Reconnection Flow (CIS01US11)

1. Problem Statement

User Roles Identified:

Customer Service Representative - Front-line staff handling reconnection requests from customers
Field Operations Technician - Field staff responsible for physical meter installation and connection
Billing Specialist - Staff handling billing setup and plan assignment for reconnected services

Pain Points by User Role:

Customer Service Representative:

Cannot process reconnection requests in the system, leading to manual workarounds
No visibility into reconnection status or timeline for customer inquiries
Unable to track reconnection requests from initiation to completion
Lack of standardized process for handling different reconnection scenarios
No integration between reconnection requests and billing setup

Field Operations Technician:

No systematic way to receive and track reconnection work orders
Manual coordination required to understand reconnection requirements
Difficulty accessing customer history and previous connection details
No clear process for meter assignment and installation tracking
Limited visibility into billing plan requirements during field work

Billing Specialist:

Cannot link reconnection requests to appropriate billing plans
Manual process for setting up new accounts after reconnection
No automated workflow for activating billing after physical connection
Difficulty tracking reconnection-related billing adjustments
Lack of integration between field completion and billing activation

Core Problem:

The utility lacks a comprehensive reconnection management system, forcing staff to use manual processes across customer service, field operations, and billing departments. This results in delayed service restoration, poor customer experience, and operational inefficiencies.

2. Who Are the Users Facing the Problem?

Customer Service Representative

Responsibilities: Handle customer reconnection requests, provide status updates, coordinate with other departments
Access Level: Should have access to reconnection request management and status tracking features

Field Operations Technician

Responsibilities: Execute physical reconnection work, install/assign meters, update completion status
Access Level: Should have access to work order management and field completion features

Billing Specialist

Responsibilities: Set up billing plans, activate accounts, process reconnection-related charges
Access Level: Should have access to billing setup and account activation features

3. Jobs To Be Done

For Customer Service Representative: When I need to process a customer's reconnection request, but I cannot enter it into the system and track its progress, help me create and manage reconnection requests with full visibility into status and timeline, so that I can provide accurate information to customers and ensure timely service restoration.

For Field Operations Technician: When I need to execute reconnection work orders, but I don't have systematic access to customer details and reconnection requirements, help me receive detailed work orders with all necessary information and track completion status, so that I can efficiently complete reconnections and update the system in real-time.

For Billing Specialist: When I need to set up billing for reconnected customers, but I don't have integration with reconnection requests and field completion status, help me automatically receive reconnection completion notifications and set up appropriate billing plans, so that I can ensure accurate and timely billing activation.

4. Solution

Comprehensive Reconnection Management System

Request Management Capabilities:

Reconnection request creation with customer verification
Request categorization (voluntary disconnection, involuntary disconnection, new construction)
Customer history and previous connection details access

Work Order Management Capabilities:

Automated work order generation from approved requests
Field technician assignment and scheduling
Mobile work order access with customer and property details

Meter Assignment and Tracking Capabilities:

Available meter inventory visibility
Meter assignment based on property requirements
Installation tracking and completion documentation

Billing Integration Capabilities:

Plan selection during reconnection request
Automated billing setup upon field completion
Reconnection fee calculation and application

Status Tracking and Communication Capabilities:

Real-time status updates across all departments
Customer notification automation
Progress tracking from request to billing activation

Reporting and Analytics Capabilities:

Reconnection performance metrics
Time-to-completion tracking
Customer satisfaction monitoring

Document Management Capabilities:

Digital document capture and storage
Approval workflow management
Compliance documentation tracking

5. Major Steps Involved

Customer Service Representative Flow:

Request Initiation
- Access reconnection request module from main menu
- Search and verify customer identity using account number or personal details
- Review customer history including previous disconnection reason and payment status
- Select reconnection type (voluntary, involuntary, new service)
Request Details Entry
- Enter property address and verify service location
- Capture customer contact information and preferred communication method
- Document reason for reconnection and any special requirements
- Upload any required documentation (payment receipts, permits)
Plan Selection
- Review available billing plans for the customer category
- Select appropriate plan based on customer preferences and usage history
- Calculate and display reconnection fees and deposits required
- Obtain customer approval for fees and billing plan
Request Submission
- Review all entered information for accuracy
- Submit request for approval if required
- Generate request reference number for customer
- Schedule follow-up communication with customer

