1. NiSource: Getting Close to the Trouble
Michael Smith - Technology Team Lead
May, 21st 2015

2. NiSource: Getting Close to the Trouble
Agenda
Columbia Gas Company Introduction
Closest to the Trouble Callout
Bull’s Eye (Parameter) Callout
Polling Callout
Lessons Learned
Statistic Example
Questions & Answers

3. NiSource: Getting Close to the Trouble
Introduction
COLUMBIA GAS COMPANIES
- Serving 2.5 million customers across 6 states in 23 territories in Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia
- Average emergency response time = 25 minutes
- 98% response within 60 minutes
- 35,030 callouts made in 2014
21,684 Emergency Service Calls
7,729 Plant Crew Callouts
5,495 Service Callouts
122 Other type Callouts
- 2,192 Users
Administrators
Field Leaders
Operation Support Specialists
Field Technicians

4. NiSource: Getting Close to the Trouble
CTT (Closest to the Trouble)
EXPLANATION
Multi-Roster CTT (Closest to the Trouble) is divided in groups by geographical areas for each roster list in the callout sequence; within each roster list, the techs are arranged closest to trouble. Responders can be moved anywhere within their respective roster list.
Single Roster CTT with ‘Add Locations/Config Classes’ removes the geographical division between each roster list. The techs are, as a group, ordered closest to trouble to farthest away. Responders can still be placed anywhere in the callout order. No roster list groups exist. All responders become one group.

5. NiSource: Getting Close to the Trouble
CTT (Closest To Trouble)
BENEFITS
Contact technicians ordered by one of the following options:
Raw Distance (Line of Sight)
Drive Distance
Drive Time*
Utilize multiple technician groups in a single roster against travel option
Effort to reduce response time by reducing distance traveled by technician

6. NiSource: Getting Close to the Trouble
Bull’s Eye (Parameter Callout)
DESCRIPTION
Bull’s Eye (Parameter) applies driving distance rules against roster lists. Typically one roster list is the emergency responder/standby technician and the remaining list is a pool of remaining response technicians. Rules are created utilizing different levels of distance from the emergency checking rules against both groups.
FUNCTIONALITY
Rules are created with designed distance radii segments that build out from the job location
Roster automatically populates call out roster based on stand-by technician locations and the remaining eligible responders within each radii parameter
Organizes technicians within each rule by drive time, OT hours or seniority
Effort to balance the readiness of stand-by technicians against qualified responders

7. NiSource: Getting Close to the Trouble
Bull’s Eye (Parameter Callout)
STRUCTURE
In the example (right) each sequence is a different rule built against either the stand-by responder (Sign-On) or the rest of the qualified responders (Sign-Off) List Status groups.
If no technician exists within a rule the system will move to the next rule contacting technicians. After all technicians within a rule are contacted the system will move to the next rule until all position(s) are filled.
The radius is flexible based off distances determined by local leadership against each response group.
Rules can be duplicated to allow for a second contact to the same group.

8. NiSource: Getting Close to the Trouble
Bulls Eye (Parameter Callout)
FEATURES
Adjustable filters (Urban vs Suburban vs Rural)
Google mapping populates drive time and distance
Preference to response groups (primary vs secondary)
Eliminate unnecessary calls to technicians outside of reasonable proximity of callout location
BENEFITS
Contact to appropriate technicians based off groupings & distance to a job for callout
Improved quality of life & reduced number of calls to response pools
Simplified callout rosters for dispatcher
Double calls to stand-by technicians
Improved acceptance rates
Callouts can end when maximum set distance is exhausted allowing for manual intervention

9. NiSource: Getting Close to the Trouble
Polling Callout
DESCRIPTION
Polling Callouts are callouts initiated against an entire roster at one time. All recipients of the call are provided information about a future work opportunity and a time at which they must respond to the callout before it closes. The system will collect the responses and identify and assign the job to the proper technicians based on roster rules. Those who accept but are unneeded are notified as well as those who are accepted.
BENEFITS
Working employees do not need to respond immediately as the callout will collect responses over a specified amount of time.
Improved quality of life allowing employees to make necessary contacts to families, check schedules and change commitments if they choose to work.
Capabilities to expand ARCOS usage into call centers, dispatching center, future work opportunities for field and outages.

10. NiSource: Getting Close to the Trouble
Lessons Learned
WORKING WITH UNIONS
Utility Commission Expectations
Customer life/property value
Response expectations
Union Policies
Equalization of overtime
Language of controlled vs uncontrolled OT
Building Understanding
Build understanding with Company Leadership
Develop with Leadership
Demonstrate and discuss with Union Leadership
Implement to workgroup
Live demonstration
Chain explanation (handout)
Labor Unions 2011

11. NiSource: Getting Close to the Trouble
Lessons Learned
IMPLEMENTATION
Minimize Changes
Implement in phases
Allow enough time to measure results
Notate & Track Callout Changes
# of stand-by
Archive change requests
Policies & Reports
Vacation issues
Stand-by availability
Standardize Reporting
Quality Assurance & Quality Control Reporting

12. NiSource: Getting Close to the Trouble
Bulls Eye Statistics Example: 9/ /2014 (Rural/Suburban Area)
STATISTICS
Distance Radii
Response Trends
Value of 2nd Call
Stand-by vs Response Pool