A Software Springboard
The headache of monthly billing inspires a Washington water utility to upgrade its software.
Established in 1929, Silverdale Water District in Bremerton, WA, provides water service to 5,600 accounts. Monthly billing had become a headache for the district because its utility billing software was difficult to navigate and time-consuming to use. The proprietary system also made data sharing almost impossible. Skip Beahm, operations manager for the water district, had a list of complaints against the organization’s software: It was menu-driven, requiring a user to cycle back through all the screens to exit; it had been upgraded to the extent of the system’s capability but still exhibited performance reduction; and there were additional hardware constraints. “Data sharing was a big issue,” he emphasizes—particularly because Silverdale recently forged an inter-agency partnership with Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue that created a state-of-the-art shared facility, requiring the installation of a robust software system. After more than a decade with the old software, Beahm realized “it was time for something new.”
In fact, it was overdue. Beahm had been looking at utility billing software since 1991, researching numerous options. He spent much of 2005 gathering information, attending demonstrations, and meeting with software vendors, finding the process time-intensive and stressful. In the end, he found what he was looking for.
Silverdale’s Wish List
In addition to data-sharing capabilities, a new software system had to be user-friendly. “We wanted to get into the ’90s with our software!” Beahm laughs. Other requirements included a Windows interface. “People have grown up using Windows; it’s second nature to them.” It’s also fairly intuitive, and the combination of familiarity and ease of use saves training time and effort.
Functionality was a crucial element. Beahm hoped to cut down on double entries with an integrated system designed specifically for districts and cities. By making tasks easier, the district’s staff could more efficiently serve customers. Silverdale staff had been using two separate software systems to track backflow capabilities and to run payroll, accounts payable, and other functions. Beahm wanted to streamline operations. Finally, he was searching for software that could adapt to the district’s needs and grow with it in the future.
Springbrook Software was on the shortlist because it met the preliminary criteria, Beahm reveals. When he discovered that other water utilities in Kitsap County were using it, he realized they could have a reliable customer database that could be shared: Springbrook gained an advantage. What possibly sealed the deal was the software provider’s reaction to a surprise visit from Beahm. “When I visited the facility unexpectedly, I got a good reaction. They welcomed me; I felt like family. It was very appealing. Even though our district had not yet decided which provider to choose, they treated us like we had been a client for years.” His reception convinced Beahm that Springbrook would provide the ongoing software support he sought.
The Switch to Springbrook
Established in 1985 and based in Portland, OR, Springbrook Software is one of the leading providers of technologically advanced, comprehensive, fully integrated fund accounting and utility billing enterprise software applications for local governments and special districts. Because the software is modular, it is available individually or as a total package: Additional modules can be implemented as needs change.
The implementation was put on the fast track: Contracts were signed in January 2006. The district was live with financials by April and live with billing in June. As Beahm looks back, he wonders if things moved too quickly. “We may be paying for it now.” There are struggles with any conversion, he acknowledges, adding that overall, things went relatively smoothly and quickly. Trainers were onsite to walk district employees through each step of the new system, but Beahm says the district is still learning the software.
Nevertheless, it’s discovering the benefits of the new software. “We used to work for hours on reporting and financials,” Beahm recalls. “Now, it’s at the touch of a button. With Access, we can link reporting tables to tables in the new software for real-time data. We didn’t have that before.”
One thing the district had before but hopes to get rid of, with the help of Springbrook, is paper. “There’s a push to go paperless. Since information is updated immediately in the software and can be shared on computer desktops, there’s no need to print out reports that just get outdated within hours.”
Springbrook’s integrated abilities free up time for employees to work on projects that have been on the back burner. “It’s a nice change,” Beahm admits. “We’re no longer stuck in the mundane, day-to-day rut. Internally, life is much easier.” Silverdale’s customers weren’t impacted, he adds: Billing has always been outsourced and didn’t miss a beat during the migration. Questions from customers have been answered “almost as immediately as with the old system.”
Forward Thinking
In addition to regular updates and optional upgrades, the software permits customized usage. Currently, Silverdale staff members use a different software program for maintenance in the field. “They use a laptop to enter data directly while they’re in the field,” Beahm explains. Springbrook is formatting a specialized software interface to enable the office to share customer information with its mapping program so field staff have more information. “Springbrook talks to the mapping software as customer information changes. Guys in the field can hit a button and get current information so they can find the right sections and customers more quickly.”
Another project in the works will utilize the interactive touch screens in Silverdale’s lobby to allow customers to access their account information. For now, the interactive screen is used for educational purposes, displaying videos about fire safety and water-related information, as well as a 75th anniversary documentary. Work is also progressing on a PowerPoint presentation to enhance the educational aspect of a new garden on the grounds. The garden contains plants and grasses with different types of irrigation systems individually metered to track the amount of water used.
Beahm is happy with his choice of Springbrook for utility billing and financials. Because some Springbrook staff members have worked for districts and cities, they were attuned to Silverdale’s needs. Their “real-world local government experience gives the company key insights into the intricacies of our day-to-day functions and challenges,” he wrote in a case study. He advises finding a company with comparable experience as well as the right software package.
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Other recommendations include purchasing the service package to “fix the bugs” and taking time with the implementation. “See everything you want to get done first. We pushed the schedule up and I think it hurt us.” Because of his initial haste, he’s had to wait for support to iron out problematic issues that arise. “Support is Springbrook’s weak point. I’m disappointed on the response time. We’ve waited long beyond an acceptable time on some issues: months. I’ve had to be a squeaky wheel.”
Despite a few bumps in the road, Beahm remains convinced that the move to Springbrook software was a wise, 21st century move that brought efficiency to the Silverdale Water District.
Author's Bio: Residing in Indianapolis, IN, Lori Lovely writes authoritatively on transportation and technical subjects.
