Benefiting from data portals across every sector

In many cases, data portals were first introduced as part of open data projects, enabling public sector bodies, such as municipalities and government departments to seamlessly share data with a wide range of stakeholders, from citizens and businesses to regulators and elected officials.

However, the benefits of data portals go far beyond promoting public sector transparency, enabling companies in every sector to deliver on their objectives by becoming more data-centric, efficient and innovative. We explore multiple use cases where data portals deliver competitive advantage, based on the experiences of three major industries.

Data portals in the energy sector - collaboration, transparency, innovation, efficiency

At a time of widespread disruption and change, energy companies need to drive decarbonisation through digitization and greater efficiency, while working more closely with their wider ecosystem to enable the energy transition to net zero across the world. Internal and external data sharing through portals is key, particularly around:

Increased collaboration

To engage its ecosystem, energy company UK Power Networks shares its data via a portal with a wide range of partners, from public authorities/municipalities and energy generators to property developers. To ensure data meets their needs it has created a range of tailored use cases and dashboards. For example, local authorities can access all the information they need to plan their energy transitions, including over 30 use cases, such as the best places to site new EV charging facilities.

Greater transparency

Energy group EDF’s public data portal includes a section devoted to the organization’s extra-financial and corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitments. This enables citizens, stakeholders and regulators to easily track EDF’s CSR performance around indicators such as responsible development, carbon and climate neutrality, and resource preservation.

Deeper innovation

To unlock innovation, Portuguese energy company E-REDES has created the Open Data Academy Challenge Award. This aims to reward university dissertations and master’s projects that focus on the theme of the energy transition and that use information from its data portal as a source for research, with the winners receiving cash prizes. The aim is to encourage solutions that transform data from the electricity grid into value for society.

Higher efficiency

Utilities can use data portals to better track and manage their assets and make more informed decisions. They can also drive efficiency by digitizing processes to save time and resources. Gas distribution network operator GRDF has replaced previously manual reports for local authorities with an automated, self-service platform, available as part of its data portal, enabling each municipality to access relevant information independently via a secure web interface.

Data portals in transport - communication, innovation, collaboration

The transport sector is undergoing a deep transformation, as it looks to meet changing customer needs for high-quality, integrated mobility services, easily bookable through digital channels. At the same time it needs to better manage existing infrastructure, increase efficiency and effectively switch away from fossil fuels. Digitalization is at the heart of this, with data portals providing the fuel for change.

Open communication

Belgian railway company Infrabel has created a monthly punctuality dashboard for all its services, showing recent against historic performance. This is accessible and available via its portal and is also shared with the media, providing them with accurate information for their stories. Delivering information proactively in this way builds trust and increases efficiency as it reduces the number of individual queries around its operations that Infrabel receives.

Greater collaboration and efficiency

SNCF Réseau is responsible for the management and maintenance of most of the French railway network. Its Project and Engineering division has 4,500 employees who work on an average of 1,000 to 1,500 projects every year. Its internal data portal brings together information from across the division, avoiding duplication and providing engineers with fast access to the data they need, underpinning collaboration and efficiency.

Increased innovation

New technologies, such as autonomous vehicles, promise to deliver an improved experience for customers, while boosting efficiency. Testing this technology thoroughly is vital, with operators learning from trials to inform future mobility strategies. Demonstrating this, the town of Cary in North Carolina ran a trial of the CASSI electric autonomous shuttle , making all project data available on its open data portal, through dashboards and data stories, to provide a completely transparent view of performance.

Better customer experience

Swiss railway operator SBB is sharing real-time data to improve the experience for all of its passengers. For example, as well as making timetables freely available via its portal, it shares the location of platforms, lifts, and access ramps so people with mobility concerns can access facilities more easily and better plan their trips.

Data portals in finance - innovation, customer experience, greater efficiency

Banks and insurance companies face increasing competition, both from existing and new players, which means they need to differentiate their offerings, and build trust with customers, all while boosting efficiency and innovation.

Increased efficiency

Insurer Lamie Mutuelle wanted to better meet customer needs while increasing efficiency. It has therefore centralized all the data it collects internally and externally, sharing it via its portal in multiple ways. Information automatically feeds business systems, increasing efficiency, while a range of dashboards allow employees to monitor key indicators and use this information to drive improvements.

Greater Innovation and new services

French bank Groupe BPCE launched its first data portal in 2017, as part of its digital transformation strategy. It has since extended data sharing - for example it now anonymizes and shares credit card spending by foreign tourists with regional tourism authorities. Broken down by topics such as country of origin, this gives regions deeper insights into their visitors, helping them target tourists more effectively.

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