Metering, Billing/CRM Asia tackles growth phase

Asia-Pacific’s Automatic Meter Reading market will reach $1.22 billion by 2015 with an annual growth of 63.2 percent from 2008. The data, which is based on a Frost & Sullivan’s research study, is seen to cause vendors, analyst and suppliers to maximise their revenues during this time frame.

To discuss innovative ways for utilities to increase operational efficiencies, improve customer service, reduce financial risks and control operational costs, "Metering, Billing/CRM Asia 2009" will return to Bangkok on 12-14 May 2009.

Previously part of the Asian Energy Week, Metering, Billing/CRM Asia 2009 has been fine-tuned and greatly enhanced as a stand-alone event. It has been designed as a top-level conference and vendor showcase to enable utility professionals to meet the challenges of reducing technical losses, dealing with invoicing errors and meter inaccuracies and improving customer service.

The event features 45 speakers and more than 16 leading electricity and water utilities.

"This year, we have been directly in touch with many different utilities and are addressing the utilities needs by creating a programme that will bring value to their existing skill sets," said Elly Kreijkes, General Manager of Synergy Asia-Pacific. "Utility industry professionals at Metering, Billing/CRM Asia 2009 will gain value either as a speaker, exhibitor or as a conference delegate by participating through interactive sessions and newly created avenues, including knowledge sharing sessions with outcome and recommendations to be presented at the closing session," Kreijkes added.

The centre piece is a two-track conference that will provide strategic perspectives on the drivers to invest in new technologies, the return on investment, the impact on the organisational structure as well as new insights in infrastructure, technology and software solutions. Conference sessions will cover the following key areas of interest: New policies and government objectives and regulatory developments; Utility round table discussion; Smart investment decisions: the business case; How to change the architecture of the technical infrastructure; How to create value for your customers (CRM/Demand Response Programmes); Revenue assurance, pricing and prepaid metering; Advanced meter data collection & billing systems; New technologies and standards to comply with new demands and regulation.

The exhibition, meanwhile, will showcase leading-edge products and services relating to the world of metering, billing and customer service providing numerous networking and knowledge sharing opportunities for industry professionals interested in exploring new metering technologies, revenue-enhancing billing systems and advanced CRM/CIS applications on the exhibition floor.