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Domo Arigato, Mr. Robotic Process Automation

Posted on by Getchoice!

By: Matthew Mattingly

Styx Mr Roboto GIF from Styx GIFs

The term Robotic Process Automation may have a different definition depending on the person or reference.  To my wife, the term Robotic Process may conjure the image of a dance move that her husband does WAY TOO early and often at parties. However, we will not be talking about dance moves in this blog entry. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a new coming, game-changer in the utility bill management world. RPA is an automation tool that uses software bots to handle high-volume, repeatable, rule-based tasks (Insert Wikepedia definition). Our bill management software, Choice Data Connect, has been using RPA to help clients streamline the bill management process to extract invoices, organize data, and automate Accounts Payables. Clients are now getting their data faster and more accurate than ever before.  As we will further explain, the old bill management process is making way for the new. Domo arigato Mr. Robotic Process Automation!

Invoice Extraction – The Old Way

Utility bill management (UBM) programs have been around for years, but typically requires a manual process. The process involves changing billing addresses to a centralized location, paper invoices to be opened/scanned, and human interaction to physically monitor/input data. Although this UBM process does provide value in a centralized process, it still requires a time consuming and costly human touch. Human touch leads to human error, which leads to payment delays and billing errors.  Basically, people ruin everything, they are the worst.

Old Technology – OCR and EDI

Another complaint of UBM providers is aging technology. Many providers still rely on OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology to view and extract data from scanned invoices. OCR can be helpful, but the process depends upon high resolution images of invoices and may have difficulty with poorly imaged scans.  Just think how many times you looked at a scanned invoice and wondered, is that an eight or a nine?  Heck maybe it’s a niner?  OCR technology will have the same issues. Additionally, OCR technology is could never accurately report the hand-written invoice sent by the rural county water department.

EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is also a technology used by several UBM providers to receive utility invoices. EDI allows utility vendors to directly transmit data, providing a prompt and paperless delivery. BUUUUUT, there is a major flaw with EDI invoices and that is they are not the true invoice copies.  In fact, EDI invoices look more like binary code, making it impossible for someone to review and interpret cost and usage data from the file. See the example below.

New Way – Robotic Process Automation

Choice Energy Management takes invoice extraction to the next level.  By using Robotic Process Automation (RPA) our bill management team can DIGITALLY download over 80% of our client’s accounts. Software Bots take the place of human interaction and manual invoices, by pulling digital invoices directly from a supplier or utility portal.  The diagram below illustrates the process flow chart of the software bots within the utility/supplier portal.

Invoice Validation

As shown by the above diagram, our Robotic Process Automation doesn’t stop with invoice extraction. Invoice templates are created to extract ALL invoice data and import directly to Choice Data Connect. However, the data is not imported into Choice Data Connect unless it passes a 225+ audit checklist. Failure of the audit requires a Choice Data Analyst to review the invoice and data before submitting to Choice Data Connect.  This ensures all data within Choice Data Connect is 99.5% accurate. Basically, Lloyd Christmas has the same chance with Mary (Samsonite) Swanson as an invoice error of hitting Choice Data Connect.

Summary

Through leading technology (such as Robotic Process Automation), Choice Data Connect is taking utility bill management to the next level.  Our clients are now getting faster, more accurate data, all while having access to the true invoice copy. This is just the beginning for Choice Data Connect. In the next year, Choice plans to incorporate Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to reach our goal of having 100% digital invoices within Choice Data Connect. This will lead to even less human touch. In the meantime, we will celebrate the advances Robotic Process Automation has provided Choice Data Connect.  In fact, the lyrics of Styx’s 1983 #1 hit, Mr. Roboto may say it best.

Thank you very much, Mr. Robotic Process Automation
For doing the jobs that nobody wants to
And thank you very much, Mr. Robotic Process Automation
For helping me escape just when I needed to
Thank you, thank you, thank you
I want to thank you, please, thank you

Confidential: Choice Energy Services Retail, LP.

The Green and the Black…A Book Review

Posted on by Getchoice!

by Matthew Mattingly

Book reviews do not make the best blog entries. I get that, but sometimes the right book comes around that you need to share with your closest energy friends on the interwebs. That’s how I feel after just finishing The Green and the Black a book that discusses the fracking industry. Unlike other books on this subject, the author Gary Sernovitz provides a comprehensive look on the much debated practice of fracking for oil and gas in the United States. Not only does the book describe the process and history of the fracking industry, but freely discusses the environmental impact and the full influence it has on the energy industry as a whole. However, the beauty of the book is not just the great information it offers, but the writer’s witty commentary making a dry subject an interesting read. Mr. Sernovitz’s ability to intelligently discuss the industry, while at the same time poking fun of both extreme environmentalist and drill or die producers, is commended and appreciated. Not many authors in this particular industry can make you chuckle, but Gary Sernovitz does it often and does it well.

