CapGemini has helped gas industry hub xoserve transform its information capabilities to its gas supplier and domesitc customers.
xoserve is the information link between gas suppliers and transporters, enabling them to bill one another as gas flows through the supply chain. It also manages a 2Tb database of information about the 22 million domestic and commercial gas points in the UK. The company inherited its legacy information system from the National Grid, which owned the company prior to deruglation in 2005. By 2008, this legacy kit, much of which had been custom-built, was in need of an overhaul.
“Information stored in various systems wasn’t properly integrated and the company couldn’t get a single view of data. That meant its 140 customers had to do quite a lot of work to reconsile the information they received and their own information,” explained Bob Booth, account director at Capgemini UK.
“The company realised that if they just did a technology refresh they’d just end up with the same old processes in new technology. With smart metering coming down the road they were also expecting an exponential increase in the information they’d need to handle,” continued Booth.
Capgemini helped xoserve’s IT team address the people, process and technology issues of transforming its IT infrastructure. The firm created the new data architecture and database to hold the information. It also helped build the capabilities of the in-house team to run the system.
The first iteration of the Oracle and Business Objects information system was completed at the back end of last year and the company is already seeing benefits.
“They’ve obviously refreshed their technology and have a single version of the truth that will mean their customers are able to use the information they receive more efficiently. It’s created a much more nimble business model to prepare them for smart metering,” said Booth.
