Development Update - September 2021

If we had to pick one word to describe this month, it would be "BUMPER".

Back in the summer months, we reported that our dev team had expanded and the new recruits were busily finding their way around our code. Now, looking back over this month's releases, it's truly apparent how much we've benefitted from these extra adept pairs of hands.

We can't detail every release here for risk of this article becoming a book but our amazing team has completed circa one hundred system improvements over the last 30 days. Astonishing.

Below we've picked some of the headline features to tell you about:

Effortlessly Recycle Dead Leads

We know that today's dead leads can be potentially valuable leads tomorrow. Unfortunately, they can be easily forgotten and fall off of your prospect list. With this new feature, you can now recycle these leads back into any team member's lead list. Within the Leads section, simply click the "Bulk" dropdown and select "Recycle Dead Leads" to begin the transfer.

Built for: PRO CRM

Add TPS or CTPS Information

This new feature will ensure you don't contact customers who have enrolled on to TPS (Telephone Preference Service) and CTPS (Corporate TPS) schemes. You can now import this information or update it directly within the system. As CTPS requires annual renewal, this information will helpfully expire after 12 months.

Built for: PRO CRM (UK Only)

Other bits and bobs...

We've also added the following other bits and bobs...

Auto Set Persistently Uncontactable Leads To Dead

When a Customer 'Calls Made' reaches 5, the system will now automatically change the lead status to 'Dead' with a reason of 'No Contact'.

Built for: PRO CRM

Account Phase Type Added

US Customers can now choose an Account 'Phase' type when adding account information for interval electric accounts.

Built for: PRO CRM (USA Only)

Improved Error Messaging with Data Imports

Previously importing payment files with an incorrect unit of measure would result in an unhelpful generic error message. We've updated our error messaging to help you drill down to any potential unit of measure error.

Built for: PRO CRM (USA Only)

Show 'Snapshot' for Customers

We have a rather useful screen in our PRO CRM that gives a quick snapshot of your 'Lead' information. We've enabled this view so you can now see snapshot information on 'Customers' too.

Built for: PRO CRM

Helpful Redirect After Adding a Lead

We're striving to make our system as efficient as possible. As such we've made an important UX change when adding a new lead. Post lead creation you'll now be redirected to that leads details page.

Built for: PRO CRM

Add Annual Difference Percentage to Input Prices

When viewing comparable prices to the current contract (in Input Prices), we've added a % breakdown of the difference to complement the monetary difference.

Built for: PRO CRMPRICED

Streamlined Pricing Request Process

We've streamlined the process when creating a new Matrix/Custom request. Now, when you've added your meter(s) to your request, you can select to "Save & Price" the request immediately if desired.

Built for: PRO CRM

New Expected Commission Rate

We've updated our reporting to now show you the 'Expected Commission Rate' on consumption requests.

Built for: PRO CRM (UK Only)

DC/DA Eligibility

When editing/adding individual sites (or uploading in bulk), you can now record if any given meter has DC/DA eligibility

Built for: PRO CRM (UK Only)

Customer Name Added To Detailed Quote Export

We've updated our 'Detailed Quote' export (found under Partner > Procurement > Input Prices > Quotes), so that it now includes parent and child customer information.

Built for: PRO CRM (UK Only)

Supplier Insights Dashboard

We've revolutionised the dashboards of our Supplier Insights product to include the same cutting-edge technology found within our PRO CRM product.

Built for: INSIGHTS

New Dashboard Improvements

We told you last month about the monumental upgrade we've been making to our reporting. We continue to refine these reports and have begun the process of switching these on for an initial select group of customers.

BILL VAL Error Reporting

BILL VAL now offers considerably more feedback when uploading files to be validated. We'll release further information around a huge BILL VAL update shortly.

Built for: BILL VAL

Fixed Fee Commission Type

For manually-added quotes (for both Matrix and Bespoke) you can now add a fixed fee standard payment to a contract.

Built for: PRO CRM

API Event Emitter

We've added a hidden layer to our software that will allow for any number of third party APIs to communicate with it. Stay tuned for some exciting integrations over the coming months.

Built for: PRO CRM

That’s it for this month.

