The energy supply market is changing quickly, with ambitious plans in many countries to roll out “smart” meters to households, apply more frequent tariff changes, and consumers and even suppliers are being given sophisticated ways to control the use of energy in the home. But not all the details about how the “smart grid” will operate are certain.

Changes are coming that will make the energy sector more complex. Around the world, electricity grids are gearing up for new ways of metering and billing, and controlling energy consumption.

Additionally, companies that manufacture meters will have to interface with new types of customers – for instance, retailers and other types of players that might enter the energy market. There is also likely to be a change to the industry oversight regime as smart metering is introduced, with a greater requirement to produce an audit trail because customers are likely to change suppliers much more frequently.

Crucial to this is having a billing system capable of creating personalized customer strategies, driving customer loyalty, enhancing customer satisfaction, improving revenue assurance, and introducing new revenue opportunities by up-selling and cross-selling products and services.