IMPLEMENTING FIELD SERVICE MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY TO TRACK, MEASURE, AND IMPROVE WATER AND WASTEWATER UTILITY OPERATIONS

This paper describes the implementation and use of enterprise field service management programs and technology for tracking, measuring, and improving water distribution and wastewater collection services at City of Phoenix Water Services Department.City of Phoenix is the fifth largest City in the nation, and the second fastest growing in terms of population. To address this dramatic growth, the City's Water Services Department began implementation of an enterprise field service management solution, the Mobile Applications Program Solution (MAPS) in mid 2002. The MAPS solution was subsequently planned, developed and deployed to over 450 utility office and field personnel. The goal of the MAPS system was to deliver essential maps and data to the field to enable improved customer service and operational efficiency. The project has now implemented mobile devices, wireless communications, and an integrated web-based mobile GIS and workforce management software solution to City field crews and their respective management. System functionality includes crew reports, work orders, quarter-section GIS maps, and reporting functionality for asset and field service management, along with planned integration to other key utility IT systems.After having the technology deployed for since late 2002, the City has now begun to realize many of the benefits of field service management and mobile mapping technology. Using the data that has been collected, the system is now providing timely and accurate data to City management, allowing for the design and implementation of field service performance measurement, reporting and improvement programs. These programs are expected to prove valuable as the City progresses with a recently launched re-engineering program.This paper will provide an overview of the ROI-based design and implementation for the field service management solution, a description of the business and technical aspects of the system implementation, discussion of the human factors affecting the success of the project, and describe the evolutionary process the organization underwent to use the system data to better measure and improve utility field services.