Digitization- The New Normal

Digital technologies have transformed the world and ways of life. In a span of a few years, the rapid technological influx has wholly altered the way we live, work, and communicate.

A recent report published by Statistica mentions that as of January 2021, the number of active internet users worldwide stands at around 4.66 billion, making for 59.5% of the global population. The digital transformation has made humankind more empowered, self-sufficient, and sustainable. ?

While the world gradually adapted to the digital influx, the pandemic changed everything unexpectedly. COVID-19 pandemic rapidly sent millions of people to work from home, which created an instant challenge for many organizations, businesses had to provide safe and secure system access to the workforce. In addition, the educational institutes had to learn and adapt to a newer way of online teaching. The power of digitization can only be comprehended from how the world and people responded to the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic. Although the world slowed down, it quickly adapted and picked up pace due to the digital advancements that have been made. We witnessed the emergence of a new world from digital connectivity, enabling the public and private sectors to carry on with their tasks unhindered. From access to health services and virtual learning environments to remote work culture, there was a tremendous shift to technology.

The digital revolution has been a strong catalyst for the ‘digital transformation of the power sector', which became an absolute necessity for the functioning of society.

As a result, India’s power sector has gone leaps and bounds to adopt digital technologies to ensure power supply reliability and enhance customer experience while also keeping business continuity at its core. In addition, digitalization is helping improve safety, productivity, accessibility, and sustainability in the power sector.

Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited has always been proactively focused to become a fully digital and networked utility and empowering its 1.7 million consumer base.

Aligned to its ambitious goal of being the ‘Utility of the Future’, the company is steadfast in its approach of adopting smart and sustainable technology solutions. The continuous efforts of the company towards empowering its customers through technology and digital platforms such as Mobile App, Website, Smart Meter Portal, SAMVAAD App, WhatsApp services etc. helped it sail through the coronavirus pandemic without disruptions because it was fully prepared to face the adversity and the adaptations it required.?

Digital Full Throttle

When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, everything got confined within boundaries and walls, but nothing had to stop. Businesses had to go on, and services had to continue while still grappling with the crisis – both monetary and non-financial.

Tata Power-DDL bolstered its digital bill payment avenues during the pandemic to ensure the customers could pay their bills from the safe confines of their homes. As a result, the company received over 90% of payments from digital modes. Tie-ups with all major digital platforms in a bid to promote the usage of digital payment significantly contributed towards the Digital India vision. An array of digital services introduced to enhance consumer experience includes- Missed Call Service to register ‘No Power Supply Complaint’, self-meter reading along with photograph option, prepaid coupons through website and Mobile App, and Live Help / Chat option on Mobile App.

In the pandemic situation, the company dealt with resilience and developed a lot of innovative work processes.

Shift to Smart Meters

Empowering customers by engaging them in the process of monitoring and managing their electricity consumption was an essential objective of the shift to smart meters. It gives them the ability to monitor their Maximum Demand Indicator (MDI) and Power Factor (PF) through the ‘TPDDL Connect Mobile App’ on an almost real-time basis. Besides the tangible benefits that it offers, such as remote meter reading, improving billing and collection efficiency, and curbing power theft, a very crucial intangible outcome that has far-reaching benefits is the energy-saving behavior that consumers will develop though initially driven through incentivized energy conservation.

Tata Power-DDL has installed over 2 Lakh smart meters across its consumer segments - domestic, industrial, and commercial under its Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project with Radio Frequency Canopy network – as per approval granted by the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission. The company’s Smart Meter drive is in accordance with the Ministry of Power’s vision of replacing the existing 25 crore meters with smart meters across states and union territories.?

Chatbot ‘Roshni’

Galloping with the pace of digital transformation, the introduction of Tata Power-DDL’s Virtual Assistant ‘Roshni’ was an essential step with ‘enhancing digital experience of consumers’ as the central objective. The virtual assistant is designed to deliver a seamless self-service experience for the consumers by providing them with key services and real-time resolution of complaints and queries. Equipped with both English and Hindi language capabilities, the bot offers greater adoption and reliability.

Stepping into the Smart Life

When technology keeps giving you options, you ask for better, bigger, smarter choices. So it’s time we step into our ‘Smart Lives & Smart Homes’. A home where your appliances and devices listen to your commands, literally. Home Automation is the next big change driven by digital technologies. Although India still lags behind the other developed countries of the world in the adoption of home automation techniques, we are a huge market with great possibilities.

Tata Power’s ‘EZ Home’ is an IoT solution that allows voice-enabled control and operation of home appliances and energy systems. The convenience of managing devices through a smartphone or smart voice device brings along the benefit of better energy management, paving the way for a sustainable, energy-efficient future.

Digital technologies have completely overhauled the world with breakthroughs once only imagined. However, this digital revolution needs to be more comprehensive and integrated, involving all strata of the society by ensuring that those yet to be connected should not remain behind. From ordering food while sitting at home to booking a flight or paying your bills, the digital world should be accessible to all. The benefits and convenience should reach the last-mile consumer to drive effective and holistic economic growth.