Products
SIMS - Service Interrupt Management System
SIMS application has been designed exclusively for public utilities and easily integrates with the Centurion, Inc. Call Center Automated Resource System (CARES). With this system, utility customers have access to service dispatchers day or night to report an outage, to learn whether the problem has already been reported and be informed as to whether a crew was dispatched. This is in addition to the system providing complete Call Center functionality to the operation of a utility office.
The following functions form the base SIMS application.
Service Outage Reporting
Voice Messaging
Enables callers to hear current information about known service outages. When integrated with a compatible GIS/Outage Analysis system, available connectivity information allows SIMS to provide intelligent messaging.New Outage Reporting
Upon recognition of the caller via ANI/DNIS/Caller ID service, or by entry of a phone number, the caller is prompted for specific location information. This may include meter number or assigned station ID number. SIMS may also prompt the caller for an observed outage cause or problem code. This caller information is then posted to an outage database, or optionally passed to a separate dedicated outage analysis system.Text-to-Speech Conversion
SIMS has been designed to retrieve and respond with information stored in text databases. The caller may hear their account name, street address, utility district name, city, etc. retrieved and spoken to them for confirmation upon their call.Life Support Priority Routing
For customers subscribing to life support or Medalert programs, SIMS recognizes the call as critical and performs a special call-handling routine. Fire, police, or VIP alert calls are handled similarly. Critical care calls are flagged on the dispatcher monitor screen, and may trigger an audible alarm for dispatchers.Known Outage Reporting
SIMS has the ability to identify whether a caller is included within an active outage case from GIS/Outage Analysis data. These callers will hear a message confirming that the utility is already aware of the outage. When SIMS identifies a caller as one who has called previously, regarding the same outage, it will provide a message stating that the problem is already known.Custom Outage Message Inserts
During a known power outage, callers hear a description of the known outage and estimated repair time. Staff can record this message immediately after logging a new outage case.Pre-Recorded Message Selection
The Outage Message menu allows selection from a library of prerecorded outage messages, or a custom message may be prepared for fast, easy outage response.Time of Day Greetings
SIMS greetings change automatically by time of day, providing variances for business hours, after-hours, and holiday conditions.Touch-tone Gateway
The gateway feature determines if the caller is utilizing a touch-tone phone. If not, SIMS will use Pulse Dial Recognition (PDR) feature, or transfer the call to an attendant for special handling.Touch-tone Gateway (enhancement):
For those callers who do not have a touch-tone phone, SIMS provides voice recognition responses that utilize Wholeword or Flexword speech recognition applications, with multiple language options available.
Service Restoration Management
Emergency Alert Notification
SIMS has been designed to automatically initiate outbound dialing of an established phone list or crew pager numbers for emergency alert notification.Trouble Ticket Preparation
SIMS will prepare a trouble ticket on screen, printing them on demand. Containing information supplied by the caller during an outage report, other key information shown may be retrieved from a SIMS resident database, or a remote host system database.Power Restoration Callback
By analyzing the outage database, related, non-functioning devices are grouped. As service is restored, SIMS will initiate customer call back based upon a user defined list, requesting service restoration confirmation. If service had not been restored, SIMS will prepare a trouble ticket with a higher priority, or create a new outage case.Call Bridge to On Duty Service Staff
SIMS Live Call Bridge feature enables the system to directly connect a caller to an off-site phone number.Prior Caller Recognition
From the database of logged outage calls, SIMS recognizes repeated calls and provides a message advising the caller that the problem has been recorded.Onboard Restoration Management (Enhancement):
SIMS will sequence and group outage calls into specific outage cases, retrieving common device information from a reference database. SIMS will interact with compatible Automated Mapping, Facilities Management or GIS outage analysis systems, remote power monitoring sensors, and automated metering systems to build its outage call logs and callback lists.
SIMS Post-Outage Management/Dispatcher Console
The Post-Outage Management module provides outage case management features to the on duty dispatchers.
