Sustainable Transformation: A Conversation with Smart Energy Water, SMUD Global State Water Company and Zpryme

The journey towards sustainable transformation often begins with the onset of unexpected events. These history-creating chapters demand new perspectives, altering the status quo. Fairly said, they offer a rare window of opportunity, where one can chart a new course for a business or even the entire industry.

Today, we are seeing our world evolve through the window of opportunity presented by COVID-19 – where we can find pathways to change business course of the energy and utility industry. By change, we mean a sweeping, dramatic transformation that would realign expectations, processes, and cultures.

For Energy and Utility industry, the current pandemic has exposed weaknesses at many fronts. And the global lockdowns have exposed the need to have an upper hand in technology to tackle the problems of skeletal staffing, and the need to manage the field workforce, keep them safe in a complex and uncertain world. Utility boardrooms are battling with processes to minimize the impact on service delivery, while at the same time providing superior customer experiences, now delivered with empathy and care.

At such a time, the right conversation begins with a deep examination of the impact on an organization. And, how well are they positioned to overcome the challenges, as it unfolds. At its core, the transformation is about resilience, the capacity to innovate and take bold strategic decisions, to not just survive but conquer and win. We are calling this transformation- A Sustainable Transformation.

The Big Picture

Is technology the answer? Let us look explicitly at some of the transformations that we have seen across different industries, as well as what happened there-after. The retail industry, e-commerce, and banking – they have all been disrupted to radically shift how they operate. These industries offer a chance to rethink what digital transformation can help achieve and inspire E&U to follow. It is about unlearning and relearning.

To correctly put, in the wake of COVID-19, energy and utilities have an opportunity to transform. This time with sharper focus. While the situation continues to be what it is, E&U should look at building operational resilience and leverage innovative digital platforms to tackle the challenges.

It starts with building the capacity to adapt and innovate, amidst the upheaval- key ingredients of sustainable transformation. They need to systematically shed the old ways of doing business and charting a new course to deliver value to all stakeholders. This will be important both in the short run and in the long run – when global markets recover, and businesses will have a competitive edge to grow and prosper.

Become a Part of our Dialogue

At Smart Energy Water (SEW), we are working with E&U to help them rethink digital transformation through our innovative digital platforms. We are starting and leading this dialogue. A dialogue to help utilities navigate the global pandemic and lead the way forward with sustainable transformation. Join us on July 23, as speakers from SEW, SMUD, Global State Water Company and Zpryme are getting together for an online webinar to discuss bold ideas and strategic interventions that would accelerate the journey to a long-term and equitable economic recovery.