dc.description.abstract | The electric utilities industry is undergoing rapid and radical change, driven by legislative
initiatives, customer demands, market conditions and new technologies. To compete
successfully, utility companies must react swiftly, focus on customer service, and take advantage
of enabling technologies. KPLC being an electric utility company is not an exception of this
kind of situation. The phenomena e-business can improve the way of conducting business in an
organization in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, cost reduction, competition and overall
performance.
The assessment of e-business in KPLC was carried out to establish KPLC preparedness and
customer readiness to go e-business as well as identify key opportunities for e-business
available. Assessment was carried out in key business activities areas such as meter reading, bill
delivery (presentment), bill payment and current lCT infrastructure to support e-business
implementation. E-business can enable Utility companies to quickly achieve a tight integration
of their operations with suppliers, partners, and customers.
The assessment showed that KPLC and its electricity customers are prepared and ready to take
advantage of e-business opportunities in meter reading, bill delivery, bill payment and even
customer application processing. KPLC has a basic infrastructure necessary to support e-business
strategy implementation and this has been demonstrated by the presence of the internet, website
and the launching of e-bill services for bill balance enquiry.
From the fact that the research revealed that a large majority of customers more especially
domestic users have and use mobiles then it is prudent to recommend the use of mobile more
specifically in bill balance enquiry, emergency reporting, bill payment and information access
by field engineers or technicians. Mobile business transaction in a Power Distribution Company
will be cost effective and convenient mode of carrying out business transaction for both the
company and customer | en |