Regional Water Authority’s aging SAP system caused siloed data, manual processes, and limited customer self-service, hindering innovation and flexibility.
RWA implemented Dynamics 365 and UMAX, unifying platforms, automating billing, and enabling real-time analytics for seamless operations.
Automation reduced billing errors, improved customer experience, and empowered staff with unified dashboards and AI-driven support.
“Transforming our customer information system was a key benefit of implementing Dynamics 365 and UMAX. Now, we can ensure our customers are getting the best possible experience when they interact with us.”
Anthony Perugini, Director of IT, Regional Water Authority
14,000 billing errors eliminated
RWA supplies 44 million gallons of water daily to nearly 432,000 people across 15 South Central Connecticut municipalities. It also runs services such as PipeSafe, WellSafe, and Safety Valve that offer protection programs and services beyond traditional water utility operations.
Behind the scenes, RWA relied on an SAP system implemented in 2009. Over time, it became heavily customized, expensive to maintain, and difficult to update. Adding new products and services or adjusting rate structures required costly development efforts. The old system caused departments to work in silos, data was fragmented, and there was no unified customer view.
Manual processes slowed customer service, billing, and payment arrangements. Even basic customer interactions like setting up payment plans were tracked manually by agents on personal calendars. Limited self-service options led to high call volumes and customer dissatisfaction.
While RWA has implemented Advance Metering Infrastructure (AMI), it wasn’t fully integrated with the Meter to Cash process due to the antiquated CIS system.
Overall, the system’s rigidity stifled innovation and made it difficult to support the organization's evolving needs. As a result, RWA had limited flexibility to launch new products, services, or dynamic rate structures. “The system was hindering the business from expanding beyond a basic water utility,” says Anthony Perugini, Director of IT, Regional Water Authority. To meet its needs, RWA wanted a solution that could not only address their utility billing needs but also combine sales and marketing capabilities into a single solution, with a 360° view of customers.
Instead of patching the old system, RWA chose full transformation. Partnering with Itineris, a Microsoft partner specializing in utility solutions, RWA implemented UMAX, a customer information system built on top of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance.
Key reasons for choosing Dynamics 365 and UMAX:
Utility-specific expertise: UMAX is designed for utilities with deep functionality for meter-to-cash processes.
Microsoft ecosystem: Seamless integration, scalability, and rapid innovation.
Unified platform: A single database and interface for all business units, including PipeSafe and WellSafe.
Low-code/no-code flexibility: Business users can adapt processes without heavy IT involvement.
In a single, “big bang” rollout, RWA replaced its entire customer information system, billing infrastructure, IVR, self-service portal, and customer service platform. The new solution includes UMAX, Dynamics 365 Customer Service and Contact Center for voice and chat functionality, Dynamics 365 Customer Insights – Journeys for sales and marketing functions, Power Virtual Agents for chatbot capabilities, and Power BI for real-time reporting.
RWA also deployed Microsoft Copilot Studio for transcription, summarization, and customer support representative assistance. “For customer support, we use a Copilot chatbot to answer simple customer questions such as ‘How much is my bill?’ and ‘What was my last payment?’ so customers don’t have to wait to speak to a representative,” says Trevor Hansen, Senior Enterprise Application Manager at Regional Water Authority.
The new solution has also automated bill payment processing and streamlined meter reading for field workers. Its architecture ensures regular updates without disruptive upgrades
Using UMAX and Dynamics 365, RWA automated payment processing and service order updates, reducing manual work and preventing unnecessary truck rolls. For example, customers scheduled for water shutoff can pay the bill online and technicians can receive real-time notifications—no need for a site visit.
