In municipality utilities, customer service leaders often operate with lean teams and limited budgets. Unlike large investor-owned utilities, they don’t always have the resources to hire extra agents during peak seasons. This means that when unexpected storms, outages, or seasonal billing cycles hit, the burden falls on a small number of agents who are already stretched thin.

Call center leaders face the impossible task of balancing service quality with resource constraints. On one side, customers demand faster, more personalized support. On the other hand, leadership pushes for cost savings and efficiency. Too often, this tug-of-war leaves leaders in a reactive mode, constantly firefighting and searching for stopgap solutions instead of building long-term resilience into their operations.

The human cost of these pressures is significant. Agents tasked with managing high call volumes frequently experience burnouts. They spend long hours resolving the same repetitive requests, like payment extensions or account updates, while also dealing with emotionally charged conversations from frustrated customers. This repetitive cycle not only leads to higher turnover but also makes it difficult to maintain consistent, empathetic customer experiences.

The Ideal Technology for Modern Utility Call Centers

The solution isn’t simply hiring more staff; it’s about working smarter. The ideal technology for midsize utilities needs to augment human agents, not replace them. A true partner technology would handle routine, high-volume tasks automatically, freeing agents to focus on the complex, human interactions that build trust with customers.

Imagine a system that can integrate seamlessly with existing Customer Information Systems (CIS), eliminating data silos and ensuring that every interaction is informed by real-time account details. Picture an AI solution that not only answers frequently asked questions but also processes payments, logs service requests, and provides accurate updates without requiring human intervention.

Even more importantly, the right technology should be capable of sentiment analysis, recognizing when a customer is upset, showing empathy in its responses, and escalating the issue to a human representative when the situation calls for a personal touch. This ensures that customers feel heard and respected, while agents are shielded from unnecessary emotional strain.

Hansen AI: Built for Utilities, Built for People

This is where Hansen’s AI Virtual Agent shines. Designed specifically for the unique challenges of the utility sector, it offers a blend of scalability, security, and empathy. Built on AWS cloud infrastructure, Hansen AI ensures 24/7 reliability and flexibility to handle surges in call volume without adding strain to your staff.

By automating repetitive interactions and providing context-aware responses, Hansen AI reduces agent burnout, enhances customer satisfaction, and helps call center leaders regain control over their operations. It also frees up your current staff to focus on training efforts to make the most of top talent. It doesn’t just answer questions, it supports your team, strengthens customer relationships, and keeps your utility moving forward with confidence.

The post Empowering Lean Municipality Utility Call Centers: A Smarter Path Forward appeared first on Hansen Technologies.

This release strengthens the Hansen CIS foundation with new APIs for real-time data integration and includes powerful new tools for reporting, communication, and user productivity. Together, these updates help utilities work smarter, ensure data accuracy, and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Here’s a look at what’s new and how it’s designed to move your operations forward.

SMARTER INTEGRATIONS, STREAMLINED WORKFLOWS, AND ENHANCED USABILITY

API-Driven Data for Smarter Integrations

The Hansen CIS framework now supports APIs as data sources for screens, delivering real-time access to dynamic datasets from external systems. Instead of relying solely on static database tables or views, users can now pull live data from web services, enabling faster access to up-to-date information, supporting complex data structures (including nested JSON), and ensuring seamless integration with third-party platforms.

Streamlined Collections with OIS Integration

The new OIS Collection Agency Process simplifies overdue account management by integrating exclusively with Online Information Services (OIS). This enhancement provides cleaner data handling, reduces cross-process errors, and introduces a new CSV-based output for greater visibility into payments and adjustments.

Enhanced Visibility with the Bill Print Audit Report

Gain deeper insight into billing performance with the Bill Print Audit Report, which summarizes billing activity across cycles and reporting periods. This report offers valuable analytics on bill volume, account counts, charge metrics, prior-year comparisons, and balance due trends ideal for auditing and performance benchmarking.

Automated Re-Check for Pay by Check

The new Auto Re-Check rule for Pay by Check automates reinstating payment eligibility after a defined period following insufficient funds. This enhancement saves manual work while helping utilities maintain customer trust and operational efficiency.

NEW FEATURES AND PRODUCTIVITY TOOLS

Quick Notes: Faster, Consistent Communication

Introducing Quick Notes, a new feature that allows users to insert predefined, reusable notes into service orders and account notes -improving consistency and reducing typing time. Administrators can configure Quick Notes by business area and type, ensuring teams always have the right messaging at their fingertips.

New Hansen Learning Courses

• Communication Generation Module Curriculum: A six-course series designed to help users master creating and managing standardized customer communications across multiple channels with a digital badge awarded upon completion.
• User Security Course: A focused learning path on managing access, enforcing data protection, and configuring secure workflows in Hansen CIS.

Copy Job Parameter User Defaults

Simplify team setup with the new Copy Job Parameter User Defaults feature. Easily copy saved parameter rules from one user to others, ensuring consistent process execution and saving valuable administrative time.

Meter Set Correction

Correct meter-service mismatches quickly and confidently with the new Meter Set Correction (CCUMSET) screen. This enhancement allows users to swap meters across accounts, update service history, and ensure financial and data integrity, all with automated verifications and downstream process updates.

Deep Links for Seamless Workflows

The new Deep Link functionality allows third-party systems to launch Hansen CIS screens directly, pre-populating them with queried data. For example, utilities can integrate caller ID from a phone system to automatically open the CSR Dashboard with the correct account, improving speed and customer responsiveness.

New External Messages Screen

The External Messages (COAEMSG) screen provides a centralized way to configure and customize customer messages in the Hansen Self Service Portal (HSSP) and Hansen Integration Framework (HIF). Dynamic parameters enable more personalized and context-aware communication across digital channels.