Field Operations Technician Flow:

Work Order Receipt
- Access mobile application and view assigned reconnection work orders
- Review customer details, property location, and reconnection requirements
- Check meter inventory for required meter type and size
- Navigate to property location using integrated GPS
Property Assessment
- Verify property address and service location
- Assess existing infrastructure and connection requirements
- Document any property changes or accessibility issues
- Take photos of current meter location and property conditions
Meter Selection and Installation
- Select appropriate meter from inventory based on property requirements
- Record meter serial number and specifications
- Install meter and establish service connection
- Test meter functionality and water flow
Completion Documentation
- Update work order status to completed
- Record final meter reading and installation details
- Capture completion photos and customer signature if required
- Submit completion notification to billing department

Billing Specialist Flow:

Completion Notification Receipt
- Receive automated notification of field work completion
- Access reconnection request details and selected billing plan
- Verify meter installation details and customer information
- Review any special billing requirements or adjustments
Account Setup and Activation
- Create or reactivate customer billing account
- Apply selected billing plan and rate structure
- Process reconnection fees and required deposits
- Set up automated billing cycle and payment methods
Billing Activation
- Activate billing for the reconnected service
- Generate welcome packet with billing information
- Schedule first bill generation based on meter reading cycle
- Send activation confirmation to customer service team

6. Flow Diagram

7. Business Rules

Create Reconnection request form

Select Customer Section

Customer Information (Search & Verify)

System must fetch matching customers with:
- Name, Account Number
On successful verification:
- Customer profile gets locked to prevent changes during request creation
- System auto-fills
- - Customer Name
  - Account Number
  - Service Address
  - Contact Info (Phone, Email)
  - category

Request Type

Disconnection Request and Reconnection Request
Based on the consumer status the request
- If status is inactive then reconnection request
- If status is other than inactive then disconnect request

Request Details Section

Reason for Reconnection

Required field
Field data will come from the settings , Reconnections reasons.

Preferred Schedule (Date + Time)

Date is mandatory
Cannot select a date in the past.
Time slots shown must be configurable by admin (e.g., 2-hour blocks).

Additional Notes

Optional.
Max 250 characters.
Accepts text only

Review & Submit Section

Customer Information (Read-only Summary)

All fields are read-only and match verified customer selection.
- Customer name
- Account number
- Customer type
- Service address
- Email
- Phone

Request Details (Read-only Summary)

Must reflect selected:
- Request Type
- Reason
- Scheduled Date
- Time Slot

Customer Notification Checkbox

Checked by default.
If checked:
- System sends email notification
- Must log the notification sent in audit logs.
If unchecked:
- No communication goes out to the customer.

Actions

Submit Request

Validates all required fields:
- Verified customer
- Request type
- Reconnection reason
- Preferred schedule

On success:

System stores request
A receipt is generated with all the details
Receipt can be printed and downloaded
Add another Reconnection request - continue adding another request
Audit trail is updated.

Detail View

Reconnection ID must be system generated
Reason, Reconnection and created date should be displayed
Acknowledgement button - when it is clicked then the status of the request should be change to in-progress. the button becomes "put on hold", if its click then the status of the request is "on hold" and the button becomes "resume", on clicking on resume the status of the request is again "In- progress".
consumer name should be displayed with a vip badge of vip.
consumer account no should be displayed below name
request priority and status should be displayed below account no.
Sla status - its "on track" if all sla metrics fall in the sla rules and "breached' if not.
SLA due date - calculate from the date of creation adding the resolution time defined.
time remaining - calculated from the current time - resolution time

requet details card

Request ID - auto generated
Created on
created by
last updated on
last updated by

Consumer information

phone
email
consumer category
consumer sub category
service address
billing address

Quick actions

send response to consumer - redirect to individual messaging in communication module
Create service order - redirect in the below service order tab.
Add internal note - redirect in the below communication tab
Reconnect and activate - navigate to plan tab if plan is not set, if saved then redirect to activate tab
Close request - dialog box is open and reason and additional notes is asked and then request is closed.
- Reasons - issue resolve, duplicate request, cancelled by consumer, no consumer response, other

