Municipal utility portal with heat contracting (2020)

Interactive prototype for a sales pitch

Client:

suportica GmbH

In collaboration with:

1 Product Owner

Services provided:

Conceptual Design, UX/UI Design, Prototyping

Tools used:

HTML/CSS, Bootstrap Framework, jQuery

Problem/Requirements:

• Aside from the initial purchase of the heating system and ongoing energy costs, homeowners face significant expenses related to installation, regular maintenance, and repairs. These additional costs contribute to the overall expenditure associated with heating systems.

• Through heat contracting, homeowners pay a fixed monthly rate to a heating contractor or energy supplier. This comprehensive payment covers all costs related to both the systems engineering and heat delivery. By opting for heat contracting, homeowners can have peace of mind knowing that all expenses associated with the heating system are included in a single monthly payment.

• Heat contracting presents a promising business opportunity for municipal utilities, which has been relatively underexplored thus far. By offering heat contracting services, municipal utilities can tap into a lucrative market and provide homeowners with a comprehensive solution for their heating needs. This untapped potential offers a chance for municipal utilities to diversify their revenue streams and establish themselves as key players in the heat contracting industry.

• Municipal utilities can explore potential collaborations with local heating installers, allowing them to offer heat contracting services to their customers through the Stadtwerke (municipal utilities). This partnership between municipal utilities and local heating installers creates a mutually beneficial arrangement, enabling installers to expand their service offerings while leveraging the established customer base and resources of the municipal utilities. Such cooperation can facilitate the promotion and implementation of heat contracting solutions, fostering sustainable and cost-effective heating options for customers within the local community.

Solution:

• Web-based portal designed to handle all aspects of heat contracting, catering to various user roles. This comprehensive portal will facilitate the entire heat contracting process, including customer onboarding, contract management, billing, and customer support. Different user roles, such as homeowners, municipal utility administrators, and heating installers, will have access to specific features and functionalities tailored to their needs. The web-based portal will streamline the management of heat contracting services, ensuring efficient collaboration, effective communication, and seamless operations for all stakeholders involved.

• Plumbers can utilize the web-based portal to generate quotes for their customers, offering various tariff options. The portal will provide a calculation feature that enables plumbers to input relevant parameters and generate accurate quotes based on different tariff options. This functionality ensures transparency and flexibility in providing cost estimates to customers, allowing them to choose the tariff option that best suits their needs and budget.

• Customers can effortlessly complete the contract online through the user-friendly interface of the web-based portal. The portal will offer a streamlined and intuitive process, guiding customers step-by-step through contract completion. This seamless online experience simplifies the contracting process, enabling customers to conveniently finalize their agreements with just a few clicks.

• Municipal utility employees will have the ability to manage customer contracts that have been processed through the installers via the web-based portal. This includes tasks such as reviewing and verifying contract details, tracking customer information, managing billing and payments, and providing customer support. The portal serves as a central hub for municipal utility employees to efficiently handle and oversee all customer contracts associated with heat contracting services.