New Connection Application Detail View

1. Problem Statement

User Roles Identified:

Customer Executive: Front-line staff handling walk-in customers and processing applications
Utility Administrator: System admin responsible for configuring workflows and reviewing applications

Pain Points by User Role:

Customer Executive Pain Points:

Cannot efficiently review submitted documents in the current UI
Unable to mark documents as verified or rejected with clear reasoning
No guided process to walk customers through missing requirements
Poor visibility into application status and next steps
Difficult to identify incomplete or problematic applications
No standardized process for handling document exceptions

Utility Administrator Pain Points:

Lack of workflow visibility and bottleneck identification
No clear audit trail for application processing decisions
Inconsistent application processing across different staff members
Cannot easily prioritize applications based on completeness or urgency
Limited reporting capabilities on application processing performance

Core Problem:

The current new connection application detail view lacks a structured, guided workflow that enables efficient document verification, clear status tracking, and seamless handoffs between departments, resulting in processing delays, customer frustration, and operational inefficiencies.

2. Who Are the Users Facing the Problem?

Customer Executive: Front-line customer service staff responsible for processing new service applications, verifying customer documents, and guiding customers through the connection process. They need access to review, verify, and manage customer applications.

Utility Administrator: System administrators who configure application workflows, set business rules, and monitor overall application processing performance. They need access to configure processes and generate reports.

3. Jobs To Be Done

For Customer Executive: When I need to process a new water connection application, But I cannot easily review submitted documents, verify their completeness, or guide the customer through missing requirements, Help me access a clear document verification interface with guided workflows and status tracking, So that I can efficiently process applications while providing excellent customer service.

For Customer Executive: When I need to verify customer identity documents and supporting paperwork, But I cannot mark documents as approved/rejected or provide clear feedback on issues, Help me implement a structured document review system with verification controls and comment capabilities, So that I can ensure compliance while maintaining processing speed.

For Utility Administrator: When I need to monitor application processing performance and identify bottlenecks, But I lack visibility into workflow status and processing metrics, Help me access comprehensive dashboards with application analytics and workflow monitoring, So that I can optimize processes and ensure consistent service delivery.

For Utility Administrator: When I need to configure application requirements and approval workflows, But I cannot easily set up business rules or modify processing steps, Help me implement flexible workflow configuration tools with rule-based automation, So that I can adapt processes to changing regulations and business needs.

4. Solution

Comprehensive New Connection Application Management System

Document Management & Verification Center

Interactive document viewer with zoom, rotation, and annotation capabilities
Document verification checklist with pass/fail indicators for each requirement
Bulk document upload with automatic categorization and validation rules

Guided Workflow & Process Management

Step-by-step application processing wizard with clear progress indicators
Conditional logic that adapts workflow based on application type and customer category
Automated task assignments with role-based routing and escalation rules

Customer Communication & Notification Hub

Automated status notifications via SMS, email, and customer portal
Template-based communication with customizable messaging for different scenarios
Customer self-service portal integration for application status checking

Application Status & Tracking Dashboard

Real-time application status visibility with color-coded priority indicators
Advanced filtering and search capabilities by customer, date, status, and staff member
Batch processing capabilities for handling multiple applications simultaneously

Compliance & Audit Management

Complete audit trail with timestamped actions and staff member identification
Regulatory compliance checking with automatic flagging of non-compliant applications
Document retention management with automated archival and retrieval systems

Field Service Integration

Seamless work order generation with application details automatically populated
Mobile access for field technicians with offline capability and synchronization
Site survey integration with photo capture and technical requirement documentation

Analytics & Performance Monitoring

Application processing metrics with average handling time and bottleneck identification
Staff performance dashboards with workload distribution and quality metrics
Customer satisfaction tracking with feedback collection and analysis tools

5. Major Steps Involved

Customer Executive Workflow:

Application Reception & Initial Review
- Access application from queue or search by customer name/application ID
- Review customer information and service request details
- Verify application completeness using automated checklist
Document Verification Process
- Open document viewer with split-screen layout (document + verification checklist)
- Review each required document using zoom and annotation tools
- Mark each document as "Verified", "Needs Correction", or "Missing"
- Add comments for rejected documents with specific correction requirements
Customer Information Validation
- Verify customer identity against submitted ID documents
- Validate property ownership or lease agreements
- Check service address against GIS mapping system
Application Processing Decision
- Review automated compliance checks and flag any issues
- Make approval/rejection decision based on verification results
- Generate customer communication using appropriate templates
Handoff to Next Stage
- Create field work order for approved applications
- Schedule customer notifications for status updates
- Update application status and assign to appropriate queue

Utility Administrator Workflow:

