ABSTRACT

Research into the benefits of digital water metering (DWM) identified many benefits that were previously unrevealed in the literature. Many benefits are tangible and more easily quantified. Others, like a possible change in customer satisfaction (CS), are not. The objective of this study was to quantify any potential changes to CS from switching from conventional meters to DWM. The findings of a questionnaire survey of 178 customers determined a current average-CS score of 5.8 (0 (low) to 10 (high) scale); positive shifts in CS levels to individual DWM benefits of between 0.4 and 3.0; and, we demonstrated a prototype CS change prediction model that DWM implementation would derive a long-term CS step-change. The developed survey measurement items will benefit water utilities seeking to ascertain the benefits of DWM. The study will be of interest to researchers and water industry practitioners measuring CS and those developing business cases for DWM projects.

抽象的

对数字水表（DWM）的好处进行的研究确定了许多以前在文献中没有揭示的好处。许多好处是切实的，更容易量化。其他因素，例如客户满意度（CS）的可能变化，则没有。这项研究的目的是量化从传统电表到DWM切换的CS的任何潜在变化。一项对178位客户进行的问卷调查发现，当前的平均CS得分为5.8（0（低）至10（高）量表）；CS水平向DWM个人收益的正变化介于0.4和3.0之间；并且，我们演示了原型CS更改预测模型，该模型的实现会导致DWM实施长期CS更改。制定的调查测量项目将使寻求确定DWM收益的水务公司受益。