Details tab

Request Information (Auto-Populated Fields)

1. Request Type, Reason, Reason Code

All three fields are auto-populated based on the Reconnection workflow initiated.
Mapping logic:
- Request Type = "Reconnection" if user initiated from Reconnection module.
- Reason - added while submitting form
- Reason Code - display the selected reason’s code

2. Priority

Display the selected reason priority

3. Description

Display the selected reason description

4. Preferred Date / Time

Auto-selected based on customer’s availability captured earlier
If not provided by customer, left as “Not specified.”

5. Required Approval

Set to Yes or No based on internal rules:
- Example: If Reconnection is due to non-payment over a certain amount, Yes.

SLA Target & SLA Achieved

SLA Target

Fixed SLA thresholds set in system settings by utility (per request type).
- Acknowledgement: 2 hrs
- Response: 4 hrs
- Resolution: 24 hrs

SLA Achieved

Auto-calculated in real-time:
- Based on timestamps of acknowledgement, first action, and final resolution.
- If resolution is not yet done, show Pending.
Displayed in hours with 2-decimal precision.

Service Information (Auto-Fetched)

For Each Utility Type (Electricity / Water)

Meter Number, Device Number: Retrieved from the linked service account.
Meter Type: Fetched from the service master table.
Current Reading: Last meter reading taken before Reconnection request date.
Reading Date: The date on which the current reading was recorded.
Request notes (additional notes from add form)

Plan Tab

Search bar - Search plan by the plan name , short name
Display all available plans on the basis of category and sub category
Select a plan and save and next

Activate Tab

Display the metered utility service which are in the plan
Select a meter
Enter last reading and reading date
All utility services with metered should be attached with meter before reconnection
On reconnection meter should be assigned to the consumer and consumer status should be Active

Service order tab

service order type - display only the templates which are associated with consumer
Scheduled date - date picker
remarks - text box
add service order button - create the service order
Existing service order
- SO no
- so name
- SO status
- Schedule date
- Created on
- Created by
- assigned to, assigned on
- remark
- view details - redirect to so detail view
- download report - download if the service order is completed

communication tab

All the communication sent to consumer or internal notes are displayed here
user can add a note by selecting internal or consumer

Timeline tab

All the Request related activities are tracked and log

status lifecycle

Pending - when it is created
In progress - when it is acknowledge
on hold - when put on hold
completed - when mark as resolved
Closed - when request is closed

8. Sample Data

Sample Reconnection Request Form Data:

Customer Selection: Search Input: John Smith or 12345678 Matched Customer: John Smith (Account: 12345678) Auto-filled Data: Customer Name: John Smith Account Number: 12345678 Service Address: 123 Main Street, Anytown, ST 12345 Phone: (555) 123-4567 Email: john.smith@email.com Category: Residential Status: Inactive (triggers Reconnection Request)

Request Details: Request Type: Reconnection Request (auto-set) Reason: Payment Completed (from dropdown) Reason Code: RC-001 (auto-populated) Preferred Date: 2024-06-10 Time Slot: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Additional Notes: Customer available all day Customer Notification: Checked (default)

Sample Request Detail View Data:

Reconnection ID: RCN-2024-001234 (system generated) Consumer: John Smith VIP (with VIP badge) Account Number: 12345678 Priority: High | Status: In-Progress SLA Status: On Track SLA Due Date: 2024-06-06 09:30 AM Time Remaining: 18 hours 45 minutes

Request Details Card: Request ID: RCN-2024-001234 Created On: 2024-06-05 09:30 AM Created By: Jane Doe (CSR001) Last Updated On: 2024-06-05 10:15 AM Last Updated By: Mike Johnson (SUPERVISOR)

Consumer Information: Phone: (555) 123-4567 Email: john.smith@email.com Consumer Category: Residential Consumer Sub Category: Standard Residential Service Address: 123 Main Street, Anytown, ST 12345 Billing Address: 123 Main Street, Anytown, ST 12345

Sample Service Information Data:

Electricity Service: Meter Number: EM-789123 Device Number: DEV-456789 Meter Type: Digital Smart Meter Current Reading: 15,487 kWh Reading Date: 2024-03-14

Water Service: Meter Number: WM-456789 Device Number: DEV-123456 Meter Type: 5/8 inch Digital Meter Current Reading: 2,347 gallons Reading Date: 2024-03-14

Sample Plan Tab Data:

Available Plans (filtered by Residential category):

Standard Residential Plan Plan Code: STD-RES-001 Short Name: Standard Monthly Fee: $15.00 Rate: $0.12/kWh, $3.50/1000 gallons
Budget Billing Plan Plan Code: BUD-RES-002 Short Name: Budget Monthly Fee: $18.00 Rate: Fixed monthly amount based on usage history
Time-of-Use Plan Plan Code: TOU-RES-003 Short Name: TOU Monthly Fee: $12.00 Rate: Peak $0.18/kWh, Off-peak $0.08/kWh

Sample Service Order Data:

Service Order Templates (for Residential): Meter Installation Service Connection Quality Check Emergency Reconnection

New Service Order: SO Type: Meter Installation Scheduled Date: 2024-06-10 Remarks: Standard reconnection after payment

Sample Communication Log:

2024-06-05 09:35 AM | System | Consumer Reconnection request RCN-2024-001234 has been created. We will contact you within 2 hours.
2024-06-05 10:15 AM | Jane Doe | Internal Customer has VIP status, prioritizing for next available slot
2024-06-05 11:00 AM | Mike Johnson | Consumer Your reconnection has been approved and scheduled for June 10th, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Sample Timeline Data:

Status Lifecycle: 2024-06-05 09:30 AM: Request Created (Pending) 2024-06-05 10:15 AM: Acknowledged by Supervisor (In-Progress) 2024-06-05 11:00 AM: Plan Selected and Approved 2024-06-05 11:30 AM: Service Order Created [Future] 2024-06-10 12:00 PM: Meter Installed (Completed)

Activities Log: 2024-06-05 09:30 AM: Request submitted by Jane Doe 2024-06-05 09:35 AM: Email notification sent to customer 2024-06-05 10:15 AM: Request acknowledged by Mike Johnson 2024-06-05 10:20 AM: VIP status noted and priority upgraded 2024-06-05 11:00 AM: Standard Residential Plan selected 2024-06-05 11:30 AM: Service order SO-2024-001 created

9. Acceptance Criteria

The system must allow CSRs to search customers by Name and Account Number with matching results displayed
The system must auto-populate Customer Name, Account Number, Service Address, Phone, Email, and Category upon customer verification
The system must lock customer profile during request creation to prevent concurrent modifications
The system must auto-determine request type based on customer status (inactive = Reconnection, other = Disconnection)
The system must display reconnection reasons from configurable system settings master data
The system must validate that preferred schedule date cannot be in the past
The system must display admin-configurable time slots (e.g., 2-hour blocks) for customer selection
The system must limit additional notes to 250 characters and accept text-only input
The system must auto-populate Request Type as "Reconnection" when initiated from Reconnection module
The system must auto-populate Reason Code based on selected reason's configured code
The system must auto-assign priority based on selected reason's priority level
The system must set Required Approval to Yes/No based on internal business rules
The system must calculate SLA targets with fixed thresholds: Acknowledgement,, Response , Resolution .
The system must calculate SLA status as "On track" or "Breached" based on real-time metrics
The system must generate system-generated Reconnection ID for each request
The system must display consumer name with VIP badge if customer has VIP status
The system must show Acknowledgement button that changes status to "In-progress" when clicked
The system must change Acknowledgement button to "Put on hold" after acknowledgement
The system must change "Put on hold" button to "Resume" when request is on hold
The system must auto-fetch Meter Number, Device Number, and Meter Type from linked service account
The system must display last meter reading and reading date before reconnection request
The system must provide plan search functionality by plan name and short name
The system must filter and display plans based on customer category and sub-category
The system must require meter selection for each metered utility service in the plan
The system must require last reading and reading date entry for all metered services
The system must prevent reconnection until all utility services are attached with meters
The system must update consumer status to "Active" and assign meter upon reconnection
The system must display only service order templates associated with consumer category
The system must provide date picker for service order scheduled date with validation
The system must create service orders with auto-generated SO number and status tracking
The system must log all consumer and internal communications in the communication tab
The system must provide functionality to add internal or consumer notes
The system must track all request-related activities in timeline with timestamps
The system must maintain status lifecycle: Pending → In-progress → On hold → Completed → Closed
The system must require closure reason selection from predefined list when closing requests
The system must generate receipt with all request details upon successful submission
The system must provide print and download functionality for generated receipts
The system must send email notification to customer if notification checkbox is checked
The system must log all notifications sent in audit trail with user ID and timestamp
The system must validate all required fields before allowing request submission