WHAT’S NEXT

You can also explore more details on the What’s New page in the Hansen CIS Connect Community. At Hansen, our mission is clear: to equip utilities with the tools they need to thrive in a digital and AI-powered future. Thanks for being on this journey with us.

The post Smarter Systems, Stronger Performance: Hansen CIS Q3 2025 Release Empowers Utility Efficiency appeared first on Hansen Technologies.

Editors Note – this opinion piece was first published on The Fast Mode and is republished here with their permission.

Across the globe, there’s a huge push underway to expand broadband and fibre infrastructure. Governments, investors, and communication service providers (CSPs) are spending tens of billions & doubling down on the rollout of high-speed networks to meet growing demand for always-on connectivity. But as the industry accelerates fibre deployment and scales broadband access, CSPs are facing a new challenge: managing the commercial complexity that comes with it. With the investment focus on build-out of networks, the systems underpinning customer growth are often an afterthought.

From provisioning fibre connections – which are inherently more complex than traditional networks – to creating and delivering personalised bundles that integrate a myriad of own and partner sourced products and services, today’s CSPs are grappling with a more intricate landscape. This new environment requires more than just network investments. It calls for a modern approach to business operations – especially in bringing commercial agility to how services are launched, monetised, and managed, along with a customer experience that reduces friction from sales to self-service.

Enter: The Need for a Modern BSS

Legacy business support systems (BSS) were built for simpler times (think landlines and dial-up). They weren’t designed to keep pace with the rapid evolution of broadband services, fibre infrastructure, or the digital experiences customers now expect. The result? Many CSPs are finding that their existing BSS can’t support the level of agility and scalability the market now demands, driving customer churn and margin erosion.

Many CSPs are facing increasing operational costs while facing challenges from OTT players who build innovative products and services. With the right solution, these challenges can become partnering opportunities to augment existing bundled products to create greater customer value, in turn driving longer customer lifetime value for a CSP.

And it’s not just about network complexity. Industry consolidation – where CSPs are acquiring or merging with fibre and broadband companies – is adding another layer of operational challenge. Understanding what assets have been acquired, how to unify operations, and how to integrate and monetise the combined business effectively all require a next-generation BSS solution that’s flexible, integrated, and ready to scale.

The Smarter Way Forward: Agile, Scalable BSS “In-a-Box”

What CSPs truly require to face these challenges is a Cloud Native turnkey digital BSS solution that is purpose-built for today’s broadband acceleration era. They need solutions that avoid the massive, expensive, and time-consuming transformation projects of the past – and instead, offer a low-friction, modular approach that reduces complexity and delivers results fast. This allows them to reach value in a shorter timeframe & achieve greater autonomy in how they bring new product offerings to market.

As CSPs invest in fibre rollouts and expand broadband access, now is the time to modernise your BSS and really hone your commercial agility to realise the investment in infrastructure.

The post Broadband Boom Brings Complexity: Why It’s Time to Rethink Your BSS appeared first on Hansen Technologies.

As part of this process, Hansen Germany has made updates to powercloud, one of our Hansen CIS products that is optimised for energy customers in Germany and the wider DACH region – so that our customers can smoothly comply with these new regulations and concentrate on their day-to-day business.

Following the far-reaching adjustments of the last format change (‘FUM’) last June – in particular the 24-hour supplier change – the upcoming format changeover are by comparison far more compact. Yet, there is a key and innovative update that has great potential for end customers and the sector as a whole.

New process: ‘Change of technology at locations’

Until October 1, end customers with analogue meters who have been interested in dynamic tariffs had to take action themselves and initiate the conversion with the metering point operator – a process that many were unfamiliar with, creating unnecessary barriers and making it difficult to switch to a dynamic tariff.

With the new process, end customers will be able to request technical changes directly from their energy provider in future . This not only simplifies communication, but also opens up new possibilities in tariff selection – regardless of the existing technology. An important step towards greater flexibility and customer orientation.

We are excited to see how this process will be received – and our hope is that it will have a positive impact on the smart meter rollout rate in Germany.

Despite the short implementation time: highly automated with powercloud

This time, the time span between the format changes was less than four months – and in parallel, follow-up work from FUM 06/2025 was still ongoing, particularly with regard to the 24-hour supplier change. Nevertheless, all the necessary market messages, check logics and process steps (from enquiry to billing) were implemented in Hansen’s powercloud in a highly automated manner.

As an established provider in the German energy market, we continue to focus on proven quality and reliability. Our solutions are developed in close consultation with our customers and partners, whose feedback has been instrumental in shaping the process design.

Everything already rolled out – ready for the “FUM switch”

The necessary adjustments for the 10/2025 format change are already in the production code of the powercloud and will be activated via the FUM switch on the day of the changeover. Hansen Germany is once again setting standards in the efficient implementation of regulatory requirements.

The post Hansen’s powercloud ready for Format change on 1 October 2025 appeared first on Hansen Technologies.

With customer expectations soaring, contact centres struggle to deliver seamless, round-the-clock support across multiple channels. Surging call volumes, escalating service demands, and the necessity for after-hours support present formidable hurdles to maintaining service quality.

Agents must now handle more complex queries; achieving first-call resolution is harder, driving up operational costs. Meeting service expectations becomes challenging without the right tools, impacting customer satisfaction and agent performance.

High-pressure environments contribute to burnout and staff turnover, making recruitment and training costly and time-consuming. Lengthy onboarding processes and inconsistent service quality further complicate operations, leading to inefficiencies and customer frustration.

Legacy systems often cannot keep up with evolving business needs, lacking the integration and flexibility required for modern customer engagement. However, adopting advanced technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), presents a promising solution. Businesses striving to remain competitive are turning to AI to boost efficiency, enhance agent support, and create seamless customer experiences. This transition to AI heralds a promising future for customer service in the energy and utilities sector.

