Richmond, VA — The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU) has successfully completed the implementation of two major back-office systems designed to improve customer service, operational efficiency and service delivery across the department.
As part of Project Synergy, DPU officially launched Oracle Customer Cloud Service (CCS) and Oracle Field Service (OFS), replacing outdated legacy systems that have supported utility operations for decades. The transition marks a major milestone in DPU’s ongoing modernization efforts.
The implementation also lays the groundwork for DPU Connect, DPU’s new customer portal anticipated to launch this fall. DPU Connect will provide customers with enhanced self-service capabilities and a more convenient way to manage their utility accounts, further improving the overall customer experience.
In conjunction with the system launch, DPU also implemented a new Customer Service and Billing Regulation that aligns with the department’s modernization efforts. The new regulation establishes clear, uniform rules for how DPU manages customer accounts and preserves DPU’s existing payment arrangement structure, allowing eligible customers to enter into payment plans with as little as 10% down and flexible repayment terms.
“These new systems and new regulation position DPU to better serve our customers through transparent and efficient operations,” said Scott Morris, Director of the Department of Public Utilities. “This was an enormous undertaking involving employees across the entire organization as well as many business partners, and I want to thank our teams for their hard work, flexibility and commitment throughout the transition process.”
The new systems and updated regulation will support several long-term improvements, including:
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Clear understanding of billing and customer service processes
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Improved customer account management
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Faster and more efficient field service operations
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Enhanced tracking and visibility of service requests
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Streamlined workflows and reduced manual processes
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Continued flexible payment arrangement options for eligible customers
As part of the transition, customers now have new account numbers, which are 10 digits and will be reflected on bills beginning in June. Customer service representatives can continue assisting customers using either their old or new account number during the transition period, and payments referencing old account numbers will continue to be processed. Customers who use online banking, automatic payments or third-party bill payment services should also work with their financial institutions and other bill payment vendors to update their account information to help avoid future payment delays or issues.
DPU has committed significant resources to ensure the new systems were designed and developed with the customer in mind. There was an abundance of testing, training, dress rehearsals and validations to get the system ready. The last bill validation exercise produced a near perfect success rate of 99.7%.
While the go-live process was successful, DPU continues to monitor system performance closely and work through standard post-implementation adjustments, including dedicated staff on hand to address and fix high level issues. Customers may experience occasional delays as employees continue adapting to the new systems, workflows and updated procedures.
“This modernization effort supports Mayor Danny Avula’s vision of Richmond as a city where all people and places thrive,” Morris said. “By investing in modern infrastructure, technology and customer-focused improvements, we are strengthening DPU’s ability to provide safe, reliable and responsive utility services while enhancing the customer experience.”
DPU thanks customers for their patience and understanding throughout the transition.
For more information about DPU services and customer payment options, visit rva.gov/public-utilities
