06.1.2021

Step 5: Keep Evaluating

Ninety-five percent of power sector respondents agreed that “Digital transformation is a top strategic priority at my organization,” according to research by Deloitte.

Whatever the reason you’re considering (or reconsidering) your tech stack, it can be difficult to figure out what tools to use and how they fit into your organization. So we talked with utility experts to outline where opportunities for improvement might lie, how to evaluate new technology, and how to ensure smooth integration into your existing technology.

 



Step 4 Recap: Get Buy-In

You’ve analyzed your operations and processes, discovered opportunities for expanding your tech stack, found the right vendor, and are ready to pull the trigger on your new technology solution. But first, you need to get key stakeholders on board—from operations leaders to the CIO. Know your spiel. Give an example. Share the Numbers.

Review Step 4

 

Step 5: Keep Evaluating

Once your tech stack is up and running, Kristen Ellerbe, Vice President of Technology at PrecisionHawk, recommends reevaluating it regularly, dependent on your organization’s goals and needs. “Technology is moving at a pace that we could never have predicted 20 years ago,” she says. “If you're not focused on reevaluating where you’re at, other utilities are going to put in technological advancements that will push them ahead...and you're going to be caught behind.”

Using this guide, you’ve pinpointed your problems, evaluated tech tools, gathered insights from vendors, partnered with the right vendor for your utility, and gotten buy-in from key stakeholders. Stay ahead of the curve with a quick run-through of steps one and two—and steps three through five if you uncover any unaddressed needs—and your tech stack will continue to serve your utility and customers in the best way possible.

 

BEYOND THE TECH STACK: CONSOLIDATING VENDORS


With so many solutions available for different processes in a utility’s operations, it’s all too easy to trade the problem of an ineffective tech stack with the problem of having to juggle multiple vendors.


“Vendor consolidation is huge,” says Perry. “Companies are looking for that single portal to access their information easily and to use it across multiple verticals within the organization so that everybody's on the same type of program and they're leveraging pricing. Because as technology grows, it becomes more and more difficult to manage it.”

 

Go To Step 5

 


Learn the five steps to Evaluate and Integrate Your Tech Stack; to pinpoint gaps in your tech stack, evaluate new solutions, and work with vendors to integrate the tools into your existing technology.