Our software evolves at such an exciting rate so please feel free to get in touch to discuss any of the functionality we’ve added since you last saw it. We’ll be more than happy to arrange a demo to show you around!


Development Update - August 2021

If you read our May update article (and your memory is exceptional!), you may recall it was a very bitty month, with lots of small improvements and releases.

August has been as far removed from that as possible. Although there's still been a few side tasks, the core of our development focus has been towards one big project - our new dashboards and reporting.

Much of the work we do here on the dev team is on an individual basis. However, these big projects take a lot of coordination between the whole team (and other departments too!).

It's been so rewarding seeing everyone's expertise combining to make something exceptional. Read on to find out more and discover what else we've released during the month of August...

Dashboards And Reporting

We've completely redeveloped all reporting and dashboards from the ground up. We're currently testing and retesting with selected accounts. Once turned on, you'll see huge improvements both in clarity and speed. You can view our recent teaser article & video on dashboards, right here.

Other bits and bobs...

We've also added the following other bits and bobs...

Customer References section now links to Contacts & Users

Within the PRO CRM you can add additional Customer References for each Lead or Customer, should they be required internally. We've now added the ability to reference Contacts & Users data within this Customer Reference section.

Built for: PRO CRM

'Date Created' field added to Customers and Leads

The system logs and records many important historical changes to your data. We've updated this logging to include a "Date Created" field, which can now be viewed by users with Admin privileges.

Built for: PRO CRM

USA Gas Commission Calculation Bugs

We fixed a bug when determining US gas commissions. Previously a calculation error occurred when the system attempted to convert between unit types.

Built for: PRO CRM

Customer References section now links to Contacts & Users

Within the PRO CRM you can add additional Customer References for each Lead or Customer, should they be required internally. We've now added the ability to reference Contacts & Users data within this Customer Reference section.

Built for: PRO CRM

'Date Created' field added to Customers and Leads

The system logs and records many important historical changes to your data. We've updated this logging to include a "Date Created" field, which can now be viewed by users with Admin privileges.

Built for: PRO CRM

That’s it for this month.

Our software evolves at such an exciting rate so please feel free to get in touch to discuss any of the functionality we’ve added since you last saw it. We’ll be more than happy to arrange a demo to show you around!


Development Update - July 2021

You may have seen from social media that UtilityClick has been growing significantly. Here on the dev team, we're happy to say that this expansion has also bled over into our department, as this month we welcomed two new senior .Net developers.

It's been an enjoyable few weeks getting them up to speed and they'll soon be ready to be let loose on the big projects.

Whilst they get up to speed with the system, we've been working hard on a particularly meaty assignment - upgrading our dashboards and reporting. It's really exciting to see it develop but it's not quite ready to be pushed for release just yet. There's been plenty of development on other fronts though; read on to see what we've released in July...

Meter Lookup With MPAN

We've added the ability to search for a site or meter location by MPAN. The whole process has been completely streamlined allowing you to now use either a postcode or meter. Once located, you can add the site directly from the search results. Watch a quick video on it here.

Built for: PRO CRM (UK Only)

Authenticate With Microsoft

We've added an optional extra so that teams can now authenticate to the majority of our services via an existing Microsoft login and password. Authentication changes to your account will require setup time so please speak to your account manager and we'll schedule a future date & time.

Create Commission Overviews

Previously when adding a new supplier you would need to add your own Commission Overviews for each addition (the commission overview section is where our customers upload commission information). Now, if you visit Analytics > Commissions > and click the "New Entry" button, there's a new option labelled "Create Missing Commission Overviews".

Built for: PRO CRM

Other bits and bobs...

We've also added the following other bits and bobs...

Improved History Logging For Contract Live Dates

Within your CRM PRO there's a history log of what's been changed by your team. We've expanded the logging within the contract details view, so amendments to live dates (via the termination and registration tab) are now recorded.

Built for: PRO CRM

Hide Annual Cost/Diff in PDF Quotes

An optional feature has been added to allow "Total Cost" and "Annual Diff" columns to be hidden when generating a PDF from an Instant Quote. This option can be turned on so that admin users are able to control its visibility within their account (under Admin>Settings).