The Shortcomings of First-Generation Chatbots

The emergence of chatbots was expected to revolutionise customer service by offering instant, automated support. However, early-generation chatbots often failed to meet expectations, leading to user frustration and a lack of significant improvements. These limitations underscore the need for more advanced and intelligent solutions to foster a more natural interaction and, ultimately, satisfy the customer’s needs. AI steps into this gap, offering the potential to overcome these limitations and deliver a more effective customer service experience.

Robotic and Unnatural Interactions

First-generation chatbots could not engage in human-like conversations. Their responses were often mechanical, missing the emotional intelligence needed to build customer rapport. They frequently misinterpreted queries without understanding context or nuance, leading to irrelevant or unhelpful responses.

Rigid and Linear Conversations

Early implementations followed pre-defined scripts with little flexibility. They struggled to handle deviations from expected inputs, forcing users to restart interactions if they strayed from the structured path. This rigidity made conversations unnatural and often frustrated customers when they couldn’t get the needed answers.

Limited to Basic Use Cases

Early chatbots could only handle simple, repetitive tasks such as answering basic FAQs, perhaps extending to checking account balances and resetting passwords; when faced with complex, multi-step inquiries, they often fail, requiring customers to escalate their issues to human agents, ultimately defeating the purpose of automation.

No Cross-Use Case Memory

A significant drawback of early chatbot implementations was their inability to retain or transfer information across different channels or interactions. Forcing customers to repeat their details every time they engage with the bot leads to inefficient and frustrating experiences. Without continuity, these chatbots failed to create the seamless, connected service customers expect today.

Lack of Personalisation

First-generation bots operated with a one-size-fits-all approach, offering generic responses that lacked personal relevance; they were deployed as hammers, viewing every situation as a nail. They did not consider customer history, preferences, or past interactions, making conversations feel impersonal and transactional rather than helpful and engaging.

Integration Challenges

With many poorly connected to backend systems, these chatbots could not pull in real-time data or execute actions effectively. This lack of integration led to incomplete or inaccurate responses, forcing customers to switch to other channels for assistance.

The Need for a Smarter Approach

To truly transform customer service, chatbots must evolve beyond the limitations of early implementations. The next generation of conversational systems must offer dynamic, context-aware interactions, integrate seamlessly with enterprise systems, and personalise responses based on individual customer journeys. By addressing these challenges, businesses can create intelligent, responsive, and human-like digital assistants that enhance – not hinder – the customer experience. The urgency of this need for a quantum leap in capabilities is why organisations are considering AI-driven solutions.

The But: The EU’s AI Act and its Implications for AI-driven Customer Engagement in Europe

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into customer engagement strategies, organisations in the energy and utilities sector must navigate new regulatory landscapes, particularly with the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act. This pioneering legislation aims to ensure the ethical deployment of AI, balancing innovation with compliance, data protection, and customer trust. The AI Act creates significant implications for AI-driven customer engagement in Europe, including usage within the energy and utilities sector. It introduces new regulatory requirements and oversight for AI applications, such as the need for transparency and user consent, which will impact the design and implementation of AI-driven customer service solutions.

The AI Act uses a risk-based regulatory framework to govern AI applications across various industries, including energy and utilities. This framework classifies AI systems into four distinct risk categories – unacceptable, High, Limited, and minimal – each with different levels of regulatory oversight. For instance, AI systems used for social scoring or manipulating human behaviour are strictly prohibited, falling under the ‘unacceptable’ risk category. AI systems classified as ‘High-risk’ are subject to stringent regulatory requirements, as they could play an essential role in critical infrastructure, employment decisions, credit scoring, and other sensitive domains. Understanding this framework is crucial for ensuring that AI applications are used responsibly and ethically, explicitly targeting high-risk applications that could threaten fundamental rights and freedoms.

The AI Act’s regulatory focus is on transparency for AI applications falling under the limited risk category. This classification typically applies to AI-driven customer service solutions, such as chatbots, where organisations must inform users that they are interacting with AI and provide appropriate disclosures regarding its functionality. The AI Act requires that users be aware of when they interact with AI and understand the capabilities and limitations of the AI system they are engaging with. This transparency is crucial for building and maintaining customer trust in AI-driven solutions.

The drive for automation in the energy and utilities sector is not new; it’s leveraged increasingly for customer support, demand forecasting, billing automation, and energy efficiency recommendations. While these innovations improve customer experience and operational efficiency, they introduce new compliance challenges under the AI Act and have considerable privacy considerations.

GDPR Compliance & Privacy Protections

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) remains the foundation of data governance in the EU, and AI-driven customer engagement solutions must align with its core principles. Organisations must ensure that customers provide informed consent when AI systems process their personal data. This legislation is not just a recommendation but a necessity. Transparency is key, as users have the right to understand how AI-driven decisions are made, including dynamic pricing models, automated customer support, or energy efficiency recommendations. The gravity of GDPR compliance cannot be overstated, as it is crucial for building and maintaining customer trust in AI-driven solutions.

Additionally, GDPR grants individuals control over their personal data. Customers have the right to access, rectify, delete, or restrict the use of their data when processed by AI systems. Companies must also prioritise fairness and avoid bias in AI decision-making. AI-based pricing models, for example, must not discriminate against specific customer segments, ensuring equitable access to energy services. Non-compliance with these GDPR requirements can lead to substantial fines and reputational damage, reinforcing the need for strict adherence to data protection standards.

