In the recently concluded 2021 ASEAN Enterprise Innovation Awards presented by Asia IoT Business Platform (AIBP), Meralco was recognized for its entry, “Transformation Powered by Technology and Tradition”, which showcased the power distributor’s programs aimed at enhancing customer experiences through process improvements and digital transformation.

Among Meralco’s key customer-centricity initiatives are its Facebook Live Chat, which serves 8,000 transactions per hour; Virtual Customer Assistant, which allows customers to speak with Meralco representatives via video conferencing; and Online Customer Appointment, which enables customers to schedule appointments before visiting Business Centers. All these are geared towards ensuring the safety and convenience of Meralco customers.

In addition, Meralco introduced the Customer Account Number, which is a permanent reference number for all payment transactions.

Another important initiative is the redesigned electricity bill, which aims to help customers better understand and manage their energy consumption. The new bill format is easier to understand as it provides all necessary information such as the customer’s 24-month consumption and payment history.

To augment these customer-facing programs, Meralco also arms its crews with a Meter Reading App that helps in optimizing service routes and ensures accurate readings of electricity consumption. Through the Real-Time Payment Validation App, Meralco avoids incidents where the electricity service of customers is disconnected due to the late reflection of customer payments for unsettled bills.

Meralco Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Customer Retail Services Ferdinand O. Geluz said that the Company has always advocated for “service with compassion” as it commits to making customers the priority while adapting to the challenges of the new normal.

“Moving forward, and as signaled by all our efforts behind customer centricity, we will continue pursuing our passion of transforming customer experience across all our transactions and touchpoints,” he said.

In 2021, Meralco also unveiled its most advanced Operations Platform and Telecommunications Integrated Command Center (OPTIC), which manages all information, communication, and technology (ICT) systems across the Company.

The first of its kind among electricity distribution utilities in the country, OPTIC is a state-of-the-art facility that aims to reduce unplanned downtime of critical ICT systems, increase employee productivity, and enhance service delivery to Meralco customers.

Meralco First Vice President and Head of Information Communication Technology and Transformation Rocky D. Bacani said the AIBP recognition affirms the Company’s commitment to service innovations that improve customer experience.

“What guided us through our journey is the clear and decisive leadership which accelerated the change and ensured that everyone marches to the same beat as we move forward with our transformation program,” he said.

“We also embraced agile delivery allowing us to address customer pain points rapidly through incremental improvements. We knew that beyond technology, the success of our transformation relies heavily on our crews, their ability to embrace change, and their ‘malasakit’ and sacrifices to go above and beyond in the service of our customers. This Innovation Award is indeed a recognition of Meralco’s continued and strong thrust for customer centricity and digital transformation,” Bacani added.

Meralco President and Chief Executive Officer Atty. Ray C. Espinosa, meanwhile, said: “Excellent customer service and communication are at the core of what we do in Meralco, and transparency is a value we have long adhered to. To be recognized internationally for campaigns focused on these is a remarkable feat, and a great honor to the many women and men of Meralco who toil relentlessly for the fulfillment of these programs and their objectives, despite adversities brought by the pandemic.”

The digital financial inclusion efforts of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation’s (RCBC) did not go unnoticed since it launched its DiskarTech super app last July 2020, as they are recognized in the 2020 ASEAN Enterprise Innovation Awards.

The Singapore-based award-giving body, Asia IoT Business Platform (AIBP), cites organizations from Southeast Asia that have embarked on the digital transformation in their businesses through the use of innovative technology.

DiskarTech, the Philippines’ first financial inclusion super app, has enabled unbanked and underserved Filipinos to join the formal financial system. It is a savings account that is created through one-time registration via an electronic know-your-customer process.

“We are glad to be at the forefront of digital transformation in the local banking industry. It speaks of the company’s commitment to be a partner of the nation in empowering and enabling Filipinos,” said Eugene S. Acevedo, RCBC President and Chief Executive Officer.

Meanwhile, Lito Villanueva, RCBC Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation and Inclusion Officer said. “It is an exciting time in the banking and fintech industry with the introduction of new technology that can affect real change to the mass market. We, at RCBC, strive to bring these solutions to as many Filipinos as quickly as possible. This is an important endeavor as a new study shows that the Philippines continues to lag behind vis-à-vis with its global and regional counterparts in terms of connectivity and digital transformation.”

As a digital-only basic deposit account, DiskarTech eliminated real and imagined barriers of everyday Filipinos to banking services. It requires only one valid government ID and does not ask for an opening amount nor a maintaining balance. The interface of the app is also rendered in the conversational Taglish vernacular.

Aside from 3.25% interest per annum on their savings, DiskarTech users are also treated to a suite of sachet financial services through its use of insurtech and other innovative digital solutions.

With most of its 3.5 million downloads recorded outside the National Capital Region, DiskarTech has empowered Filipinos across the archipelago to enjoy cashless and contactless payment, online fund transfer, cardless ATM withdrawal, bills payment, prepaid credit top-up, telemedicine, and other digital transactions with a touch of a finger.

DiskarTech was also pivotal in the digital disbursement of P12.43-billion cash assistance to 3.3 million household beneficiaries or about 16.6 million individuals in 72 out of 81 provinces nationwide.

RCBC is one of the leading universal banks accelerating digital transformation in the Philippines. It was judged in 2020 as the Philippines’ best digital bank by AsiaMoney and the Alpha Southeast Asia awards, alongside other global and regional awards. Its digital products include RCBC mobile and online banking, handheld ATM Go mobile POS terminals, and DiskarTech, among others.

By Victoria “NIKE” De Dios

Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad) has been conferred the “2020 Philippine Enterprise Innovation Award,” citing its adoption of digital technology in the design, construction, operation and maintenance of treatment facilities that require more complex processes.

Maynilad’s winning entry focused on its use of the “Building Information Modeling” (BIM) and “Distributed Control System” (DCS) technologies, which allowed for enhanced operational efficiency in running technologically complex facilities.

The West Zone concessionaire water services bested other entries in the Philippine segment of the ASEAN Enterprise Innovation Awards.

The award recognizes organizations that transform their business through digital technology or the adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT).

Nominations are shortlisted by a committee of Information Technology experts, and two winners per ASEAN country are chosen during the Asia IoT Business Platform (AIBP) regional conference in Singapore. 

The Putatan Water Treatment Plant 2, which sources raw water from Laguna Lake to provide potable water for Maynilad customers in the south, was featured as its model facility for the effective adoption of DCS. The water company is also using the BIM and DCS tools in the construction of new treatment plants. 

“We are always on the lookout for new technologies that can enhance our business processes and, ultimately, enable us to improve customer service. This innovation award is proof that we are on the right track as far as the adoption of digital technology is concerned,” said Maynilad President and CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez. 

The Philippine Enterprise Innovation Award is organized by the AIBP, a premier business program that drives enterprises to learn about the adoption of IoT for their businesses.