Built for: PRO CRMPRICED+

Flat File Version Visibility

Admin users can now see the Flat File version information that's being used to generate pricing. Useful for understanding when prices were last updated.

Built for: PRO CRMPRICED+

Add New Capacity Charge Type (£/kva/day)

Some suppliers (e.g. Npower) include a capacity charge in units of £ kVa/d. We've now included this value so it's visible and exportable in our quoting tool.

Built for: PRO CRM (UK Only)

That’s it for this month.

Our software evolves at such an exciting rate so please feel free to get in touch to discuss any of the functionality we’ve added since you last saw it. We’ll be more than happy to arrange a demo to show you around!


Development Update - June 2021

June has most definitely been a 'SPEED' month here on the dev team.

We love these tasks - they're not necessarily about adding a new feature but finding creative ways to make a process quicker.

When looking to subscribe to a new software package, primarily you're looking to see if it does A, B or C. However the often-forgotten element is: How quickly can it do A, B or C? If your software is slow, it not only adds time to a task, but breaks your rhythm too.

Read on to learn how we've engaged the afterburners for our users by adding bulk management tools and adapted the way our system exports data.

Speedier Data Exports

If you have a lot of data loaded then system exports can take a long time to be ready. We've rewritten each module using pure SQL code, which means requested exports will now complete much faster.

Built for: UKUSA

Bulk Reassigning Customers

We realise the unnecessary admin required if you need to make wholesale changes to a customer. We've now made it super easy for you to bulk reassign customers based on changes to your team.

Built for: UKUSA

Other bits and bobs...

We've also added the following other bits and bobs...

"Business Type" added to Data Export

A new column has been added to Sales Export to help differentiate between Custom/Bespoke and Matrix opportunities.

Built for: UKUSA

New "Lost" Status

When managing your Pipeline and selecting a deal status of "Lost Contract" - a new "Duplicate" option can now be selected for "Reason for Loss".

Built for: UKUSA

Scottish Power Pricing Zones Updated

We fixed an issue with Scottish Power pricing where gas quotes needed amending depending on Zone Type.

Built for: UK

Verbal Script Commission Warning

We've added an optional feature when generating a verbal script. You can now prefix a script with an additional disclaimer, explaining the process of adding a commission rate to any deal.

Built for: UKUSA

"Referral Partner" field added to Customer template

When bulk uploading customers you can now include a "Referral Partner" that will subsequently be shown within the system. Download the latest customer template from your Admin area to use.

Built for: UKUSA

MAKE SITES / METERS INACTIVE WHEN CUSTOMER IS MADE INACTIVE

Currently, making a customer inactive does not automatically make associated meters inactive. This optional feature will ensure that any sites and meters associated with an inactive customer are also set to inactive.

Built for: UKUSA

Non-UC Admins Can Delete Failed Imports

User levels below Admin are now able to remove any failed data imports.

Built for: UKUSA

Improved Referral Partner Export

We've sped up your workflow by allowing the month and year fields to be left blank when running a "Referral Commissions" export. If left blank all available data will be exported.

Built for: UKUSA

That’s it for this month.

Our software evolves at such an exciting rate so please feel free to get in touch to discuss any of the functionality we’ve added since you last saw it. We’ll be more than happy to arrange a demo to show you around!


Development Update - May 2021

The month of May has been a bitty one in the dev team.

New feature ideas come from all sources. As you might imagine, most are spawned from our customers but many are generated by staff and some are simply dictated by industry change.

The priority of each feature idea can vary for numerous reasons but two common traits considered are "How long will it take to develop?" vs. "How many customers will it help?".

As mentioned, for one reason or another, this month it's the 'bitty' features that have taken our priority. They're relatively quick to develop compared to the showstoppers but when combined, you have a set of new features that will hopefully help the many.

Read on to find out more about each of these features.

Supplier Pricing Participation

You can now mark whether a Supplier will be participating within a tender/custom pricing request. Suppliers can also update the flag within their portals. Ideal for keeping on top of who will be quoting on pricing day.