Data Sovereignty & Retention

Under the AI Act, data sovereignty principles ensure customer data is processed and retained within appropriate jurisdictional boundaries. Organisations must store personally identifiable information (PII) within the EU or in jurisdictions that provide equivalent data protection. Furthermore, AI-driven customer engagement solutions should follow the principle of data minimisation, collecting only the necessary information required for AI functionalities while avoiding excessive data accumulation.

Companies should implement well-defined retention policies to align with GDPR’s storage limitation principle, ensuring that AI models do not indefinitely store customer interactions. Instead, organisations must define specific timeframes for data storage, after which data should either be deleted or anonymised. Automated techniques can further enhance data privacy by ensuring that personal identifiers are removed or anonymised, thereby reducing the risk of identity exposure.

Data Sharing & Third-Party Risks

As AI adoption grows, many energy and utility companies rely on third-party vendors, cloud-based AI models, or external data sources to power their AI-driven solutions. However, the AI Act introduces stricter obligations regarding sharing customer data with these third parties. Companies must establish robust data processing agreements that ensure AI vendors comply with EU data protection laws and regulatory frameworks.

To maintain compliance, organisations must prohibit the unauthorised sharing of PII with external AI models unless customers explicitly consent to such data usage. Additionally, the AI Act emphasises AI supply chain accountability, meaning organisations using third-party AI solutions must conduct thorough due diligence on their vendors. This requirement includes evaluating security protocols, assessing risks of data leaks, and ensuring that AI providers meet ethical and legal standards. These requirements are particularly relevant for automated energy management solutions that rely on predictive analytics, where customer data must remain protected and used solely for its intended purpose.

AI Ethics & Transparency in Customer Interactions

Transparency is a fundamental pillar of the AI Act, particularly for AI-driven customer engagement solutions. Energy and utility companies must disclose AI usage in customer interactions, ensuring they proactively advise when users interact with AI-powered chatbots, virtual assistants, or automated decision-making systems. This transparency fosters trust and enables customers to make informed decisions about their usage and interactions with AI technologies.

In addition to transparency, high-risk AI applications – such as those affecting billing, energy access, or contract approvals – must include mechanisms for human oversight. Customers should always be able to escalate AI-driven decisions to a human representative when necessary. Furthermore, AI models used in customer engagement must avoid manipulative practices, ensuring they do not exploit consumer vulnerabilities or nudge users toward behaviours that may not be in their best interest. For example, AI-powered recommendations should promote energy efficiency rather than incentivise excessive consumption.

Sector-Specific Impacts for Energy & Utilities Providers

Understandably, the energy and utilities sector is evaluating the potential for AI in applications beyond customer engagement, including demand forecasting, grid optimisation, fraud detection, and smart metering. While these innovations enhance efficiency, they also introduce regulatory considerations under the AI Act. For example, AI-driven personalised energy pricing models must ensure fairness, preventing discriminatory rates based on customer profiling. Similarly, automated billing and AI-powered customer support systems must include safeguards allowing customers to request human assistance.

Likewise, AI-based fraud detection and anomaly detection solutions must be designed with non-discrimination principles, ensuring that surveillance mechanisms do not unfairly target specific demographics or communities. If AI-driven applications significantly impact consumers’ financial standing or energy access, they may be classified as high-risk under the AI Act, triggering additional compliance obligations.

More generally, predictive maintenance and AI-driven grid management also require careful consideration. While AI can improve infrastructure reliability, it must not compromise data security or result in unfair prioritisation of service availability.

How Organisations Can Prepare

While continuing to innovate, energy and utility companies must take proactive steps toward compliance to navigate these evolving regulatory requirements. AI impact assessments are essential to determine whether solutions fall under high-risk or limited-risk classifications. Strengthening data governance policies ensures that AI applications align with GDPR and AI Act standards, particularly concerning data minimisation and transparency.

Engaging with regulatory authorities and industry bodies can help organisations stay ahead of legislative changes and adapt their AI strategies accordingly. Internal AI ethics frameworks can further support responsible development, ensuring fairness, explainability, and security in AI-driven customer engagement solutions; additionally, enhancing customer communication and transparency by educating users about AI processes and their rights fosters trust and compliance.

Finally, companies must exercise caution when selecting AI vendors, ensuring third-party providers comply with the EU’s AI governance frameworks and maintain robust data protection measures. By taking these proactive steps, energy and utility companies can embrace AI innovation while maintaining compliance with evolving regulatory landscapes.

Conclusion

This article introduces the EU AI Act and discusses the challenges and opportunities for AI-driven customer engagement in the energy and utilities sector.

Organisations can build customer trust by proactively addressing compliance, privacy, and ethical considerations while harnessing AI’s full potential for service innovation and operational efficiency. With a well-structured approach to AI governance, energy and utility companies can leverage AI to enhance customer interactions, streamline operations, and uphold the highest data protection and transparency standards.

Now, safe in the knowledge that AI is a viable and valuable alternative, organisations can plan a path forward. In my next article, I’ll introduce you to Hansen’s scalable and cost-effective AI-powered contact centre solution that empowers businesses to elevate customer experiences, streamline operations, and drive long-term efficiency by combining industry-specific training, omnichannel support, and seamless integration.

Don’t hesitate to contact us to learn more about Hansen’s regionally optimised customer billing and engagement solutions for the energy and utilities market.

Lina is the Product Director for Hansen CIS in the Nordics and leverages over 15 years of experience in the energy industry; she drives innovative software solutions for market participants across the energy value chain.

LinkedIn

Reference and Further Reading:

EU framework: The Artificial Intelligence Act – Privacy Rules

The post Looking to the Future of Customer Interaction and Engagement: Assessing the Role and Implications of AI appeared first on Hansen Technologies.

Why Customer Billing and Engagement Platforms Matter More Than Ever

In an industry as dynamic and essential as energy and utilities, the tools you choose to manage your operations and engage with customers can determine your organisation’s success. For decision-makers in this space, one technology stands out for its ability to drive measurable results: a robust customer billing and engagement solution.

