Utilities have always needed a mobile component to their operations. Now, connected and networked resources are empowering leaps forward in safety, security, and service, bringing the old guard in line with new customer expectations.
Companies like SDG&E and DC Water (both Nomad customers) are leveraging connectivity-first, IoT strategies for everything from inspection, maintenance, and service, to emergency management. Ready to expand your own organization’s connectedness? Here are a few conversation starters.
Safety // Today’s complex operating environments can splinter resources. Networked assets keep teams linked with one another, central command, and customers. Nomad Total Command (NTC) makes deploying assets foolproof (mitigating human error). It also prompts maintenance and tracks and logs activities in real time. This is powerful Asset Performance Management (APM) data for safety optimization and incident after-action.
Conversation starter: What single safety concern could you solve if every asset was connected?
Security // Connected mobile solutions are capable, cost-effective defenders against threats to physical resources like water reserves and electrical infrastructure. Networked “nodes” provide situational awareness for a fraction of the cost of fixed assets. For cybersecurity, mobile is a double-edged sword. The upside is undeniable, but care must be taken not to introduce network vulnerabilities. NTC is NIST-compliant for authentication and logging, and Nomad helps develop robust security strategies.
Conversation starter: Where are you most exposed? How could agile, networked assets be a front line?
Service // It’s the age of the empowered customer. Expectations and scrutiny are on the uptick, and utilities must provide excellent customer experiences to stay relevant. Connected mobile assets are key. Dispatching and tracking work orders in real time greatly improves response and closure rates. Closing the loop with customers by providing live updates meets their information expectations.
Data, like SDG&E gets from line inspection drones and DC Water collects from vehicle-controlled sewer crawlers, is also vital to optimizing the customer experience. Processing data at the edge, on-site from a connected mobile asset, means faster reaction, reduced service interruptions, and fewer trips between work sites and central command (improving safety and saving money).
Conversation starter: How can an IoT strategy put customers at the center of everything you do?
For utilities, a customer-centric, connected mobile strategy is the mandate.