Although the book is filled with witty comments and satire (I’m still laughing at the “where’s –your-global-warming-now-hippie Polar Vortex winter of 2013-2014” comment), the author’s knowledge on the fracking industry is very impressive. Working in the oil industry himself, Gary Sernovitz has had front row seat to see the positive impact that the “shale revolution” has had for the United States. The positive impacts have either directly or indirectly affected everyone in this country, including…

  • U.S. economic growth
  • Substantial production growth of oil and natural gas
  • Less reliance on Middle East oil imports
  • Lower prices at the pump
  • Becoming a net exporter of natural gas instead of a net importer
  • Lower CO2 emissions with the declines of coal generation
  • High paying energy jobs
  • Land owners striking it rich in shale regions

However, at the same time the author is not blinded by the risks and previous failures of fracking.  Although he points out the half truths that many environmental groups use against the industry, he does admit that fracking is not all sunshine and rainbows. Issues include…

  • Water contaminations (Dimock, PA)
  • Excessive amount of water used in the process
  • Earthquakes
  • Water treatment of fracking fluid
  • Quality of life in drilling communities
    • Loud, increased traffic
    • Migration of Roughnecks
    • Housing crisis
  • Methane leaks

Unlike a popular conservative cable television network, the author is truly fair and balanced. That is something that is typically missing when discussing the fracking industry (or any subject nowadays).  However, Gary Sernovitz does make it very clear of his support of the fracking process. The process has its faults, but when monitored and done correctly, it provides substantial benefits. But I don’t want to continue to summarize his work; I will let his words do the talking on the support of fracking. Listed below is an excerpt from the book’s introduction that caught my attention and got me started on this great read…

Yet when I see a billboard like the one put up by Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon asking New York City drivers to “Imagine there’s no fracking,” I cringe. That’s because I imagine it. If the U.S. Shale revolution hadn’t happened, oil and gas prices would probably be triple what they are today, the United States might, like Europe, still be feebly climbing out of a global recession, our trade balance would be weaker, the dollar in the pits, American coal consumption and carbon emissions would be increasing, the Canadian oil sands would be the dominant source of new North American oil, poor people throughout the would have less access to energy, the power of Putin and Middle Eastern monarchies would be dangerously magnified, and thriving Iran would be in much better position to laugh off attempts to limit its quest for nuclear bombs. – Gary Sernovitz  

Confidential: Choice Energy Services Retail, LP.

The Simple Things, Evaluating Energy Consultants

Posted on by Getchoice!

by Matthew Mattingly

simplethings

There are a lot of energy consulting firms in the market. No one can dispute that statement. I know this not only from working in the industry for over 10+ years, but I hear it on a weekly basis from my clients. They are bombarded constantly with phone calls from energy consulting firms promising huge savings and innovative services. With so many energy consulting firms to choose from, how does one know which firm is the best? There are several factors to choose from, but I have highlighted a few simple things that need to be considered when evaluating energy consulting firms.

Is the consulting firm attracting or losing top talent?

With so many energy consulting firms available it is real easy for top talent to move around to different companies (something that I know personally). With that in mind, do you want to hire a consultant that is attracting or losing top talent? There are several signals to identify a company on the wrong end of the talent perspective. They are the ones constantly posting the same positions on job websites, losing long-term employees, and only hiring inexperienced, recent college graduates.

Thankfully Choice Energy Services has a full team of experienced energy consultants able to serve its client’s needs. Furthermore, the company continues to add top talent with energy experience as seen with its most recent hires. So when choosing an energy consulting firm, make sure you check a firm’s human resource office as much as their services.

Is the consultant’s website updated and modern?

All consultants are trying to make a good first impression when meeting potential clients. We dress sharply and bring convincing marketing materials, but it’s shocking how many energy consultants do not keep their website updated. I have seen some bad ones over the years. No description of services, use of generic of stock photos, stale blog entries, and most importantly not refreshing data or company information. Nothing is more embarrassing than seeing a website that hasn’t been updated in over 6 months, and that last update was performed by someone no longer at the company. It makes one wonder if a consultant doesn’t take the time to update their website, what makes you think they are taking the extra time to work on your account.

Choice Energy Services refreshes its website on a regular basis, not just aesthetically but for content as well. Potential clients have the ability to access market data, read blog entries, and click on the latest industry news. We don’t just say we are leaders in the industry in a sales meeting, we show it every day on our website.

Is the consultant a technology leader or laggard?

Embracing technology is a must for consultants in the energy field. Technology enhancements can be a differentiator for a firm against its competition. Thankfully, I work for a technology leader and not a laggard. But don’t take my word for it, others have noticed as well (see article in Energy CIO Insights).

As mentioned in the article, CESConnect, a proprietary online platform, allows our clients the ability to review their cost and usage as soon as the invoice becomes available by the utility or supplier. No more waiting on invoices via snail mail! In one web portal a client has access to all of their energy data. Check out our website to find out more about CESConnect and the benefits it can provide.

There are numerous tools that CESConnect can offer the end-user, but a major advantage of the system was that it was built IN HOUSE at our corporate office in Houston, TX. The creation of the system was not outsourced to programmers on the other side of world, but done by our own technology team. So if a change needs to be made or enhancement added, it is done by our own staff. This makes our platform system nimble and efficient, while providing an advantage over others in the market place relying on “channel partner” for this service.

Summary

There are numerous factors to consider when evaluating energy consulting firms, but don’t get lost in the weeds when making a final decision. There are simple things that an energy consulting firm should be able to exemplify, three of which are listed in the entry. If a consulting firm doesn’t pass the test, then it’s time to look at other options.

Confidential: Choice Energy Services Retail, LP.