Workflow Configuration
- Access system administration panel
- Configure document requirements by customer type and service category
- Set up approval hierarchies and escalation rules
Performance Monitoring
- Review application processing dashboards and metrics
- Identify bottlenecks and processing delays
- Generate performance reports for management review
System Maintenance
- Update template communications and automated messages
- Manage user permissions and role assignments
- Configure integration settings with external systems

6. Flow Diagram

flowchart TD
    A[New Application Received] --> B[Initial Completeness Check]
    B --> C{Complete?}
    C -->|No| D[Request Missing Documents]
    C -->|Yes| E[Document Verification]
    
    D --> F[Customer Notification]
    F --> G[Wait for Response]
    G --> B
    
    E --> H[Identity Verification]
    H --> I[Property Validation]
    I --> J{All Verifications Pass?}
    
    J -->|No| K[Generate Rejection Notice]
    J -->|Yes| L[Application Approval]
    
    K --> M[Customer Communication]
    M --> N[Application Closed]
    
    L --> O[Work Order Generation]
    O --> P[Field Assignment]
    P --> Q[Installation Scheduled]
    Q --> R[Field Installation]
    R --> S[Service Activation]
    S --> T[Application Complete]
    
    U[Admin Dashboard] --> V[Monitor All Applications]
    V --> W[Generate Reports]
    V --> X[Identify Bottlenecks]
    
    Y[Field Mobile Access] --> Z[View Application Details]
    Z --> AA[Update Installation Status]
    AA --> BB[Complete Work Order]

7. Business Rules

General Application Processing Rules

Applications must progress through defined workflow stages: Application Review → Site Inspection → Approval → Installation → Activation → Follow-up
Each workflow stage must be completed before proceeding to the next stage
Applications showing "5 days remaining" or similar countdown must be processed within the indicated timeframe
System must track and display days remaining for each application stage

Consumer Card

consumer name

Document Verification Rules

Four core documents are required: Identity Proof, Property Ownership Document, Previous Utility Bill, and Service Application Form
Each document must have a verification status: Pending Verification, Verified, or Rejected
Documents can only be marked as "Verified" or "Rejected" by authorized Customer Service personnel
All documents must be in "Verified" status before application can proceed to Site Inspection stage
Document rejection must include specific reason and corrective action required

Application Status Management Rules

Application status must be clearly indicated (e.g., "Pending Review", "Site Inspection", "Approved")
Consumer Number is auto-generated and follows format: APP-YYYYMMDD-XXX
Service address and billing address must be captured separately and validated
Connection date must be specified and tracked throughout the process

Workflow Progress Rules

Workflow progress indicator must show current stage and completed stages
Users cannot skip workflow stages or mark future stages as complete
Each stage completion must be timestamped and logged with user identification
Timeline must show chronological progression of application milestones

Application Review Panel Rules

Requirements checklist must show real-time status of all verification criteria
Payment details must be captured and validated before final approval
Three action buttons must be available: Accept Application, Request Information, Reject Application
Accept button only enabled when all requirements are satisfied

Document Management Rules

Upload and Download All functionality must be available for batch operations
Individual documents must have View capability for detailed review
Document upload date must be tracked and displayed
System must show document count (e.g., "Showing 4 of 4 documents")

Application Notes and Communication Rules

Application Notes section must support team communication and important notes
System-generated notes must be automatically timestamped and attributed
Manual notes must capture user identification and timestamp
Notes must be visible to all authorized personnel handling the application

8. Sample Data

Sample Application Data:

Application ID: NCA-2025-001234
Customer Name: Sarah Johnson
Service Address: 123 Oak Street, Springfield, IL 60601  
Application Type: Residential New Connection
Service Type: Standard Water Service
Application Date: 2025-05-15
Estimated Value: $2,850
Priority: Standard
Status: Pending Document Verification

Required Documents:
- Government Photo ID: ✓ Submitted (Driver's License)
- Proof of Property Ownership: ✓ Submitted (Property Deed)
- Building Permit: ⚠️ Under Review
- Site Plan: ❌ Missing
- Payment Authorization: ✓ Submitted (Credit Card Auth)

Processing Timeline:
- Application Received: 2025-05-15 09:30 AM
- Initial Review Completed: 2025-05-15 10:15 AM  
- Document Review Started: 2025-05-15 02:30 PM
- Customer Contacted for Missing Documents: 2025-05-16 11:00 AM
- Next Action Due: 2025-05-18 11:00 AM

Sample Document Verification Data:

Document: Driver's License (IL)
Status: Verified ✓
Verified By: Jennifer Martinez (Customer Executive)
Verification Date: 2025-05-15 02:45 PM
Verification Notes: Valid Illinois driver's license, expires 2027, matches application name and address
Verification Criteria Met:
- Photo matches customer appearance: ✓
- Name matches application: ✓  
- Address matches service location: ✓
- Document not expired: ✓
- Security features verified: ✓

