turn use the system more, which in turn makes it more valuable!
What Does It Look Like Without A Client Success Team?
Unfortunately, even with all the benefits of having a Client Success program, many organizations don't invest the human capital and resources to run a Client Success program, even though it can greatly benefit the actual users.
Sadly, too many just want to make the sale and move on without being committed to the successful use of the product.
Why should a Client Success program be an important part of your already long checklist when looking for a new Utility Billing System?
An easy analogy of what a customer journey would be without a Client Success team is to relate it to a student struggling in a math class.
Let's say you're back in high school and are taking a rather complicated math class. (I know we've all suffered through one or two of those back in the day.) Unfortunately, the class is very advanced, and your teacher isn't that helpful with breaking down the information to be consumable.
This mean you'll be on your own for learning a lot of the information. You can try to go through your sparse notes to figure out what's going on or maybe pull up some tutorials online that could potentially break things down for you.
On the other hand, you could invest in a math tutor that knows this specific math class like the back of their hand. They have proven success in teaching other's the class and will be able to guide you through the knowledge to in turn make you as well versed in it as they are currently.
You can take the risk and try to handle it on your own, hoping to barely pull out a C from the course or risk failing altogether, or you can get the tutor and pass the course with flying colors.
So why is this important if you're still passing the class? Well, turns out you've decided to pursue a career that utilizes mathematical principals that will directly use this information every single day of your working career. Barely passing that class will ensure that you'll be struggling later on at work... A lot.
That's essentially the difference between having a Client Success Manager and not having them.
Your Client Success rep is your tutor. Without someone who can help guide you with the system, you are left with the burden of using AND optimizing the system.
Allow your provider's Client Success team, full of experts on their platform, to train your team into becoming their own experts on the system.
You can opt for a provider that doesn't include a Client Success team, but a lack of their presence will potentially mean that you're going to struggle with using your new Utility Billing System, which will be a hard strain on your team.
Don't let your team flounder for answers and help when assistance can be provided at the very start of your customer journey to the very end.
Conclusion
While your organization is more than welcome to opt for a Utility Billing System, that doesn't include a Client Success team with their customer journey, it definitely is not the most ideal situation for you team.
That's why we highly suggest looking for a proven Utility Billing System with a Client Success team included. We want to guarantee that you can fully achieve success with your new platform.
By walking alongside your Client Success team throughout your customer journey, you are ensuring your organization's long-term success.
