Clevest Solutions Inc.

Clevest has built a strong foundation for improving field operations in the way it has architected its mobile workforce management and its automatic vehicle location products. Orders are inherently more intelligent and the new ability to manipulate them is very powerful. The integration with our ATS customer information system is seamless, the communication between the office and the field is so much faster and so much more reliable than where we were previously, and the Genesis configuration tool allows us to adapt the solution quickly, independently and at no additional cost.

Our asset investment planning (AIP) solution from Clevest has spurred on significantly beneficial changes in how we allocate capital at Sempra. Prior to the AIP solution, both the gas and electric sides of the business budgeted largely in isolation of each other, as did the various business units within them. What projects were funded was very much a popularity contest until the solution helped us to consider our investments more objectively and across the organization as a whole. It’s been invaluable in directing us as a company to the most important work instead of work that merely repeats the previous year’s budgeting philosophy.

Clevest’s REVEAL solution gives senior executives the clarity of information required to quickly interpret and evaluate the different plans being presented. They can therefore make critical decisions more quickly and with more confidence.

For AEP, using the Clevest solution has been like being vaulted into the modern world from the dinosaur age. To move from paper cards, a communications black hole with the field and reams of paper reports to a Windows-based, wireless solution for rerouting and meter reading was like the sun coming up in a cloudless sky. And we didn’t have to change how we ran the business to realize incredible gains in field productivity and crew safety from the solution. Over the years, we’ve seen other products and there’s just no comparison. It’s without a doubt the easiest, simplest and most user-friendly system we’ve ever had—and I’ve been with the company for over 25 years—before we even had PCs.

The AVL solution really helps us improve our responsiveness. We know exactly where our employees are, what they are working on, and how long different jobs take. When a customer calls in with an emergency, we can see at-a-glance on the map who is closest to a situation and is able to respond the quickest. In a way, before the AVL solution, we were blind and at the mercy of unreliable cell and radio coverage to communicate. Now we have full visibility into the location and activities of all of our vehicles and wireless communication means we’re always connected, which lets us act much more quickly in the field. It’s a great tool!

We have been using this solution for almost 10 years and have found it to be an invaluable tool to manage our workflow, especially now as we install AMR meters and our route structure is constantly changing.

Clevest Asset Investment Planning was a key technology supporting the AIS project. We have now used Clevest AIP through our capital planning process and we are very happy with the results.

Clevest Solutions has demonstrated that their technology addresses the specific needs of workforce management, smart grid deployment and post-deployment functions within the utility industry. We believe that Clevest truly understands the unique challenges related to smart grid technology implementations and sustainment.

Rural electric cooperatives are leaders in deploying smart grid technologies. NRTC is committed to supporting our cooperative members by bringing them the best of these technologies for rural deployments. The solutions Clevest offers are proven and in use by 19 NRTC members across the country. With tools like these, electric cooperatives can save resources and work smarter.