The energy and utilities sectors are undergoing rapid transformation. The absolute imperative of investing in infrastructure, the rise of increasing demands of digitally savvy consumers, and – for those operating in energy – the need to integrate renewable energy sources and the proliferation of distributed energy resources (DERs) have created a perfect storm of challenges and opportunities. Traditional billing systems and sporadic customer communication no longer suffice in this evolving landscape.

Modern customer billing and engagement solutions integrate the management of the customer lifecycle. These platforms go beyond generating accurate bills; they enable personalised interactions, streamline operational efficiency, and create opportunities for new revenue streams.

In the current market, customers are no longer satisfied with the status quo; they demand real-time, digital-first interactions alongside intuitive self-service portals and highly personalised experiences. Businesses can significantly boost customer satisfaction and foster lasting loyalty by providing a platform that caters to these elevated expectations.

Simultaneously, the pressure of regulatory compliance has intensified. Energy and utility providers must navigate complex regulations emphasising transparency, billing accuracy, and secure data management. Non-compliance isn’t just risky; it can lead to substantial fines and severe reputational damage.

Competition is fierce as markets deregulate or, at least, liberalise decades-old regulatory frameworks. New entrants and alternative providers are challenging the traditional players, making effective customer engagement a vital differentiator for success and sustainability in this crowded marketplace.

Furthermore, the global push for decarbonisation is reshaping how governments and industries operate as they strive for net-zero emissions. This critical transition demands innovative tools that empower more thoughtful consumption of precious and finite resources, seamless integration of renewable energy solutions, and enhanced demand-side management capabilities. Embracing these challenges is essential for organisations aiming to lead in a future focused on sustainability.

Increasing Revenue: Unlocking New Opportunities

One of the most compelling advantages of modern customer billing and engagement solutions is their ability to unlock new revenue opportunities.

In the energy market, dynamic pricing models are revolutionising how providers optimise their revenue streams. By adjusting prices based on demand, time of use, and other influencing factors, these models allow companies to respond effectively to fluctuating market conditions. Advanced platforms can automate this pricing strategy, offering customers insights and incentives to shift their energy usage during off-peak hours. This evolution not only enhances profitability but also helps to alleviate stress on the energy grid and potentially influences the timing and priority of infrastructure investments.

In addition to agile pricing, utilising customer data offers significant opportunities for upselling and cross-selling. Sophisticated platforms can analyse usage patterns to identify when to provide premium services or related products. For instance, a utility provider may suggest solar panel installation, home energy storage solutions, or energy efficiency audits tailored to individual consumption habits.

Moreover, the wealth of data generated by modern platforms about customer behaviour and usage presents an opportunity for monetising insights. With the right analytical tools, companies can transform this data into actionable insights, enabling them to create value-added services that benefit customers and generate new revenue streams for the business.

Finally, as sustainability becomes increasingly important, many consumers are willing to invest extra in clean and green energy solutions. Platforms that facilitate the seamless integration of renewable energy sources – such as solar and wind – while allowing customers to track their carbon footprint can empower providers to target this growing market segment effectively. This alignment with green initiatives meets customer demand and positions providers as leaders in transitioning to a more sustainable energy future.

Reducing Costs: Driving Operational Efficiency

Operational efficiency is critical in a sector where margins can be razor-thin. Customer billing and engagement solutions streamline processes and reduce costs in several ways.

Automating billing processes is a game-changer for energy providers. It transforms outdated manual methods that are time-consuming, error-prone, and costly. With automated platforms, you virtually eliminate errors and significantly reduce human intervention. This results in timely and precise billing that saves money and builds unwavering customer trust and satisfaction.

Furthermore, proactive issue resolution empowers providers to stay one step ahead. Advanced platforms harness the power of predictive analytics and artificial intelligence to identify and tackle potential issues before they escalate. For example, they can swiftly detect anomalies in energy usage that may signal faulty meters or leaks, thereby avoiding customer service interruptions and preventing contact centre interactions or disputed bills.

Customer self-service capabilities take empowerment to the next level. With self-service portals, customers can effortlessly manage their accounts, make payments, and resolve issues without contacting support. This shift significantly reduces call centre volumes and associated costs while dramatically enhancing customer satisfaction.

Energy efficiency programs integrated into these platforms substantially benefit customers and providers, driving down costs. By analysing consumption patterns and offering targeted energy-saving recommendations, these tools lower operational expenses and may reduce or delay the need for additional infrastructure investment.

Finally, the seamless integration of smart meters and Internet of Things (IoT) devices will revolutionise near-time and real-time data collection and management. This evolution eliminates the need for manual meter readings, guaranteeing unparalleled accuracy in consumption data. These advancements streamline operations and elevate customer experience, establishing a more efficient and customer-centric marketplace.

Mitigating Risks: Ensuring Security and Compliance

The energy and utilities sector faces unique risks, from regulatory compliance challenges to cybersecurity threats. Customer billing and engagement solutions can be pivotal in mitigating these risks.

The energy and utility regulatory landscape constantly evolves, and regulatory compliance is a significant challenge. Modern platforms with built-in compliance tracking ensure that billing, data storage, and customer communication meet legal requirements, minimising the risk of fines and protecting your organisation’s reputation.

Data security is another critical concern, as cybersecurity breaches can have devastating effects. Advanced platforms utilise strong security measures – such as encryption and multi-factor authentication – to protect sensitive customer information and defend against cyber threats.

Reducing revenue leakage from billing errors, fraud, or inefficiencies is essential for maintaining a healthy bottom line. Platforms supporting real-time monitoring, automated auditing, and anomaly detection can swiftly identify and resolve these issues.

