Avand Pours on NZ Water

February 21, 2007: Metrowater, an Auckland based water and wastewater utility company , is gearing up to deploy a company-wide document management system through Avand’s DataWorks.

With implementation already commenced for the New Zealand company, the solution will provide a document management system for 130 staff by April 2007. The goal is improved operational efficiencies through streamlined and consistent document management processes.

“For us, this project is about making sure staff can access the information they need, when they need it, to get their jobs done more efficiently,” says Stephen Merrick, information and resource manager, Metrowater.

It’s a move that according to Merrick, will allow the organisation to be more customer focused due to its new found efficiency in storing, accessing and updating files. With some staff at Metrowater dealing directly with customers, the software will give them direct access to the official information required to promptly solve customer enquiries.

Away from direct customer interaction, the system looks set to also encourage interdepartmental cooperation by deploying logical electronic processes. “Previously, each department had their own documents and files as well as places to store their records which weren’t necessarily accessible to other areas of the business,” says Merrick.

“If they could be readily accessed, there was no guarantee that the records would actually be up-to-date,” he says.

It’s a move that will see more documents online, even if they are currently only available in hard copy. Metrowater will focus on growing their electronic document repository by combining existing electronic files, with their scanned hard copy counterparts.

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