May-June 2007
A Software Springboard
The headache of monthly billing inspires a Washington water utility to upgrade its software.
Established in 1929, Silverdale Water District in Bremerton, WA, provides water service to 5,600 accounts. Monthly billing had become a headache for the district because its utility billing software was difficult to navigate and time-consuming to use. The proprietary system also made data sharing almost impossible. Skip Beahm, operations manager for the water district, had a list of complaints against the organization’s software: It was menu-driven, requiring a user to cycle back through all the screens to exit; it had been upgraded to the extent of the system’s capability but still exhibited performance reduction; and there were additional hardware constraints. “Data sharing was a big issue,” he emphasizes—particularly because Silverdale recently forged an inter-agency partnership with Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue that created a state-of-the-art shared facility, requiring the installation of a robust software system. After more than a decade with the old software, Beahm realized “it was time for something new.”
In fact, it was overdue. Beahm had been looking at utility billing software since 1991, researching numerous options. He spent much of 2005 gathering information, attending demonstrations, and meeting with software vendors, finding the process time-intensive and stressful. In the end, he found what he was looking for.
Silverdale’s Wish List
In addition to data-sharing capabilities, a new software system had to be user-friendly. “We wanted to get into the ’90s with our software!” Beahm laughs. Other requirements included a Windows interface. “People have grown up using Windows; it’s second nature to them.” It’s also fairly intuitive, and the combination of familiarity and ease of use saves training time and effort.
Functionality was a crucial element. Beahm hoped to cut down on double entries with an integrated system designed specifically for districts and cities. By making tasks easier, the district’s staff could more efficiently serve customers. Silverdale staff had been using two separate software systems to track backflow capabilities and to run payroll, accounts payable, and other functions. Beahm wanted to streamline operations. Finally, he was searching for software that could adapt to the district’s needs and grow with it in the future.
Springbrook Software was on the shortlist because it met the preliminary criteria, Beahm reveals. When he discovered that other water utilities in Kitsap County were using it, he realized they could have a reliable customer database that could be shared: Springbrook gained an advantage. What possibly sealed the deal was the software provider’s reaction to a surprise visit from Beahm. “When I visited the facility unexpectedly, I got a good reaction. They welcomed me; I felt like family. It was very appealing. Even though our district had not yet decided which provider to choose, they treated us like we had been a client for years.” His reception convinced Beahm that Springbrook would provide the ongoing software support he sought.
The Switch to Springbrook
Established in 1985 and based in Portland, OR, Springbrook Software is one of the leading providers of technologically advanced, comprehensive, fully integrated fund accounting and utility billing enterprise software applications for local governments and special districts. Because the software is modular, it is available individually or as a total package: Additional modules can be implemented as needs change.
The implementation was put on the fast track: Contracts were signed in January 2006. The district was live with financials by April and live with billing in June. As Beahm looks back, he wonders if things moved too quickly. “We may be paying for it now.” There are struggles with any conversion, he acknowledges, adding that overall, things went relatively smoothly and quickly. Trainers were onsite to walk district employees through each step of the new system, but Beahm says the district is still learning the software.
Nevertheless, it’s discovering the benefits of the new software. “We used to work for hours on reporting and financials,” Beahm recalls. “Now, it’s at the touch of a button. With Access, we can link reporting tables to tables in the new software for real-time data. We didn’t have that before.”
One thing the district had before but hopes to get rid of, with the help of Springbrook, is paper. “There’s a push to go paperless. Since information is updated immediately in the software and can be shared on computer desktops, there’s no need to print out reports that just get outdated within hours.”
Springbrook’s integrated abilities free up time for employees to work on projects that have been on the back burner. “It’s a nice change,” Beahm admits. “We’re no longer stuck in the mundane, day-to-day rut. Internally, life is much easier.” Silverdale’s customers weren’t impacted, he adds: Billing has always been outsourced and didn’t miss a beat during the migration. Questions from customers have been answered “almost as immediately as with the old system.”
Forward Thinking
In addition to regular updates and optional upgrades, the software permits customized usage. Currently, Silverdale staff members use a different software program for maintenance in the field. “They use a laptop to enter data directly while they’re in the field,” Beahm explains. Springbrook is formatting a specialized software interface to enable the office to share customer information with its mapping program so field staff have more information. “Springbrook talks to the mapping software as customer information changes. Guys in the field can hit a button and get current information so they can find the right sections and customers more quickly.”
Another project in the works will utilize the interactive touch screens in Silverdale’s lobby to allow customers to access their account information. For now, the interactive screen is used for educational purposes, displaying videos about fire safety and water-related information, as well as a 75th anniversary documentary. Work is also progressing on a PowerPoint presentation to enhance the educational aspect of a new garden on the grounds. The garden contains plants and grasses with different types of irrigation systems individually metered to track the amount of water used.
Beahm is happy with his choice of Springbrook for utility billing and financials. Because some Springbrook staff members have worked for districts and cities, they were attuned to Silverdale’s needs. Their “real-world local government experience gives the company key insights into the intricacies of our day-to-day functions and challenges,” he wrote in a case study. He advises finding a company with comparable experience as well as the right software package.
Other recommendations include purchasing the service package to “fix the bugs” and taking time with the implementation. “See everything you want to get done first. We pushed the schedule up and I think it hurt us.” Because of his initial haste, he’s had to wait for support to iron out problematic issues that arise. “Support is Springbrook’s weak point. I’m disappointed on the response time. We’ve waited long beyond an acceptable time on some issues: months. I’ve had to be a squeaky wheel.”
Despite a few bumps in the road, Beahm remains convinced that the move to Springbrook software was a wise, 21st century move that brought efficiency to the Silverdale Water District.