Moreover, enhancing resilience is crucial in an era where critical national infrastructure is subject to disruptions from natural disasters and direct attacks. Customer engagement solutions that provide real-time updates and proactive communication during periods of instability help maintain trust, minimise reputational damage, and foster a sense of continuity in challenging times.

The Importance of Partnering with a Knowledgeable Solution Provider

Choosing the right partner for your customer billing and engagement solution is as important as selecting the technology. Partnering with a provider that profoundly understands your specific market dynamics and compliance requirements can fast-track implementation, reduce risk, and minimise complexity.

In energy and utilities, the ability to implement new technology swiftly can make all the difference. Engaging a knowledgeable provider with extensive experience in this sector can significantly expedite deployment, ensuring your new solution is up and running in record time. This efficient approach reduces downtime, allowing your organisation to jumpstart operations and experience the transformative benefits sooner.

Navigating the labyrinth of regulatory compliance can be daunting, as the landscape is both intricate and ever-evolving. By partnering with a provider with proven expertise in industry-specific regulations, you can ensure that your solution will meet compliance requirements from the beginning. This proactive strategy can effectively mitigate the risks of incurring delays or – in extreme situations – facing legal challenges that could result in costly fines.

The rise of centralised data hubs in energy markets, notably in progressive countries like Finland, Norway, and Denmark, represents a game-changing provider opportunity. These data hubs consolidate consumption and billing information across multiple markets, enhancing operational efficiency and promoting transparency. A provider with insights into these developments can ensure your platform integrates seamlessly with such hubs, reducing operational complexities and strategically positioning your organisation to stay ahead of regulatory and market shifts.

Every organisation faces unique challenges and objectives; therefore, it’s impossible to overstate the importance of tailored solutions. Experienced providers can configure the platform to align with your operational goals and customer engagement strategies. This personalised approach ensures a better operational fit and drives a higher return on investment.

Implementing new technological solutions, whether large-scale energy and utility enterprises or smaller new market entrants, can be overwhelming. A trusted partner can provide comprehensive support throughout this process, offering guidance from integrating new systems to training employees. This end-to-end support significantly lessens the complexity and anxiety typically associated with transitions.

Finally, collaborating with a provider with a proven track record of successful implementations in your market sector adds essential confidence to your transformation journey. Their wealth of expertise allows you to sidestep common pitfalls, ensuring that your path toward digital transformation is smooth and successful. With the right partner by your side, you can navigate the challenges of the digital age with assurance and purpose.

The Future of Customer Billing and Engagement Solutions

Customer billing and engagement solutions will be more critical as the energy and utilities sectors evolve. These platforms will become the backbone of a digitally connected, customer-focused, and sustainable ecosystem. Key trends are shaping the future, and in the energy and utilities sector, swift implementation of new technology is not just beneficial; it’s essential for gaining a competitive edge.

It is crucial to recognise that every organisation has unique needs. Experienced providers excel in delivering tailored solutions that align perfectly with your specific operational goals and customer engagement strategies. This customisation ensures a better fit for your objectives and significantly boosts your return on investment.

Investing in a modern customer billing and engagement solution addresses immediate challenges and positions your organisation for long-term success in an increasingly complex and competitive market. Choosing the right technology and partner can transform customer engagement into a strategic advantage.

Evaluating Your Next Platform: Where to Begin

Selecting the appropriate customer billing and engagement solution is crucial for your organisation. Here are some key factors to consider:

• Scalability: Ensure the platform can grow with your business and adapt to changing customer needs.
• Integration: Look for a solution that integrates seamlessly with your existing systems, such as CRM or ERP platforms and AMI infrastructure.
• Configuration and Customisation: The platform should allow tailored customer experiences and adaptable billing models.
• Data Analytics: Robust analytics capabilities are essential for gaining insights and driving strategic decisions.
• Security and Compliance: Choose a platform with robust and proven security measures and compliance certifications.
• Vendor Reputation: Partner with a trusted provider with a track record of success in the energy and utilities sector.

Where to from here?

No serious discussion of the future of customer engagement can ignore the transformative impact of artificial intelligence: AI is not optional but a critical driver of next-generation customer information systems.

Organisations must prepare for its sweeping influence across data processing, predictive analytics, and automation, all of which will enable smarter operations and highly personalised customer experiences. AI-powered tools such as chatbots, virtual assistants, and recommendation engines redefine real-time engagement, driving higher satisfaction and loyalty while lowering costs.

While this article focuses on the foundations for future-proofing a customer information system, a dedicated deep dive into AI’s strategic implications will follow, and it should be considered essential reading.

Please contact us to learn more about Hansen’s regionally optimised customer billing and engagement solutions for the energy and utilities market.

The post The Vital Importance of Customer Billing and Engagement Solutions appeared first on Hansen Technologies.

If we get it right, customers may never need to ask a question again.

But let’s be clear: there’s as much risk here as there is reward. Treat GenAI like a magic wand, and you’ll hallucinate your way into reputational damage. Treat it like a teammate, carefully trained, clearly guided, and respected for what it can’t do, and you unlock real competitive advantage.

The use of generative AI in energy is no longer hypothetical; it’s happening now. Yet success isn’t measured by whether you’ve deployed a chatbot or automated some back-office workflows. The winners in this space will be the companies who strike a careful balance between innovation and control, between automation and humanity. That balanced approach needs to extend to how you set goals for your AI as well. If you drive it with only a single metric, say, minimising average call time, the AI will find a way to hit that target, often at the expense of quality or customer satisfaction. Instead, define success across multiple dimensions: make sure your GenAI agent is optimising for efficiency, accuracy, compliance, and customer happiness together, so it can’t game the system by sacrificing one outcome for another.

