Webinar Recap: Preparing Utilities for the Next Potential Crisis

Last week, we sat down with Vicky Papa, VP of Utilities and Energy at Nexient, for a round-table discussion about all things crisis preparation and ways utilities professionals can innovate to drive better experiences for their customers. Joined by Bryan Kearney, Founder of Executive Edge Consulting, andTom Tewelis, VP of Transmission & Distribution Ops at APS, the conversation was wide ranging and thought-provoking for all of our attendees.

Here are the highlights:

1.     Preparedness:As we plan for the unexpected, being prepared for an emergency is absolutely critical to ensure the safety of our employees and customers. The past year has dealt the US the Derecho storm in Iowa, Texas power outages in 2021, Wildfires and rotating power outages in California, and so many more. The expectation that companies are prepared for these natural phenomena is critically important.

2.     Preparation in practice: Being prepared definitely requires planning, but planning can only go as far as we are able to test, iterate and anticipate "out of normal" situations. The importance of agility during the rollout of your preparations is a cornerstone of the ability to deliver when it matters, and part of that requires rigorous adherence to fluid regulatory requirements, constant iteration of your protocol, and even, diversity in how you approach the problems you expect to face.

3.     LookingForward: COVID-19 aside, the industry has already been shaken up to support and sustain customers in moments of crisis. The lessons learned through every impactful situation are the core tenets of developing a path forward as you prepare for the next potential crisis in the areas that you serve.

We encourage you to watch and/or listen to the recording of our conversation as it was insightful, inspiring and encouraging to hear how other utilities are thinking about ways they can do more in every season to provide better experiences.

You can check out the full recording by clicking here.