Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company applies 4.0 technology to record indexes and collect water bills

To implement the above “2 in 1” requirement, based on the requirement of digital transformation, Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company has researched and implemented a grassroots science and technology innovation project to design and build software to record indexes on mobile devices; switching from cash payment and paper invoice delivery at stores to online payment and electronic invoice.

Checking the operating indicators of the automatic water plant line. Photo: CSCC

Previously, workers had to go to each household to record the water meter reading and record the index on a pre-printed form. This form was then passed to the controller to enter the data into the billing program. This manual process is prone to errors and takes a lot of time and manpower, reducing labor productivity.

In addition, to collect water bills, the Company must issue and use paper bills every month, increasing costs such as printing bills, controlling bills and storing them. When paying, the cashier must bring the bill to the customer and collect the money, which is very inconvenient and unsafe.

After a period of implementation, this solution has shown to be very practical. Since the application of recording indexes using mobile devices, employees at the meter location enter the index data into the software on their mobile phones and send it to the system. After recording the meter index, the software will immediately notify the customer about the bill information, meter index, and closing time of the index recording. This solution creates favorable conditions for both managers and water users to check and monitor the water usage results and the water usage situation of each customer at any time, reducing errors due to subjective human error.

Management software monitors meter reading managers and customer information indicators. Photo: Character provided

Regarding the collection of money, if in the past the use of paper invoices increased costs, now the application of the electronic invoice system has contributed to saving costs, improving production and business efficiency, and increasing competitiveness. Not only that, the interconnected software also facilitates accounting, data reconciliation, business administration and services of Nghe An water supply.

For customers, the payment process will be faster and more convenient because the creation, sending/receiving of invoices is done through electronic means. Electronic invoices are also the foundation for applying modern water collection models. Customers anywhere can pay online through bank applications or e-wallets linked to Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company.

The application of non-cash payment brings benefits such as saving time and effort for users, no need to go to the bank to withdraw cash or move to stores as before to pay. Customers can anytime through mobile devices or personal computers connected to the internet. Users can also easily manage their accounts, can check transaction history and know the monthly payment amount.

After checking the information, customers can finalize and pay on online platforms.

Assessing the effectiveness of applying 4.0 technology to meter reading and electronic payment, the representative of the Board of Directors of Nghe An Water Supply Joint Stock Company said: With the new application in meter reading and payment, the unit has saved costs, reduced many steps and personnel. Compared to before, the manager directly entered data into the mobile device, minimizing the risk of incorrect data entry, helping to calculate the cost of clean water consumption more accurately.

Regarding increased efficiency: Meter index information recorded on mobile devices can be synchronized and updated into the management system, making data monitoring and analysis more convenient, thereby helping managers make effective decisions in managing and planning better customer care services.

The implementation and application of information technology helps businesses improve labor productivity, reduce loss rates, increase labor productivity, and save labor. On the contrary, the level of customer satisfaction with the company's services is increasingly high. According to calculations, with this application and payment method, the company saves 1,055 billion VND each year.

Source: https://baonghean.vn/cong-ty-cp-cap-nuoc-nghe-an-ung-dung-cong-nghe-40-vao-ghi-chi-so-va-thu-tien-nuoc-post281909.html