Polaris

The utility industry’s premier benchmarking program with 18 years of proven excellence

PA's Polaris program is a comprehensive discovery process into a company's business operations. The program, consisting of a general review of organization practices, in addition to a focus on Transmission & Distribution and/or Customer Service, focuses on this discovery process by taking an inventory of the strengths and opportunties of your business.

As the utility industry continues to change shape, leaders are faced with a series of  questions. What is the initial impulse that ultimately results in successful and lasting performance improvement of a regulated utility? What prompts cost reductions, increases in customer satisfaction, or improved reliability? Where does the journey end – an increase in shareholder value, improved customer perceptions, a new standard of performance?

PA's Polaris program

PA's benchmarking program includes a review of asset management strategy, business process mapping,  infrastructure sustainability, aging workforce and performance managment. In addition, a focus exists on customer satisfaction, expenses review, health and safety review and analysis of the regulatory environment. The concepts of shareholder value and training are also included.

Transmission & Distribution
The Transmission & Distribution program includes a focus on activity based cost modeling, emergency response time and engineering and design surrounding process, management and development for new business. Analysis of FERC cost data, field maintenance operations and comparison to industry standard metrics is also inlcuded. 

Members of the PA Polaris team review operations dispatch (field service) procedures, outage management and reliability, system availability, vegetation management and work management processes to evaluate and recommend best practices for process improvement.

Customer Service
The Customer Service portion of the program focuses on account management methodology, application of new technology (i.e. automated meter read), billing processes, procedures and expenses, and customer contact center methodologies. An in-depth analysis of credit and collections strategy and development, first contact resolution, fraud and energy theft and information system strategy and best practice is also conducted. Meter reading and services, outsourcing and payment processing are also included with in the customer service area.

Program characteristics

Tailored to the industry
The most comprehensive, objective and useful benchmarking studies available in the utility industry.

Unique characteristics
Measures such as lines of business and service area density are addressed to ensure tailored feedback and peer-to-peer measurement.

Highly participatory
Co-operative planning, data validation and results meetings are completed in conjunction with our clients.

Detail oriented
Insight into service quality measures, practice information and cost comparisons provide for detailed best practice review and comparison.

Diversity
A broad spectrum of participants including electric, gas, water and combination utilities.

Cost-effectiveness
Participants realize substantial benefits to their company each year achieved through implementing improvement strategies through PA assistance.

Performance improvement
Each Polaris program participant benefits from PA insight in the area of potential performance improvement initiatives which can result in cost reduction and increased levels customer satisfaction.

Program participants – past and current

A word from our participants... "PA Consulting looks at benchmarking from a balanced perspective" "Best utility benchmarking data available..." "A definite driver to streamlining costs … " "The data scrubbing process is the most complex and comprehensive" "Well managed and independently run study" "At the annual Results Meeting, you get the best of both worlds. The best performing utilities give presentations and the consultants provide a comprehensive analysis of the industry" "The PA name seems to be better known around the country than most of the other Benchmarking programs"