10. Process Changes

Process Area	From	To	Impact
Request Processing	Manual paper forms and phone calls	Digital request creation with automated workflows	60% reduction in processing time from 2 days to 8 hours
Work Order Management	Manual dispatch via phone/email	Automated work order generation and assignment	70% improvement in technician productivity through optimized scheduling
Customer Communication	Manual status calls and updates	Automated notifications at key milestones	80% reduction in customer service calls for status updates
Meter Inventory	Manual tracking in spreadsheets	Real-time inventory management with automated updates	90% reduction in meter shortage incidents
Billing Activation	Manual account setup after phone confirmation	Automated billing setup upon field completion	75% faster billing activation from 3-5 days to 1 day
Documentation	Paper records and filing	Digital document management with search capabilities	85% reduction in document retrieval time
Quality Control	Random manual reviews	Automated validation and compliance checking	95% improvement in data accuracy and compliance
Reporting	Manual compilation of metrics	Real-time dashboards and automated reports	90% reduction in report generation time

11. Impact from Solving This Problem

Impact Category	Metric	How It Improves
✅ Customer Satisfaction	Net Promoter Score	Increases by 25 points through faster, more reliable service restoration
✅ Operational Efficiency	Average Reconnection Time	Reduces from 5-7 days to 2-3 days through automated workflows
✅ Cost Reduction	Administrative Processing Cost	Decreases by 40% through elimination of manual processes
✅ Revenue Recovery	Time to Bill Activation	Reduces from 7-10 days to 3-4 days, improving cash flow
✅ Staff Productivity	Requests Processed per Day	Increases by 60% per CSR through streamlined digital processes
✅ Data Accuracy	Process Error Rate	Reduces from 15% to less than 3% through automated validation
✅ Customer Service	Status Inquiry Call Volume	Decreases by 70% through automated notifications
✅ Regulatory Compliance	Audit Finding Rate	Reduces by 80% through automated documentation and tracking
✅ Field Efficiency	Technician Utilization Rate	Increases by 35% through optimized scheduling and routing
✅ Inventory Management	Meter Shortage Incidents	Reduces by 90% through real-time inventory tracking

12. User Behavior Tracking

Customer Service Representative Tracking:

Metric	Events to Track	Properties	Questions Answered
Request Creation Efficiency	`reconnection_request_created` , `customer_verification_completed`	request_id, csr_id, verification_method, time_to_complete	How quickly can CSRs process new requests? What verification methods are most efficient?
Plan Selection Patterns	`billing_plan_selected` , `fee_calculation_completed`	plan_type, customer_category, fee_amount, acceptance_rate	Which plans are most popular? How do fees affect customer acceptance?
Customer Interaction Quality	`customer_approval_received` , `follow_up_scheduled`	interaction_duration, approval_rate, follow_up_type	How effective are CSR interactions? What improves customer approval rates?

Metric

Events to Track

Properties

Questions Answered

Request Creation Efficiency

reconnection_request_created

customer_verification_completed

request_id, csr_id, verification_method, time_to_complete

How quickly can CSRs process new requests? What verification methods are most efficient?

Plan Selection Patterns

billing_plan_selected

fee_calculation_completed

plan_type, customer_category, fee_amount, acceptance_rate

Which plans are most popular? How do fees affect customer acceptance?

Customer Interaction Quality

customer_approval_received

follow_up_scheduled

interaction_duration, approval_rate, follow_up_type

How effective are CSR interactions? What improves customer approval rates?