Built for: UKUSASupplierLinks

Parent/Child Pipeline UI

We've updated the system interface to make it much easier to review your Parent/Child portfolios. You can now use a collapsible grid to easily view all child contracts linked to a single parent contract.

Built for: UKUSASupplierLinks

Show rates in dollars rather than cents

We've listened based on your feedback and updated the system accordingly. Rates in the USA system can now be shown in dollars as well as cents.

Built for: USA

Other bits and bobs...

We've also added the following other bits and bobs...

System Export enhancements

Numerous columns have been added to data export across the entire system, providing a more detailed level of reporting.

Built for: UKUSA

History Logging - Leads and Contracts

History logging within Leads and Contracts have been improved to help you monitor even more changes with your data.

Built for: UKUSA

Business Type added to Contracts, Tenders & Sales Exports

Business Type has been added to Contracts, Tenders & Sales Export reports.

Built for: UKUSA

User Type access applied to Employee Payments section

Based on customer feedback, we have added User-Level access to the Employee Payment section of the system.

Built for: UKUSA

Option To Exclude Completed Activities from Activities Export

A tick box has been added to the Activities Export page to allow you to exclude completed activities from the report.

Built for: UKUSA

Suppliers with no relationships excluded from matrix pricing

We have amended the system to only show by default matrix pricing for suppliers that are marked as No Relationship within the supplier section.

Built for: UKUSA

Other field added to Supplier Contacts

A new field called Other has been added to Supplier Contacts so that you can also add contacts that don't fit into our pre-set categories.

Built for: UKUSA

Bug fix - changing meter/account usage

We have fixed a bug that was causing an error screen when changing usage figures within a tender/custom pricing request

Built for: UKUSA

That’s it for this month.

Our software evolves at such an exciting rate so please feel free to get in touch to discuss any of the functionality we’ve added since you last saw it. We’ll be more than happy to arrange a demo to show you around!


Development Update - April 2021

It's been another busy month for the dev team. Although (in the UK at least), we've had a lot of national and school holidays (Easter), we've by no means slowed our usually high-paced release schedule.

The phrase "Time and tide wait for no man" comes to mind... but it should really be rewritten to "Time, new features and tide wait for no man".

Here are a few of the items that have taken the bulk of the team's time this month, together with a brief description:

Employee Payment Terms

We've added a brand new feature as an enhancement to our Commissions module. You can now create your employee payment profiles. The system will then report to you the monthly payments due to your internal agents!

Monthly Usage Tool

When switched on it will allow you to store monthly usage interval data you hold for the meter in question, feeding into your commissions. Simply locate the relevant file, upload and let the UtilityClick system do the rest.

We've completed the US phase of this feature. Next month we plan to begin the implementation process on the UK system.

Other bits and bobs...

It's never just about the big projects. We've also added the following other bits and bobs...

HH MATRIX LOOKUP ADJUSTMENTS

The system has been enhanced to return the appropriate Available Capacity rate based on kVA banding levels.

CLICK-TO-DIAL TOOLTIP UPDATE

The click-to-dial tooltip has been updated to show the phone number for the appropriate contact for those TPIs not using the dialler integrator software.

LEAD EXPORT OPTIMISATION

Exporting lead data from the system for our TPIs who have lots of leads was taking a while. We've optimised the export now to reduce waiting times for accessing the report.

NEW ACTIVITY TYPE

We've added "Tender Refresh" to our list of Tender Activity Types. Ideal when your customer doesn't sign down the first time around!

ACTIVITY EXPORT IMPROVEMENT

The time that an activity is created/due/completed has now been added to the activity export report.

CUSTOMER PORTAL UPDATE

The product name for quotes/contracts has been added to the customer portal to help your end-user customers on tender day.

"NO ACCESS" USERS

These are users who can be added for internal purposes but do not increase the cost of subscription.

SPEED INCREASE FOR TENDER CREATION

We've made speed improvements to the creation of major tenders - with bigger optimisations on the way soon!

That’s it for this month.

Our software evolves at such an exciting rate so please feel free to get in touch to discuss any of the functionality we’ve added since you last saw it. We’ll be more than happy to arrange a demo to show you around!