COLCHESTER, Vt., April 25, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Systems & Software, Inc. (S&S), a leading provider of customer information solutions (CIS) that empower electric, gas and water utility companies, is pleased to announce that it has successfully launched its enQuesta CIS software solutions and completed installation for several customers in the water, gas and electric utilities sector. In addition to improving the level of customer service, the successful implementations have helped multiple S&S customers achieve a myriad of results ranging from increased customer satisfaction, billing accuracy and transparency, to significant cost savings and increased revenues.
"S&S is committed to delivering bottom line results to our diverse portfolio of utility customers through our unique solutions and industry-leading enQuesta software," said Burt Willey, President & CEO, S&S. "The recent round of successful implementations and upgrades represent a continuation of that commitment and strategy to build upon the success as we rapidly continue our expansion across the utilities arena."
"Working with S&S and implementing the enQuesta software has already allowed us to add approximately 2,000 new service accounts, add an additional $4 million in revenues per year, and significantly improve our bottom line," said Ali Salemohamed, Systems Integrator, the City of Minneapolis Public Water Works.
Another successful S&S customer, South Coast Water District's IT Manager Byron Black noted, "Our project was implemented in only six months and was on time and in budget. It's the best CIS implementation that I've ever been involved with."
Specific highlights and results include:
-- The Electric Power Board of Chattanooga (EPB) engaged S&S to
implement two features -- FixedBilling and Budget Billing -- that
enable EPB to deliver more accurate and transparent monthly
bills,reduce overhead costs, dramatically improve customer service
and decrease service inquiries. Since the implementation, EPB has
registered more than 10,000 customers in FixedBilling and over
13,000 in Budget Billing. EPB also has recognized substantial
early savings by eliminating the need to conduct budget re-
evaluations and true-ups at the end of the budget period.
-- The City of Minneapolis Public Works successfully implemented S&S'
storm water billing solution, which resulted in an additional
revenue stream, 2,000 new service accounts, and an additional
$4 million in revenues.
-- Massena Electric's implemented both enQuesta, S&S' innovative
software solutions, and Automated Meter Reading (AMR). The AMR
conversion was completed in eight weeks, which resulted in
immediate financial and savings benefits including reduced meter
reading costs upwards of $150k per year, and the ability for
Massena to better leverage staff time and resources to help
improve other areas of business.
-- Montgomery Water Works & Sanitary Sewer Board implemented S&S'
WebConnect -- a state-of-the-art self service solution that
provided Montgomery's customers with 24 hour access to their
account information via the Internet. The results of the
WebConnect, enQuesta and ACH implementation were immediately
apparent as customers flocked to the new features. Montgomery's
credit card revenues increased more than 57%.
"We haven't even formally advertised the new offering to our
customers and the payments made through WebConnect are
increasing dramatically and daily. The implementation of this
offering has already significantly enhanced overall customer
satisfaction and simultaneously appreciated the benefit of a
single vendor (S&S) support for both their CIS and Web
solution."
- Charlene Wachs, Assistant General Manager, Montgomery Water
Works and Sanitary Sewer Board
-- South Coast Water District turned to S&S' experienced team to
assist them with an immediate implementation of a CIS solution
that provided the flexibility to incorporate the newly demanded
billing rate structure. The new structure was implemented in less
than six months and as a result, protected the company against
losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenues.
"Moving customers away from expensive sales and service channels such as call-centers to far more cost-efficient means such as the Web, email, and interactive voice response systems is much more profitable for our utility customers. Software applications such as self-service are therefore likely to continue to be on the rise. S&S is well positioned to fully capitalize on this market development and continue to be the CIS solution provider of choice for the utility sector," said Mr. Willey.
About Systems & Software
Systems & Software, Inc. (S&S) delivers a proven, scalable, and configurable Customer Information System (CIS) to leading municipal and investor-owned water, wastewater, refuse, gas, and electric utilities. S&S empowers utilities through its enQuesta software suite, which offers advanced customer information features, billing, meter management, revenue management, customer Web self-service, electronic bill payment and presentment, field services management and GIS, and business intelligence and reporting. S&S supports customer care operations totaling in the millions of transactions per month throughout North America. More information about Systems & Software, Inc. is available at www.systemsandsoftware.net