Start Simple, Stay Smart

Energy providers shouldn’t dive into GenAI with the expectation of solving the hardest problems first. Start small. Use AI to field routine customer queries, book service appointments, or send proactive outage alerts. Keep the complex, nuanced cases, like hardship policies, billing disputes, or support for vulnerable customers, for well-trained humans who can empathise and exercise discretion. Even when you hand certain tasks over to the AI, keep a human in the loop for the big decisions. That means inserting manual checkpoints for high-impact actions: if the AI is about to implement a major account change or send out a sensitive communication, a person should review and approve it first.

Your AI doesn’t need to be all-knowing; it needs to be trained. That means running pilots with friendly internal staff, pressure-testing use cases, and learning from failure before rolling out to production. Let your teams break things in testing, not in front of customers. Just like your digital ecosystems, quality and full feature sets rule.
While you’re piloting, also try breaking tasks into smaller, modular steps with a validation check after each one. This way, a minor mistake can be caught and corrected early rather than compounding into a larger problem. For especially critical processes, you might even deploy two AI models in parallel to double-check each other’s outputs, if their answers differ, that’s a red flag to pause and investigate before any action is taken.

Guardrails, Not Guesswork

Hallucination is a real risk. We’ve all seen the headlines: AI agents confidently delivering inaccurate or misleading information. You can’t afford that in a regulated sector like energy. That’s why industry-specific FAQs, documented flows, and clearly articulated “do and don’t” scopes for your agents are essential. You should also give your AI a firm grounding in real data, connect it to a verified internal knowledge base or document store so it pulls facts from a trusted source instead of making them up. You wouldn’t let a new hire talk to customers without a playbook; your AI deserves the same. Those “do and don’t” guidelines should serve as explicit constraints on what the AI can and cannot do, effectively giving it a built-in ethical compass during decision-making.

Another key guardrail is transparency. Make sure the AI keeps an action log or even a “chain-of-thought” trace of how it reaches its conclusions. This way, if something ever goes sideways, you can retrace the AI’s steps, audit its reasoning, and quickly pinpoint what went wrong (and why).

And privacy? That’s non-negotiable. Keep your LLM instances private, off the public internet. Build in strong security guardrails from the start. For example, restrict the AI’s access to sensitive systems using role-based permissions, and limit the actions it can perform to a predefined allow list of approved commands. On top of that, put filters in place for potentially malicious inputs, a layer to detect and sanitise prompt injection attacks before they cause any harm.

A smart approach also means making the model your own, not just embedding knowledge, but also your company’s tone, processes, and priorities. Embed your internal process documents directly into the model. Train it not just on what you do, but how you do it. However, customising your AI isn’t only about knowledge, it’s about values too. Be sure to conduct regular bias audits on the data and the AI’s outputs to catch any unintended skew. This ensures your AI doesn’t inadvertently amplify biases and that it treats all customers fairly, in line with your company’s standards.

Teach Your AI the Industry

Don’t expect a general-purpose LLM to know what a tariff code is, or why a customer might be on a demand time-of-use plan. You must build industry awareness into the model; otherwise, you’re starting every conversation with a blank slate. Imagine on boarding a new employee with no knowledge of utilities, regulations, or customer expectations.

That’s your GenAI agent, untrained. Industry-specific context, vocabulary, and workflows must be deeply embedded. It’s the difference between a helpful assistant and a glorified autocomplete engine.

It’s Not Just About Cost

Let’s not pretend money isn’t a major factor. GenAI promises significant cost savings through automation, reduced handle time, fewer errors, and increased scalability. But cost alone isn’t the metric. You’re also buying flexibility, speed, and the ability to continuously adapt.

That’s why understanding your AI vendor’s commercial model is crucial – subscription-based? usage-based? hybrid? It matters.

Get this wrong and your cost-to-serve could spiral; get it right, and you unlock transformative ROI. At the end of the day, customers will choose providers who balance service, value, and trust. GenAI can help you win on all three, but only if you wield it wisely.

The Human Element Isn’t Going Anywhere

The myth that AI will replace human agents en masse is just that: a myth. What we’re really doing is redeploying human empathy and expertise to where it matters most. AI handles the repetitive; people handle the personal.

That might be the most important shift of all, and it needs to be managed carefully. Keep an eye on the ripple effects of this change: retrain and upskill your team to mitigate any job displacement and pay attention to customer sentiment so that trust isn’t eroded as more interactions become automated. In the coming years, the best-performing energy providers won’t just use GenAI, they’ll partner with it. Train it. Teach it. Trust it with the right guardrails.

To learn more about how Hansen’s GenAI solutions can revolutionise customer experience, click here.

The post GenAI Is Rewriting the Energy Sector – But Only If You Treat It Like a Teammate, not a Tool appeared first on Hansen Technologies.

This release introduces new self-service capabilities, enhanced integration options, and modernized reporting tools, all designed to help utilities streamline operations, reduce manual processes, and improve responsiveness. With these updates, Hansen CIS remains at the forefront of helping utilities meet the evolving demands of digital-first customers and ensure smooth, efficient operations.

Here’s what’s new—and how it can help you better serve your customers while enhancing operational efficiency.

SELF-SERVICE REGISTRATION: LET CUSTOMERS START SERVICE ANYTIME, ANYWHERE

The Hansen Self-Service Portal (HSSP) now allows new customers to request service and activate accounts online through New Service Registration.

Instead of calling or visiting a service center, new movers complete a configurable form, verify their email via a confirmation code, and initiate account creation from any device. The submitted information flows directly into Hansen CIS and pre-populates a Move-In Wizard for staff to review before finalizing.

Once the service is activated, the customer is automatically given full access to their account via HSSP. This enhancement not only improves customer experience—it also reduces manual handling and call volume.

