Real-Time Monitoring Means Real-Time Savings in Handling Emergencies
Customer Company Size
Large Corporate
Region
- Europe
Country
- United Kingdom
Product
- Digital Business Platform
- webMethods
- webMethods Optimize
- webMethods Broker
- webMethods Integration Server
Tech Stack
- SAP
- webMethods
- Business Activity Monitoring (BAM)
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Customer Satisfaction
- Productivity Improvements
Technology Category
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - API Integration & Management
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration
Applicable Industries
- Utilities
Applicable Functions
- Logistics & Transportation
- Maintenance
Use Cases
- Public Warning & Emergency Response
- Real-Time Location System (RTLS)
- Remote Asset Management
Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
Wales & West Utilities (WWU) is a regulated gas distribution business that operates pipelines across Wales and Southwest England. The company was formerly part of National Grid Transco. WWU's primary role is to transport gas safely and efficiently to the gas meters of homes and businesses on behalf of gas shippers. The company serves more than 7 million people through its network of 35,000 kilometers of pipelines. WWU is recognized as an industry leader in safety practices and is committed to replacing, refurbishing, and increasing capacity in its network. The company handles more than 125,000 emergency work orders a year.
The Challenge
Wales & West Utilities (WWU) is a regulated gas distribution business that transports gas safely to more than 7 million people through its network of the 35,000 kms of pipelines that covers Wales and Southwest England. The company is responsible for attending gas emergencies on streets and at businesses and homes within one or two hours. However, WWU faced challenges in monitoring the emergency process, which was a manual and labor-intensive activity. The company used a simple Comma Separated Values (CSV) user interface to a standalone system that queried databases directly. This system was resilient in the event of a failover, but it did not provide real-time visibility into the emergency process.
The Solution
To enhance its rapid and reliable response to gas emergencies, WWU implemented Software AG's Digital Business Platform, powered by webMethods. The solution provides real-time visibility into the emergency process the instant orders arrive. When orders come in, they're intercepted by webMethods Broker, which sends them via webMethods Integration Server immediately to the SAP® system. There, they're created into work orders, registered, and then assigned to localities and other resources. Business Activity Monitoring (BAM) picks up when a work order is received and monitors the time taken to get into the SAP system, process the order in SAP, and assign the order to the field. This critical time period now consistently averages 180 seconds, just three minutes. The solution also provides graphical dashboards and KPIs, making it easier to pinpoint and prevent problems.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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