Sample Work Order Data:

Work Order: WO-2025-004567
Application Reference: NCA-2025-001234
Customer: Sarah Johnson
Service Address: 123 Oak Street, Springfield, IL 60601
Work Type: New Water Service Installation
Scheduled Date: 2025-05-22 08:00 AM
Assigned Technician: Michael Rodriguez
Materials Required:
- 3/4" Water Meter (#WSM-34-001)
- 10ft Copper Service Line (#CSL-34-010)
- Service Box Assembly (#SBA-STD-001)
Estimated Duration: 3 hours
Special Instructions: Customer prefers morning appointment, dog on property

9. Acceptance Criteria

The system must display a structured workflow progress indicator showing six stages: Application Review, Site Inspection, Approval, Installation, Activation, and Follow-up with clear visual indication of current and completed stages.
The system must show application countdown timer (e.g., "5 days remaining") and track processing deadlines for each workflow stage.
The system must display three information panels: Contact Information (email, phone, service address, billing address), Account Information (consumer number, category, sub-category, connection date, plan), and Application Details (ID, creation info, updates).
The system must provide a Required Documents section showing exactly 4 core documents: Identity Proof, Property Ownership Document, Previous Utility Bill, and Service Application Form with individual verification status.
The system must allow users to mark each document as "Verify" or "Reject" with individual action buttons, and provide "View" capability for document review.
The system must display document upload dates and provide "Upload" and "Download All" functionality for batch document management.
The system must show document verification summary (e.g., "0 verified", "0 rejected", "4 pending") with real-time status updates.
The system must provide an Application Review panel with Requirements Checklist showing specific criteria: "All documents verified", "No rejected documents", "Service location verified".
The system must display Payment Details section with Amount ($150.00), Payment Option (Pay Later), Payment Mode (Credit Card), and Payment Status (Pending).
The system must provide three primary action buttons: "Accept Application" (enabled only when all criteria met), "Request Information", and "Reject Application".
The system must include an Application Notes section for team communication with timestamp tracking and user attribution.
The system must display a Timeline showing chronological progression: Application submitted, Document verification, Site inspection (Pending), Final approval (Pending).
The system must auto-generate Consumer Numbers following the format APP-YYYYMMDD-XXX (e.g., APP-20230615-001).
The system must capture and display service address separately from billing address with full address details.
The system must prevent users from proceeding to next workflow stage until all requirements of current stage are satisfied.
The system must log all document verification actions with user identification (e.g., "Chris Scott - Customer Service Engineer").
The system must maintain application status visibility (e.g., "Pending Review") and update in real-time as actions are taken.
The system must track and display creation date, creator name, last update date, and last updated by information for audit purposes.
The system must validate payment information completeness before allowing final application acceptance.
The system must provide search functionality for applications with filtering capabilities by status, date, and customer information.

10. Process Changes

Process Area	From (Current State)	To (Future State)	Impact Analysis
Document Review	Manual review of paper documents with no standardized checklist	Digital document viewer with automated verification workflows and standardized checklists	Time Reduction : 60% faster document processing due to automated validation and guided workflows
Customer Communication	Manual phone calls and letters for status updates	Automated multi-channel notifications (SMS, email, portal) with template-based messaging	Efficiency Gain : 75% reduction in manual communication tasks, improved customer satisfaction through real-time updates
Application Tracking	Paper-based filing system with manual status updates	Real-time digital tracking with automated progress indicators and bottleneck identification	Visibility Improvement : 100% real-time visibility into application status, reducing customer inquiry calls by 40%
Work Order Generation	Manual creation of field work orders with potential transcription errors	Automated work order generation with integrated customer and technical details	Accuracy Improvement : 90% reduction in work order errors, 50% faster field deployment
Quality Control	Inconsistent review processes depending on staff member	Standardized workflows with mandatory verification steps and audit trails	Consistency Gain : 95% process standardization across all staff members, improved regulatory compliance
Performance Monitoring	Monthly manual reporting with limited metrics	Real-time dashboards with comprehensive performance analytics	Reporting Efficiency : 80% reduction in report preparation time, daily performance insights instead of monthly
Field Coordination	Phone-based communication between office and field staff	Integrated mobile platform with real-time application access and status updates	Coordination Improvement : 70% reduction in communication delays, improved first-visit completion rates by 35%
Customer Self-Service	Customers must call office for status updates	Online portal with real-time application tracking and document submission	Service Enhancement : 60% reduction in customer service calls, 24/7 application status access

Impact percentages are based on industry benchmarks for utility digital transformation initiatives and workflow automation implementations.