LOCATOR API SEARCH FOR EXTERNAL SYSTEMS

A new version of the Locator API has been released as part of the Hansen Integration Framework (HIF), allowing external systems to search for customer accounts using nearly any field from the Locator tab—not just an exact account number.
This enhancement enables more seamless integrations between Hansen CIS and third-party tools, increasing operational efficiency and customer responsiveness.

MODERNIZED REPORTING: JASPERSOFT CREDIT BALANCE REFUND REPORT

The Credit Balance Refund report has been migrated to JasperSoft Studio, aligning with the latest reporting standards. Available under Financial > Credit Balance, this updated report improves maintainability, usability, and visual clarity for finance teams.

HBI Date Filtering for Maps: More Control, Better Insights
Hansen Business Intelligence (HBI) dashboards with map-based components (like ArcGIS) now support true date fields for filtering.

Users can now define filters based on fields like Appointment Date, Need Date, and Created Date, making it easier to focus on relevant service orders or appointments.

You can also explore more details on the What’s New page in the Hansen CIS Connect Community. At Hansen, our mission is clear: to equip utilities with the tools they need to thrive in a digital and AI-powered future. Thanks for being on this journey with us.

The post Progress in Motion: Hansen CIS Q2 2025 Release Empowers Utilities with Smarter Self-Service and Streamlined Operations appeared first on Hansen Technologies.

Here are some reflections and musings on the key opportunities and priorities for the industry.

Software Is Now Centre Stage

One big shift I noticed this year: the conversation around software has matured.  It’s not just “support infrastructure” anymore but is seen as the engine room of the energy transition.

Smart platforms are now critical for integrating solar, EVs, community batteries, and flexible loads.  The industry requires intelligent orchestration to scale and remain stable.

This is exactly the space we’re focused on at Hansen.  From real-time data layers to cloud-native billing and DER orchestration tools, our Hansen CIS product and Digital Suite modules are helping retailers and networks stay one step ahead of growing system complexity.

AI Has Arrived and It’s Delivering Value

AI was everywhere at AEW 2025.  While some sessions stayed pretty surface-level, a few stood out by showing that AI is moving beyond the buzz with real examples now of it being operationalised and scaled in the field.

What stood out most to me was the growing consensus around where AI is delivering today:

• Customer service: Modern AI virtual assistants are starting to manage complex calls, solving issues faster, and reducing cost-to-serve.
• CER orchestration: AI-driven optimisation is helping platforms enables smarter battery charging, VPP participation, and real-time pricing signals.
• CX automation: Personalised onboarding, guided flows, and intuitive self-service are being quietly revolutionised behind the scenes.

At Hansen, we are well past the buzz!  Right now, we’ve got over 50 AI pilots running across the business, ranging from smart DevOps automation to customer-facing initiatives.  Our engineering teams are using AI to modernise codebases, accelerate testing, and automate config generation.

AI Call Centre Agents are now embedded across multiple CIS platforms, providing multilingual, proactive customer support, handling billing questions, service transfers, and setting up payment plans.

On the product side, we’ve introduced AI-generated bill summaries, predictive plan recommendations, and real-time tariff optimisation.

We’ve also got AI agents coordinating behind the scenes, querying usage data, triggering workflows, closing the loop with customers, with automation and orchestration.

Trust, Affordability, and the Digital Retail Gap

The other big theme that kept cropping up, was trust.  One stat stuck with me: 86% of energy consumers don’t trust their retailer.  That’s a brutal starting point in a market trying to sell electrification, smart tariffs, and energy services.

Affordability is also front and centre. Between rising debt levels, energy hardship, and compliance burdens, retailers are facing pressure from every side.

But here’s the thing: the answer isn’t just regulation or rebates.  The opportunity lies more so in platforms that can help people understand and control their energy use, simply and transparently.

That’s why we’re investing in tools like:

• Plain-language bill summaries powered by AI.
• Self-service UX with proactive notifications (before the bill shock hits).
• Real-time usage insights and smart plan recommendations.

If, as an industry, we want customers to stay engaged (and not churn the second they’re confused), we must build platforms that meet them where they are and earn their trust with every interaction.

Where Hansen Goes Next

AEW 2025 reinforced that the real advantage isn’t just having tech, it’s being able to adapt it quickly to a moving landscape.  That’s why, at Hansen, we’re focused on:

• Modular, cloud-native systems that evolve with regulation and demand
• Real AI tools that lower operating costs and improve CX
• CER and DER orchestration that’s simple for customers and scalable for retailers
• Composable platforms that play well with others

We’re not just building software, we’re contributing to a bigger shift, helping our customers and the wider ecosystem become more agile, more connected, and better equipped for a complex, customer-driven energy future.

The post Australian Energy Week 2025: Why Software (and AI) is Now the Real Infrastructure appeared first on Hansen Technologies.

But wait – aren’t the old formats still valid?
That’s right! Thanks to our “FUM switch”, the new formats will remain deactivated until they are automatically activated by us on the cut-off date, as soon as the new market processes take effect. This ensures that everything is already running smoothly without a big bang release shortly before 6 June: Everything is prepared in the background without any changes to ongoing operations, and the new formats will only be activated automatically on 6 June.

Tests under realistic conditions? Already possible!
A major advantage of this approach is that tests can already be carried out in production-like environments under almost real conditions. This gives us and our customers certainty at an early stage – long before the official go-live.

What’s next?
Now that the changes have been successfully delivered, our focus in the remaining weeks until go-live will be entirely on quality assurance and final acceptance by our customers. Our goal: a smooth and stress-free start on 6 June 2025.

We look forward to it!

The post powercloud Format conversion & 24-hour supplier change – we are ready! appeared first on Hansen Technologies.