Utilismart—Competitive Advantage Checklist

If you have not already converted to Utilismart, be sure to ask your current provider if they are delivering on all the advantages energy and settlement management technology can offer your business:

• Does your current energy manager have access to the most accurate and timely possible data sources, including information for market pricing, market settlement data, wholesale data, and retail meter data?
• Electronic Bill Presentment: are you still dealing with monthly statements through the mail?
• Are the people assisting you in your day-to-day operations highly trained settlement experts, or engineers and technicians with little customer service background?
• Is the service you receive from your current provider a turn-key energy management solution? Do you have universal Web access to crucial business information around-the-clock?
• Are you spending valuable time and resources transferring data back and forth to your current provider?
• Is your customer information updated daily and posted to a secure Web site for easy customer access to information?
• Accurate, complete and continuous data is the cornerstone of Energy Management. How is your critical data stored and backed-up by your existing provider?
• Does your provider have a redundant system in case of system failure?
• Does your provider manage their own hardware/software, or do they outsource it to third party contractors and server farms?
• Demand Side Management (DSM) tracking and evaluation initiative support is available. Are you receiving any?
• A good energy manager offers no charge on-site training of your staff. Is your investment backed-up by expert training?
• Energy procurement initiatives are good business. Are you getting the support and advice you need?
• Have your wholesale meters been set up to match the IESO mapping specific to your LDC?
• Have your Retail Interval Meter customers been set up to your specifications using customer specific rates?
• Upgrades and enhancements are imperatives for keeping pace with market changes. Are they being done for free? Do they meet your needs?
• Robust technology makes the difference. Are you getting one-stop energy service and value for your money? Does your current provider contract out essential services? Is your provider running its own MV-90xi system?
• How are NODs (Notices-of-Dispute) handled? Would you like to avoid them altogether? Are you receiving full administration of NODs from the provider on your behalf?