Leadership

Leadership development for senior executives, including talent and leadership development plans that connect individual employee performance to strategies. Development of best practice governance models, organizational controls, policies and procedures. Community engagement strategies for utility leaders to promote the value of water in the community served.

  • Leadership Development and Executive Coaching

    Development of utility specific leadership programs to achieve the utility mission and deployment of strategies. Tools include Succession Planning (SP), Talent Resource Planning (TRP), Individual Development Plans (IDP), managing generational differences, executive coaching, mentoring, community engagement strategies, speakers bureaus, utility ambassadors, community education programs, and continuing education.

  • Governance, Policy Development and Audit Controls

    Utility governance, policy development and controls are critical for organizational success and sustainable performance. Developing best practices in utility governance, audit controls, policy and procedure templates, ethics, transparency, records management to assure the highest level of transparency.

  • Community Engagement Strategies

    Successful utilities are engaged with their customers and constituent groups or stakeholders. Identification of key constituents is critical. Open, transparent communication is critical. Tools include: relationship mapping, audience response technology, surveys, facilitated sessions and focus groups.

Strategy

Development of strategic plans for small, medium and large utilities, including vision, mission, values, stakeholder identification, SWOT analysis, strategic objectives and measures. Integration of strategic initiatives into business plans and employee performance plans. Develop strategic communication and branding programs for key stakeholders.

  • Strategic Planning and Strategy Development

    Development of strategic plans for small, medium and large utilities and not-for-profit organizations, including: vision, mission, values, stakeholder identification, SWOT analysis, strategic objectives and measures. Strategic plans are linked to operating plans and to employee performance plans. Employee performance programs including competency development, goal setting and development plans. Stakeholder engagement models connect internal and external constituencies to the mission and vision of the organization.

  • Strategic Communications and Brand Development

    Internal and external communications are critical for organizational success. Prepare relationship charts and effective communication models to enhance service and performance levels. Development of organizational effectiveness and customer satisfaction surveys (internal and external) including performance metrics to identify key priority areas for improvement. Stakeholder engagement, including facilitation services and techniques to gain consensus with competing interests and agendas. Planning strategies and tools for social media, newsletters, press releases, health advisories, advertising, branding, and media management.

Management

Utility performance tools, including benchmarking, Effective Utility Management (EUM), development of SMART goals and monthly operating reports. Development of rewards an recognition programs. Development of facility master plans and capital improvement programs. Evaluation of new lines of business and new technology to enhance revenue and reduce costs.

  • Performance Metrics and Benchmarking

    High performing utilities continually observe, evaluate, measure, compare, communicate, reward and improve. Services include development and deployment of quality tools for corporate performance, operational performance and employee performance, including: QualServe, Effective Utility Management (EUM), Statistical Process Control, benchmarking, team building, action plans, employee engagement and empowerment, communications and employee recognition and rewards, including gain share programs.

  • Infrastructure Management

    Aging infrastructure and investing in infrastructure to meet regulatory compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act is a major challenge for water and wastewater utilities. Many of our large cities have infrastructure well over 150 years of age. Replacement and rehabilitation strategies include inventory assessment, condition assessment, performance assessment, service level assessment, life cycle analysis, financial planning, design, and construction management.

  • Revenue Enhancement

    Utilities are facing increased pressure to control rate increases. Aging infrastructure and regulations have driven annual rate increases of 2-5X the rate of inflation. Progressive utilities have evaluated their current revenue sources and billing practices to make sure revenue is maximized. Billing systems become outdated, meters age and under measure, customer classifications change, policies change, and revenue coding contains errors. A comprehensive review of metering and billing practices can generate and additional 2 to 10 percent increase in annual revenue.

  • New Lines of Business

    Traditionally, water and wastewater utilities are conservative and their core business provides 98% of revenue. Utilities are examining their core competencies and expanding into water related businesses to increase revenue or reduce costs. Opportunities include new revenue from contract operations (public and private); leasing property and assets; providing service line warranty programs to customers; providing billing services; and providing water related services (laboratory, analysis, cross connection, fire service, etc.). These services generate new revenue reduces the need to increase rates.

  • Water Technology Development

    Water technology is rapidly developing to meet industry demand. The traditional model involves large investments by manufacturers to develop, test, deploy and market new technology, processes and products. New models are emerging where utilities provide input to technology development and in some cases develop their own technology. Emerging models include the ISLE Technology Approval Group and WERF’s LIFT program. Both aim to reduce the cycle time for deployment of new technology by the private sector. Utilities provide test beds for development and testing of new technology before full scale deployment. Opportunities in the water sector include green infrastructure for storm water management, water and sewer rehabilitation, water testing and analysis.