Gas Distribution
MNGL Partnered with Bynry to Improve Billing Efficiencies By Embracing Innovative Technology
Maharashtra Natural Gas Ltd. (MNGL) partnered with Byrny to install smart photo meter reading solution with GPS tagging and a mobile interface to improve billing and reduce inaccuracies. The solution got such results and feedback from stake holders that it was proposed to rolled out in other GA's.
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Summary
Industry: Gas Distribution
Scope: Digitization of Services, a mobile platform for meter reading, business process mapping, SMS alerts, route sequencing and real-time dashboard.
Consumer Base
30,000
Consumer Demographics
Domestic PNG
Location
Pune, Maharashtra
Key Challenges
- Poor Quality Data from Meter Readings
- Billing not in Actuals
- Irregular Billing Cycles
- Lack of Transparency
- Consumer Dissatisfaction
Salient Features
- Real-time Dashboard
- SMS to Consumers to intimate the Door lock
- Consumer Self Reading Upload
- Automated Daily Reports
- GPS Tracking and Route Sequencing
- Consumer History Data on a click
Bynry's Photo meter reading has been a part of our organization for a few years now. The solution has undoubtedly transformed the way we do business. Ever since we installed Bynry's solution, it really saves me time and effort as it helped us achieve 100% accuracy in meter reading and billing. Yes, it also reduced the consumer complaint by 60%. If you are looking for a solution to ensure smooth operations, SMART360 has got you covered.
MNGL
CFO • Pune
About MNGL
MNGL is the largest gas distributor in Maharashtra. The company was established as a joint venture between Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Gas Authority India Limited (GAIL). The company’s mission is to supply clean, eco-friendly fuel to homes, restaurants, industries and vehicles through an extensive PNG and CNG network.
Challenges
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Running such a large network is not without its challenges. Inaccuracies and inefficiencies at
various stages of the process affected the company’s profit margins, revenue generation and
consumer satisfaction levels. This was largely due to a heavy dependency on manual efforts and
a slow rate of adopting new technology.
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Poor Quality Data from Meter ReadingsWhen it came to meter readings, MNGL was dependent on field team to manually take meter readings. This had a high risk of error-meters were incorrectly read, data was entered incorrectly, data was entered in wrong fields, etc. There were no standard norms implemented on how data was to be collected and recorded. This increased the instances of billing-related issues and made records questionable. |
Billing not in ActualsDepending on a manual force to take meter readings had two main issues- there was a high risk of human error and a high chance that a meter reading would be skipped. This might be because of the the meter conditions, human error, locked premise or wrong address. Without accurate and timely meter readings, bill generation impacted. In turn, this affected payment collection and cash flow. |
Irregular Billing CyclesRelying solely on manual meter readings made the process slow and inefficient. As a result, bills were generated at irregular intervals. There were also many instances of consumers who remained unbilled as well as those who received wrong bills. This affected company profits and triggered commercial losses. It also translated to delayed payment collection, which in turn affected cash flow. |
Lack of TransparencyManual meter readings process caused a lack of transparency and traceability of records and progress of work. The absence of standardization also made it difficult to track the flow of information between departments. This was aggravated by the use of outdated technology and a slow rate of new technology adoption. |
Consumer DissatisfactionDelayed billing and incorrect meter readings led to a high rate of consumer dissatisfaction. Complaints ranged from meter readings not being taken accurately and on time to not receiving bills on time. Complaints entered the system through multiple channels and the consumer care team was unable to track the inquiries and respond to them in time. This only served to further increase dissatisfaction. |
Solutions
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As the largest Gas distributor in Maharashtra, MNGL had a large consumer base and needed a partner to introduce digital solutions to improve their consumer service. With their knowledge of the industry and technological expertise, Bynry was identified as the ideal partner. Their solutions helped MNGL have the fastest time to market, improved efficiency and boosted their consumer satisfaction levels. |
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Mobile-based Digital Platform for Meter ReadingsBynry introduced photo meter reading solution with GPS tagging and a mobile interface for meter readings . This made readings easier to take and more reliable. It reduced the risk of human error, enhanced the quality of meter reading data and improved efficiency for overall functioning and billing. This system was further integrated with bill generation to shorten the billing cycle. |
On-site Auto checking of Meter ReadingsTo improve the reliability of meter readings, Bynry introduced a system of auto-checking meter readings at the consumer’s site.This ensured that meter readings were taken accurately and reduced the instances of consumer complaints. Through accurate and timely bill generation, it also helped reduce revenue losses. |
Business Process MappingTo improve efficiency, Bynry helped to map the functioning of different departments and the business process. Visualizing how the business functions helped reassess efficiency and mapped out the movement of data from the reading stage to billing. This also improved traceability and made the system more transparent. |
Self Reading & Planned RevisitsTo reduce the instances where meter readings could not be taken since the consumer was away, Bynry introduced a solution where consumers could upload self-taken meter readings. SMS alerts were also introduced to inform consumers if they missed being at home when a meter reading was to be taken. Combined with route sequencing, this enabled them to schedule a revisit if needed to ensure bills were generated on time. Also, it improved communication between MNGL and consumers. |
Real-Time DashboardBynry introduced a real-time dashboard to help MNGL be 100% transparent with its consumers. This dashboard offered a view of all meter readings and bills with the meter’s GPS coordinates. It helped ensure that consumers were billed correctly on actual consumption, that no meters were skipped. |
Impact
Improvement in Efficiency and Accuracy
By introducing innovative solutions and integrating them with the entire system, MNGL operations were made more accurate, reliable and efficient. They had a significant improvement in address tagging and consumers were happier with the services received.
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Productivity Improvement
70 %
Reduced Door Lock Cases
15 %
Data Quality Improvement
60%
Accuracy Increase
40 %
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