Ottawa, CANADA, Harris Computer
Systems announces today that Decatur Utilities, a utility serving 36,000
multi-service utility customers in Decatur, Alabama, has selected Harris's
Customer Information, Financial and Web Enablement Systems to replace its
existing software. Decatur signed contracts valued at more than $1 million
to license the Harris software and services. Harris was chosen from among
other vendors due to their superior cost - value ratio and overall
experience.
Harris software will replace a 25
year old legacy software system that does not provide the flexibility and
technology Decatur Utilities needs to meet its objectives. Gary Craig,
Business Manager at Decatur Utilities, said, "We were specifically looking
for a software package robust enough to handle our four major utilities
(electricity, natural gas, water and wastewater) and possess multiple
location bill consolidation flexible enough to keep up with the changing
needs of our staff and customers. We narrowed our selection to three
vendors. Each vendor demonstrated their software and we made site visits to
the leading vendors' established clients that matched our utility profile."
Harris Computer Systems'
experience in software solutions spans 25 years and 18 of these years have
been dedicated to solutions for the municipal utility marketplace -
solutions such as Customer Information Systems, Billing, Financial and Web
Enablement applications. The most recent of these, eCARe, our web enablement
product that has empowered the utility with the means to provide customers
with online bill review and payment, the ability to research consumption
history and log service calls. It doesn't stop there. Harris has also
invested, heavily, in the implementation process of these applications and
is unique in its philosophy.
"Through visits to other
utilities we found that Harris implementations were the most adequately
supported and effectively performed. We relied heavily on the vendor
discovery information gained from these site visits. People in our industry
are generally forthcoming with insightful convictions concerning vendors,
particularly software vendors", commented Ken Hayes, IS Project Manager at
Decatur Utilities.
"Harris is a known leader in the
municipal utility industry and with this reputation comes the responsibility
to perform a thorough GAP Analyses as part of the Harris implementation
process. This includes an in-depth examination of functionality as well as
procedural needs throughout each department." commented Nathan Roik,
President of Harris Computer Systems. "We review the results of the GAP
Analysis with key City personnel to avoid any misinterpretation of their
core software needs."
Ken Hayes positively expressed,
"Harris's people consistently demonstrate experience-based knowledge of the
utility business and concerns we all share in daily customer activities. I
have no doubt that our partnership will grow our solution for many years to
come."
Nathan Roik, President of Harris
Computer Systems, commented, "We are excited about this partnership with
Decatur Utilities and assisting them with this transition to a new level of
customer information and efficiency."
About Decatur Utilities
Decatur Utilities has provided
electricity, natural gas, water and wastewater services to the City of
Decatur and surrounding areas since 1939. Decatur Utilities is a municipal
utility owned by the City of Decatur and employs over 180 people. For more
information about Decatur Utilities, visit
