http://www.hughesbros.com

Electric Energy T&D - Index

Electric Energy T&D - EE Magazine March / April - Index

Location-based services incorporating streetlevel
routing (SLR) are another important
time management feature set that ensures
technicians take the most time-efficient routes
to jobs. Online traffic updates automatically
send alerts to technicians about accidents or
road construction delays so they take faster
alternate routes. These schedule optimization
tools not only ensure on-time arrivals, they also
help maintain high levels of productivity.
Circle 26 on Reader Service Card
Other ways to keep track of technician
progress include global positioning systems
(GPS) and integration of mobile devices
into the system. For example, not only can
the system automatically send schedule
changes to technicians’ handheld devices or
mobile phones in the field, it can also receive
schedule “delay” and “jeopardy” alerts that
could affect the schedule.
66 I March-April 2008 Issue
An electronic crystal ball
Companies have invested heavily in developing
a system of interlocking technologies, business
models and supervisory processes that enables
them to automatically and manually balance
the future supply and demand of electricity
based on kilowatt hours. Utilities should
draw on that expertise while incorporating
service optimization techniques to balance
future supply and demand of field technician
expertise measured in “lineman minutes.”
Reliable demand forecasting not only
incorporates detailed historical data, it also
enables a forecaster to integrate a host of
other information – sales and marketing
input, meteorological outlooks, strategic
organizational decisions, anticipated
outcomes of planned business events, etc.
– into the forecasting process. This gives
the company more of an integrated overview
of future customer demand and how it fits
into the overall business. Conversely, utilities
can use the same information to build a
knowledge database about the impacts of
various business events on the expected
demand. As a result, forecasts become
increasingly more accurate.
Utilities should also pay close attention to
accurate workforce planning based on the
demand forecast data. Poor planning can
lead to high costs associated with overtime,
low utilization and missed service level
agreements (SLAs). A good capacity plan
ensures that the company has just enough
resources with the right skills in a given
territory at the right time to provide maximal
demand coverage and resource utilization at
minimal cost to the organization.
Service optimization technologies can automate
gap analyses to help electric utilities identify
capacity shortages or overages in a given territory
at a given time for a given demand type. These
systems facilitate decision-making on how best
to close the gap between forecasted demand
and current workforce capacity. In doing so,
the application considers many factors when
determining optimal staffing levels, including
defining the optimal skill mix, training programs,
temporary and/or permanent relocations,
vacations/non-availability, subcontractor usage,
overtime usage and expected demand backlog.