IT and business services company, Logica leads the utilities industry in developing services to help organisations combat increasing energy reduction regulations, resulting from climate change. IT will underpin this transformation and Logica has led the way with award winning smart metering projects, based on two-way communications using Smart Meters which provide real-time energy and water consumption information via web or in-home displays, encouraging more intelligent consumption.
Whilst Smart Metering has been around for a long time, the energy industry has been waiting for Government to define the market model for mainstream use. Following the Government announcement in May 2009, Logica was positioned to lead this initiative, working with the six major UK utility providers.
Campaign Objectives
As part of the larger project to deliver smart meters for utility providers over the next 10 years, Logica needed to develop a ‘tool’ to help sales consultants (Smarties) sell smart metering into utility providers/vendors, enabling them to understand the process and effects on stakeholders. The long term objective was that the tool should become the de facto industry Automated Metering Infrastructure representation, to be used by major smart stakeholders and, thus, raise Logica’s profile as a market leader in Smart Metering.
The short term objectives were:
- Design an effective marketing tool to develop relationships with prospects and position Logica as experts in Smart Metering
- Enable one-to-one conversations with clients to identify issues/needs and what already exists within their Smart landscape
- Support the sales team in taking clients through their Smart Journey, identifying areas for consideration
- Engage in five one-to-one client meetings with relevant Smart Metering contacts by end of 2009
Strategy
The UK Government’s mandate for smart metering in October 2008, created the opportunity for Logica to secure business in this area. Subsequent confirmation in May 2009 created a significant opportunity that aligned with Logica’s track record in delivering mission critical programs, providing solutions to complex market challenges.
Target Audience
The initiative targeted leading energy Utility Retailers, Distributors and network providers, and Telecoms providers. Key contacts targeted included the Smart Metering Director or C-Level Director per organisation.
The total UK Smart market size is approximately £500 million.
Media
Smart Metering is a rapidly changing environment, so it was imperative that the tool could be updated cost effectively to reflect any market changes. The tool additionally needed to reflect Logica’s position as an environmentally friendly, innovation leader with interactivity to help engage cold prospects.
Consequently, a digital sales tool was developed for use online, as well as a standalone digital file for them Smarties to use within presentations.
A 2D tool template was constructed by Logica as a basis for the structural design. To transform this into something that could differentiate Logica’s sales presentations and aid the Smarties in nurturing prospect, relationships, plus illustrate the key components of an Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and functions that stakeholders would need to maximize, the diagram’s value was further developed through the design and development phases.
Pro-typed in a 3D package, using the latest Flash 3D libraries, a three dimensional representation of the end-to-end architecture required for Smart Metering to operate effectively was created, bringing the diagram interactive. Containing a range of technology options, the SmartMap could support informed discussions with clients on what Smart means for their organisation and their IT architectures.
Additionally, a live notes function was developed to record meeting discussions around the SmartMap for use by both Smarties and clients as prompts to schedule further meetings or to communicate internally.
Timescales
The Logica Smart Metering team required the diagram to be fully functional in time for an internal launch in March 2009. The project began in January 2009, taking 3 months to complete.
Budgets
The total budget was £17,000. £11,000 was agreed for design and development of the animated tool, including hosting and training. An additional £6000 budget was added to develop the notes function, enabling ‘Smarties’ to write and record bespoke notes into the diagram per prospect meeting.
Results
The SmartMap was launched at a Special Interest Group (SIG) in April 2009 attended by cold, key smart stakeholders in the UK smart retail market, including npower, ScottishPower, EDF and Scottish and Southern Electric. Very positive one-to-one feedback was received.
To date, the SmartMap has been used in follow-up one-to-one engagements with two prospects from the event and also with product vendors to explain the concept and context of Logica’s Smart Office offering, thereby helping sales consultants to nurture cold prospects from both audience target groups, and cross sell associated offers using a relevant and flexible communications tool. Seven additional companies have expressed interest, further to Smart Metering introductions using the tool.
UK Government announced the future of Smart Metering in May this year, so the market is not yet ready to make purchasing decisions. However, as a nurturing tool, the SmartMap has been very effective – the initial market contains six large utility retailers and Logica works with five of them, using the tool to nurture the relationship whilst the market develops.
The SmartMap has additionally aided growth of new relationships with prospect vendors including SAP, Microsoft, eMeter, OSIsoft, and Cordys in a Logica-led joint development of a Smart Office proof of concept.
Natalie Field, head of marketing communications at Logica UK, comments, “SmartMap has given us an invaluable platform to nurture existing and potential customers through the Smart sales cycle. Our sales team has benefited greatly from the innovative and flexible nature of the tool and we have had great success in initiating and fostering relationships with prospects as a result. SmartMap has been key in highlighting how and where utility retailers can and should differentiate themselves.”
