Operations
management refers to the business activities that support the day-to-day, real-time
management of a utility company. These processes exist to ensure that the business
is operating in a safe, efficient and economic manner. It encompasses systems
and processes that support the business decision making process, enabling decisions
to be made on an informed basis with ready access to all relevant information.
Business drivers include:
- Improved customer satisfaction and guaranteed customer service levels.
- Ability to track, respond to and monitor network faults.
- Maintenance of network reliability. By ensuring network is operated within design limits, as well as scheduling and conducting routine maintenance.
- Protect assets and resources, by facilitating and enforcing safe work practices.
- Regulatory and license requirements (provide an auditable level of service
to government authorities).
- Maximize ROI (monitor network utilization to ensure use to maximum capacity.
Minimize unnecessary capital expenditure.)
- Information gathering as a basis for competitive advantage.
Some systems span many of these drivers. For example, a Network Management
System (NMS) provides a system to monitor and improve customer service by
the faster identification and resolution of network faults. At the same time
an audit trail of network reliability, and customer service is maintained
for use by the business and the regulatory authorities. This device history
may also be used to target high area of faults for focused maintenance spending.