Automation has helped RWA reduce erroneous bills by eliminating manual bill and payment plan processing. “We previously had around 14,000 erroneous bills every year. Through automation and process optimization in UMAX and Dynamics 365, we’ve largely eliminated those billing errors,” says Hansen. Automation has also helped Customer Service employees save 10 hours of work each week, which allows them to focus on automating reports for the entire department. "Automation of collection notices has increased my efficiencies, allowing me to take on additional tasks and responsibilities. This new system means no more repetitive tasks or inconsistent data, which frees up my time to assist the department at a higher level,” says Hamdiya I., Customer Service Analyst at Regional Water Authority. Also, because of service order automation, RWA has reduced the time to identify accounts for disconnection from 30 hours per week to seven hours per week.
Additionally, by streamlining meter reading—technicians only use one solution to enter data—RWA reduced processing time. “Reading meters is essential to our business, and there’s a lot of work involved. Near real-time reads are now visible in Contact Center and there’s no need for an agent to jump between different systems to answer consumption questions, providing an enhanced customer experience,” says Hansen. “It’s all managed in Dynamics 365.”
“We previously had around 14,000 erroneous bills every year. Through automation and process optimization in UMAX and Dynamics 365, we’ve largely eliminated those billing errors.”
Trevor Hansen, Senior Enterprise Application Manager, Regional Water Authority
Customer service representatives now have a unified dashboard showing customer history, payment status, and service orders. Tasks that once required employees to navigate multiple screens or pull call recordings can now be resolved in seconds.
Also, AI-generated call summaries in Copilot help boost employee productivity. “If a customer calls and says, ‘I thought we agreed to $150,’ I don’t have to request a call pull anymore. I just go to the date and time, read the transcript, and confirm. It’s increased efficiencies at an outstanding rate,” says Bridgette Hoskie, Director of Customer Care, Regional Water Authority.
Customers benefit from the new self-service portal with real-time access to bills, payments, and service requests. Chatbots manage routine inquiries, and proactive alerts flag unusual water consumption to prevent costly leaks. With these real-time self-service capabilities, RWA customers can take care of issues without needing to call the company. “Transforming our customer information system was a key benefit of implementing Dynamics 365 and UMAX,” Perugini says. “Now, we can ensure our customers are getting the best possible experience when they interact with us.”
Replacing its IVR system and integrating voice, chat, and email into one platform gives customers an omnichannel experience. Early results show reduced call handling time and more customers signing up for electronic billing. Previously, 40,204 customers were signed up for electronic billing. That number has grown to 51,209 since RWA implemented Dynamics 365. “Our e-billing auto payment adoption has grown because the customer portal makes subscribing very easy,” says Aziza Hill, Digital Solutions Manager, Regional Water Authority. “Customers can create requests directly through the portal, which really improves their experience overall. Also, during a customer conversation, Copilot is listening to the conversation and providing the representative with information on the best plan to offer a customer. That’s definitely something we didn’t have before.” RWA also successfully created 1,441 automated payment arrangements since moving to Dynamics 365, with 450 of those customers creating their own payment plans through the customer portal which put customers in the driving seat to take financial accountability. RWA also surpassed its auto-pay numbers by 829 enrollments which currently is at 21% adoption since the implementation.
“Our e-billing auto payment adoption has grown because the customer portal makes subscribing very easy. Customers can create requests directly through the portal, which really improves their experience overall.”
Aziza Hill, Digital Solutions Manager, Regional Water Authority
Previously, reporting was a major challenge for RWA because it relied on disparate systems and a customized business warehouse. On the back end of the solution, Power BI dashboards replaced fragmented Excel reports and Access databases. “Now there’s one source of truth,” says Perugini. “Users can point and click to get the data they need. It’s no longer a mystery.”
The system’s modular design of protection programs and other services within the same platform enabled targeted outreach through Customer Insights – Journeys.
RWA plans to enable live chat, launch customer surveys, and expand Copilot capabilities with autonomous agents. RWA also plans to work with Itineris to implement a knowledge base bot built on Copilot to enhance internal support and customer guidance. “That will make it even easier for end-users to self-serve and get an answer quickly because Copilot will search reference material for the information,” says Hansen.
With its journey from legacy to transformation, RWA now stands as a model for modern utility operations—agile, customer-centric, and ready for the future.
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