- Introduction
- Remote Access
- Customer Service
- Wide Access to Real-Time Data
- Improved Collaboration
- Our Experience Creating Custom Web Apps on the Example of Our App for Enerace
- Conclusion
Introduction
Web apps have one advantage over native apps. They run on any device on which you could run a web browser. In our current world, that’s nearly all devices connected to the internet. You don’t even need to account for the differences in native APIs, etc; web browsers do everything for you. That’s a huge pro in the context of delivering custom enterprise software. In this blog post, we will explore other unique benefits of custom web apps.
Remote Access
Most of us can safely turn off our computers when we are at home after work or during weekends. That’s not really a possibility in a critical industry such as the energy industry. If there is an outage, there could be a possibility of needing to handle it right away, day or night. Thanks to the web push notifications, and the fact that we bring our phones with us everywhere, your key managers and operators can receive a message about a failure at any point on whatever devices they are next to.
That’s the beauty of web apps. Access internal tools, wherever you are, whenever, on whichever device you happen to be using. All using one codebase - no need to write the same app thrice - in Swift, Kotlin & .NET.
Customer Service
Customers demand convenient, 24/7 access to manage their accounts, understand their energy usage, and resolve issues promptly. The always-on aspect of internet customer service apps is crucial if you consider that you may decrease the pressure on your contact centers.
Furthermore, the customer service web app may use user data to provide tailored experiences, such as targeted usage insights or recommendations for energy-saving initiatives, which fosters a sense of value and strengthens customer connections. This leads to more efficient operations and lower expenses since ordinary questions are diverted away from contact centers, freeing up personnel to tackle more difficult issues.
Real-time client data and historical contact history can help agents work more efficiently, resulting in faster resolution rates. The app enables data-driven decision-making by collecting important consumer data on consumption trends, service requests, and feedback. This allows energy providers to enhance service offerings and tailor customer experiences.
In the future, these apps could replace traditional customer service - imagine an AI hooked up to a text-to-speech engine.
Wide Access to Real-Time Data
Access to accurate, real-time data is the key. The key to effective operations, preventative maintenance, and first-rate customer service in the energy sector. While conventional data collecting techniques can be labor-intensive and sluggish, web-based apps with real-time data capabilities can assist all of your employees especially if your data is collected automatically, thanks to IoT.
Real-time data analysis also supports predictive maintenance, enabling businesses to plan ahead and therefore avoid expensive downtime and guarantee steady energy supply. Knowing that something might break ahead of time is a game changer.
What’s more, real-time data on grid conditions and consumer demand allows dynamic pricing models based on which to support grid stability and effective use of resources. Besides that, monitoring the situation closely also enables faster restoration timelines and better customer communication. All thanks to the possibility of identifying outage sites and outage types using real-time outage data.
Improved Collaboration
Traditionally, collaboration often involved siloed data and communication delays. However, web applications with real-time, multi-user capabilities are revolutionizing how energy companies foster seamless collaboration.
A multi-user web app enables engineers, data analysts, and field technicians to access and interact with energy data simultaneously, reducing data silos and promoting collaborative problem-solving. Real-time multi-user apps enhance communication and coordination, allowing field technicians to quickly update the app, enabling engineers to provide remote guidance in real-time.
To add to that, real-time multi-user apps provide centralized data management, eliminating the need for multiple versions across devices, enabling informed decisions and efficient workflows. They also streamline project management by allowing teams to track progress, assign tasks, and share updates in real-time, promoting transparency and accountability.
Get everybody on the same page in an instant.
Our Experience Creating Custom Web Apps on the Example of Our App for Enerace
One of our projects was building a custom web app for Enerace. It was much more than just a web application. It was a part of the shift between a consultancy and a product company. In the end, we developed software that has supercharged their operations. It turns complex data management and reporting into a breeze, saving time and letting the team focus on what really matters. Furthermore, Enerace simply couldn’t just use a cookie-cutter solution. We had to tune and adapt everything to them as our solution was meant to be an absolutely fundamental part of their every day’s job.
Perfect Fit for Unique Needs
Enerace relies heavily on data for its operations, which requires significant organization and structure changes. That’s why understanding Enerace's business was crucial for efficient development and avoiding costly mistakes, while also ensuring the value of each component for both clients and end-users.
Happy Clients, Happy Business
The app saves hundreds of hours a month by automating data gathering, reports, newsletters, and other features. It also includes a map of carbon footprint, a client panel for Enerace founders to buy energy on behalf of customers, and a customer recommendation and ordering system. The app is highly customizable, comprehensive, and user-friendly, allowing clients to make informed decisions and save money.
That was just a brief summary of the case study. If you wish to find out more about our work for the company, be sure to see the full story.
Conclusion
We outlined only four use cases for web apps in the energy industry, but there are many more. Certainly your company might have different needs unique to you. We would love to hear about them, and whether we could help you create a solution that would help you reach new levels of business efficiency. In case you need to find out more about our other projects, feel free to refer to our case studies page.