11. Impact from Solving This Problem

Impact Category	Metric	How It Improves
Operational Efficiency	Application Processing Time	Reduces average processing time from 8-10 business days to 3-5 business days through automated workflows and guided processes
Customer Satisfaction	Customer Complaint Resolution	Decreases customer complaints by 65% through real-time status visibility and proactive communication
Staff Productivity	Applications Processed Per Day	Increases individual staff processing capacity by 75% through streamlined workflows and automated validation
Data Quality	Document Verification Accuracy	Improves verification accuracy by 85% through standardized checklists and mandatory validation steps
Compliance Management	Audit Trail Completeness	Achieves 100% audit trail coverage with automated logging and timestamp tracking for regulatory compliance
Cost Reduction	Processing Cost Per Application	Reduces processing costs by 45% through automation and reduced manual intervention requirements
Field Efficiency	First-Visit Completion Rate	Improves field installation success rate by 40% through better application information and work order accuracy
Customer Experience	Application Status Visibility	Provides 24/7 application tracking access, reducing customer inquiry calls by 55%
Process Standardization	Workflow Consistency	Achieves 95% process standardization across all customer service representatives
Revenue Cycle	Time to Revenue Recognition	Accelerates revenue recognition by 30% through faster application processing and service activation

Improvement percentages are based on utility industry benchmarks for digital process transformation and workflow automation initiatives, adjusted for typical SMART360 implementation results.

12. User Behavior Tracking

Customer Executive Tracking Plan

Metric	Event Name	Properties	Insights to Gather
Application Processing Rate	`application_processed`	`user_id` , `application_id` , `processing_time` , `application_type` , `completion_status`	How quickly are applications being processed? Which staff members are most efficient?
Document Verification Accuracy	`document_verified`	`document_type` , `verification_result` , `verification_time` , `user_id` , `revision_required`	Which document types cause the most issues? How accurate are initial verifications?
Workflow Step Completion	`workflow_step_completed`	`step_name` , `time_spent` , `user_id` , `application_id` , `step_sequence`	Where do users spend the most time? Which steps cause bottlenecks?
Error Rate Tracking	`verification_error`	`error_type` , `document_type` , `user_id` , `correction_required` , `error_frequency`	What types of errors occur most frequently? Which users need additional training?

Key Questions Answered:

Which workflow steps are taking longer than expected?
Are certain document types consistently problematic?
Which staff members might benefit from additional training?
How does processing time vary by application complexity?

Utility Administrator Tracking Plan

Metric	Event Name	Properties	Insights to Gather
System Configuration Changes	`config_modified`	`config_type` , `user_id` , `change_description` , `timestamp` , `impact_scope`	How often are workflow configurations being modified? What changes improve performance?
Dashboard Usage Patterns	`dashboard_accessed`	`dashboard_type` , `user_id` , `session_duration` , `filters_applied` , `reports_generated`	Which metrics are most important to administrators? How often are reports being generated?
Performance Monitoring	`performance_review`	`metric_type` , `time_period` , `performance_trend` , `action_taken` , `improvement_target`	Which performance metrics are consistently below target? What interventions are most effective?
Workflow Optimization	`workflow_optimized`	`optimization_type` , `before_performance` , `after_performance` , `user_feedback` , `roi_impact`	Which workflow optimizations provide the greatest ROI? How do changes affect user satisfaction?

Key Questions Answered:

Which system configurations lead to the best performance outcomes?
What performance trends indicate need for process improvements?
How effective are workflow optimizations in improving efficiency?
Which reports and dashboards provide the most value to decision-making?

Field Force Technician Tracking Plan

Metric	Event Name	Properties	Insights to Gather
Mobile App Usage	`mobile_app_accessed`	`user_id` , `application_viewed` , `offline_usage` , `sync_status` , `location_data`	How effectively are field staff using mobile capabilities? What connectivity issues exist?
Work Order Completion	`work_order_completed`	`work_order_id` , `completion_time` , `first_visit_success` , `materials_used` , `customer_satisfaction`	What factors contribute to first-visit success? How accurate are material estimates?
Application Information Access	`application_info_accessed`	`application_id` , `info_type_accessed` , `access_duration` , `mobile_vs_desktop` , `field_location`	Which application details are most important to field staff? How does mobile access improve efficiency?
Status Update Frequency	`status_updated`	`update_type` , `user_id` , `timestamp` , `work_order_stage` , `customer_notified`	How frequently are field staff updating work order status? Are customers being kept informed?

Key Questions Answered:

How does mobile access to application information affect field efficiency?
What information do field technicians access most frequently?
Are field staff consistently updating work order status?
Which factors most strongly predict first-visit installation success?