Utilities are waking up to the need for digital transformation, driven by evolving consumer expectations, millennials who were born in a world powered by mobiles and broadband, deregulations, incentives to improve consumer experience, pressure from technology-savvy non-traditional competition and—this last one is a relief--the lowered cost of digital adoption itself.

The marketplace is currently abuzz with reports of Utilities initiating digital transformations and of service providers drawing up digital roadmaps and offerings. Most of these changes are geared towards the customer end of the Utilities business the retail segment, primarily in the form of establishing Web and mobility front ends and setting up a social footprint. Process automation, digital device integration and usage of advanced analytics are what Distribution Utilities are moving towards. However, there is need and scope for a more pervasive and deeper digital engagement at the distribution level.

Over the last few years, integrated systems have matured to the point where CIS as a Service (CaaS) has become a reality. The advantages of using CIS as a Service are varied and immediate.

A number of Energy and Utility operators are putting systems and technology in place that can predict demand and its real-time impact on pricing