First Bill Explainer System For Water Customers Announced By WaterSmart Software

WaterSmart Software, the innovative pioneer of Total Customer Engagement solutions for water utilities, recently announced the introduction of the industry's first Bill Explainer system for end-use customers.

High bill complaints are the leading reason for calls to customer service at most water utilities. Bill surprises are caused by leaks, rate increases, and a lack of understanding of general water use - particularly irrigation. By giving customers more context to understand why a bill is high, water utilities can reduce support costs while improving customer satisfaction. Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) allows WaterSmart to proactively alert customers to take action before a billing cycle is over. The Bill Explainer framework is available to all customers, regardless of meter read technology or frequency.

Built on the same conceptual framework employed by the WaterSmart leak resolution system, Bill Explainer leverages artificial intelligence to find patterns of water consumption that can lead to high bills. The system then uses the omni-channel communications engine in the WaterSmart platform to automatically notify customers and assist them in identifying and resolving billing issues without having to resort to costly calls to the utility customer service center and associated truck rolls to conduct on-site investigations.

The Bill Explainer wizard leads customers through a series of discovery questions that helps educate them on water use and narrows down the likely reason for a high bill. The system then makes personalized, relevant recommendations to each end-user on how they can better manage their water spend and avoid future bill surprises. The system also allows users to set alerts when the platform detects unusual water use patterns that may lead to high bills.

“We have consistently heard from our utility partners that they are looking for ways to drive down customer service costs, and the number one complaint from customers is regarding high bills,” said Emily Kleeman, VP of Product. "We have devised an easy-to-use system that helps customers address these concerns without the need to call utility staff for information. By putting increasingly powerful self-service tools in the hands of end-users, we help utilities reduce service costs while improving customer satisfaction."

About WaterSmart Software
WaterSmart Software provides intelligence beyond the meter to make the lives of water utility managers easier. Water providers using WaterSmart’s cloud-based, customer engagement and analytics platform have been proven to reduce costs, protect revenue, and increase customer satisfaction by more than 25%. Come help us change the way the world uses water. For more information, visit watersmart.com.