New Outage Record
SIMS postsan outage call record containing the telephone number or location identifier of the caller, retrieved from a host system. This data is then passed to an outage analysis system as a new outage record, or is included with a known outage group.Subsequent Outage Record
As each outage record is received, data contained in it is compared to those outage records already posted to the database. If common data, such as circuit, meter, breaker, pole, substation, fuse, phase, etc, is found, the record is grouped with similar data within a single outage case number.Dispatcher Console Display
The status of all active outages is available for display on a system console. This allows outage cases to be reviewed for repair crew priority reassessment.Clearing Outages
As the repair crews resolve outage cases, outage records are coded as cleared. SIMSthen initiates notification calls to those listed who requested a callback, or a preset percentage of outage affected customers within in a larger outage group.Device Tree File
The SIMS outage database can reside on a standalone device when integration with an Automated Mapping, Facilities Management or GIS outage analysis system is not available. The SIMS resident device file will operate in conjunction with the functions of an installed GIS and Trouble Call Analysis system, complementing their functionality. At a base level however, SIMS is capable of providing useful outage management and tracking functions solely from the caller and host customer record data.Reports
In addition to the dispatcher console display screens, the SIMS reporting module provides hard copy of each outage by case number, with customer information shown for each outage. Customer outage records can also be reported by common device number grouping.
Customer Account Inquiry
Account information is retrieved from the utility host customer information or billing system database in either a real-time or batch mode. Virtually any customer information resident is available for SIMS reporting to the caller.
Meter Reading Collection (option)
SIMS will prompt a caller to enter a meter number and current reading using either touch-tone or speech recognition prompts. If the appropriate data is available, SIMS can provide the caller with energy consumption data, or alert the caller if their energy usage has changed beyond a standard norm.Customer Phone Number Updating(option)
When a customer telephone number is not found, or matched in the host account record, a request is made to enter a current phone number via touch-tone or speech recognition. After the entered number is verified with the caller, SIMS stores it in a hold file to be transferred to the host system for later record updating.Charge Card/Bank Draft Bill Payment (option)
This SIMSmodule provides credit card or bank draft bill payment options.Overdue Payment and Disconnect Notices (option)
SIMS has been designed to initiate outbound calls from a list of selected customers to remind them of overdue payments, service cutoff dates, or planned outages. Caller lists are generated from comprehensive customer-defined select criteria.Payment Plans and Service Extensions (option)
Interfacing with selected host customer account data, SIMSwill initiate outbound calls to overdue customers requesting payment, or to offer an automatic service extension based on user defined criteria. SIMS can also be enhanced to provide credit card or bank draft bill payment options.Account Inquiries Faxback (option)
The Account Inquiry module provides callers with account information 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Faxback function enables customers to request a fax copy of (1) Last Payment received--Date and Amount, (2) Next Payment due--Date and Amount, (3) Next Scheduled Meter Read.
Automated Attendant.
Inbound Call Director
This SIMS feature invites the caller to enter a known extension number and will then route their call directly to the extension they have entered.Employee/Department Directories
To assist call transfers, SIMS will announce voice menus to callers from installed employee or department name lists and extension numbers.Dial by Name
To facilitate reaching a specific party, the caller is prompted to enter the name of the person or department they are seeking, with SIMS routing the call accordingly.Bulletin Board
Callers have access to a Voice Response Bulletin Board of timely information recorded by the utility user staff.Custom Message Inserts
A custom message, up to one minute in length, can be established as a public announcement or used for storm warnings, public emergencies, lost child alerts, etc.Host Data System Integration
A seamless interface to core processors and host data systems enables your customers to enjoy an informative and efficient access to their information. Centurion, Inc. will develop a custom interface to fit your exact needs… insuring your callers have access to information they need, in the required format.An alphabetically arranged sampling of host data systems and their subsidiaries we have interfaced with include, but are not limited to:
Billing
CADP ·CSA·DAFFRON·HTE·NCDC ·ORCOM
Professional Computer Systems (PCS)·SEDC·SCT Banner
Outage Management
m3I·Miner & Miner·Smallworld·UAI
