Decarbonisation, decentralisation, and changing consumer behaviour are placing increasing demands on energy industry players and require a transformation of existing electricity networks into intelligent, aligned systems. Fortunately, digital services for the operation and control of intelligent measurement systems can be implemented based on pre-existing technologies for consumption measurement and sensors. Additionally, emerging technologies and experiences from other industries are changing customer expectations and needs. Customers now desire, and expect, cheap prices for services which provide "everything, everywhere, all the time".
These expectations are driving changes in products and services along the entire customer journey, particularly while new players enter the market in increasing numbers. Increased competition from these new entrants place increased cost and margin pressures on existing market participants, impacting margins.
All this is playing out in an environment where regulatory obligations are increasing, in particular in the areas of information security and data protection.
Digital technology as a catalyst
The requirement for competitive differentiation as a prerequisite for sustainable business development and continued success increasingly demands a customer centric approach to products and services, the identification of attractive and emerging markets, transparency over business performance, and the ability to manage and optimise costs.
An implementation of digital technologies such as the Internet of Things, Block Chain, robotics, analytics, cloud computing, integrated sensor technology, and/or virtual reality supports the drive to ensure competitive differentiation and acts as a catalyst for future business success in the digital age
Digital technology as a catalyst
The following three factors need to be addressed to ensure the holistic mananagement of digitalisation in energy businesses:
Taking the correct approach to investment in digital solutions is critical to the success of a digital transformation, as this allows for the maximum benefit to be derived from the digitalisation portfolio. Further, suitable customised structures and mechanisms for ongoing strategic alignment and for management of the portfolio needs to be established. Finally, transparency around the various digitalisation initiatives needs to be secured.
We support your digital transformation along the entire journey, from the assessment of your current situation and the development of a digitalisation strategy through to the planning and realisation of an implementation roadmap. If your journey has already begun, then we can review your strategic direction, digital architectures and technologies, and implementation approaches (in particular concerning the modernisation of ERP-Systems towards SAP S/4 HANA)