Field Operations Technician Tracking:

Metric	Events to Track	Properties	Questions Answered
Work Order Completion Rate	`work_order_received` , `installation_completed`	technician_id, completion_time, success_rate	How efficiently do technicians complete work? What factors affect completion rates?
Meter Installation Efficiency	`meter_selected` , `installation_started` , `testing_completed`	meter_type, installation_duration, test_results	Which meter types are fastest to install? How often do installations fail testing?
Mobile App Usage	`mobile_app_opened` , `status_updated` , `photo_captured`	session_duration, update_frequency, feature_usage	How effectively do technicians use mobile tools? Which features are most valuable?

Metric

Events to Track

Properties

Questions Answered

Work Order Completion Rate

work_order_received

installation_completed

technician_id, completion_time, success_rate

How efficiently do technicians complete work? What factors affect completion rates?

Meter Installation Efficiency

meter_selected

installation_started

testing_completed

meter_type, installation_duration, test_results

Which meter types are fastest to install? How often do installations fail testing?

Mobile App Usage

mobile_app_opened

status_updated

photo_captured

session_duration, update_frequency, feature_usage

How effectively do technicians use mobile tools? Which features are most valuable?

Billing Specialist Tracking:

Metric	Events to Track	Properties	Questions Answered
Account Activation Speed	`completion_notification_received` , `account_activated`	processing_time, plan_setup_duration, activation_success_rate	How quickly can billing be activated? What causes delays in setup?
Billing Accuracy	`account_created` , `first_bill_generated` , `billing_adjustment_made`	adjustment_frequency, error_types, resolution_time	How accurate is initial billing setup? What types of errors occur most frequently?
Process Integration	`field_completion_received` , `billing_workflow_triggered`	integration_success_rate, data_accuracy, processing_time	How well does the integration work? Are there data quality issues?

Metric

Events to Track

Properties

Questions Answered

Account Activation Speed

completion_notification_received

account_activated

processing_time, plan_setup_duration, activation_success_rate

How quickly can billing be activated? What causes delays in setup?

Billing Accuracy

account_created

first_bill_generated

billing_adjustment_made

adjustment_frequency, error_types, resolution_time

How accurate is initial billing setup? What types of errors occur most frequently?

Process Integration

field_completion_received

billing_workflow_triggered

integration_success_rate, data_accuracy, processing_time

How well does the integration work? Are there data quality issues?

Cross-Functional Tracking:

Metric	Events to Track	Properties	Questions Answered
End-to-End Process Time	`request_created` , `service_activated`	total_process_time, milestone_timestamps, bottleneck_identification	What is the overall process efficiency? Where are the bottlenecks?
Customer Communication Effectiveness	`notification_sent` , `customer_response` , `satisfaction_survey_completed`	notification_type, response_rate, satisfaction_score	Are customers well-informed? How satisfied are they with the process?
System Adoption	`user_login` , `feature_used` , `process_completed`	user_role, feature_adoption_rate, completion_success_rate	How well are users adopting the new system? Which features need improvement?

Metric

Events to Track

Properties

Questions Answered

End-to-End Process Time

request_created

service_activated

total_process_time, milestone_timestamps, bottleneck_identification

What is the overall process efficiency? Where are the bottlenecks?

Customer Communication Effectiveness

notification_sent

customer_response

satisfaction_survey_completed

notification_type, response_rate, satisfaction_score

Are customers well-informed? How satisfied are they with the process?

System Adoption

user_login

feature_used

process_completed

user_role, feature_adoption_rate, completion_success_rate

How well are users adopting the new system? Which features need improvement?

Key Questions Being Answered:

Process Efficiency: How can we reduce the time from request to service activation?
User Experience: Are users finding the system intuitive and efficient?
Customer Satisfaction: How does the new process impact customer experience?
Operational Performance: Which steps in the process are most/least efficient?
Resource Optimization: How can we better allocate staff and equipment?
Quality Improvement: Where do errors occur and how can we prevent them?
Training Needs: Which users or processes need additional support?
Business Impact: What is the ROI of the new reconnection system?

13. Wireframe

https://preview--utility-compass-flow-41.lovable.app/payments/new