IN029-12 Identifying the Current FRO for MRM and SDR service orders

The industry has reviewed the opportunities for customers to request their current financially responsible organisation (CFRO) when they are attempting to remove an up stand or meter (job enquiry codes MRM (Meter Removal) or SRD (Service Disconnection Request)).

As this is usually completed when a site is being demolished or renovations are done on the site, the owner / owner’s representative (e.g. builder) does not know the current Retailer of that site. As the service orders (MRM and SDR transactions) can only be raised by the CFRO of that site, multiple retailers may be contacted until the correct FRO is identified by the customer. Privacy laws prohibit the distribution business from passing on CFRO details to third parties.

In order to facilitate MRM and SDR service orders, a process was piloted whereby a Retailer can raise a helpdesk call with AEMO to identify a customer’s current FRO. As a part of this process, it is expected that the Retailer will check that they are not the CFRO, capture the customer details, and send to AEMO’s helpdesk with the subject of “Pilot Program”. AEMO will then forward the calls onto the CFRO; the CFRO will contact the customer and put in the service order request with the Distributor.

Industry completed an initial Pilot program for a period of 3 months where one retailer (AGL) could raise these queries with AEMO’s helpdesk. This program was deemed to have been successful, and the expansion of this program was extended to 12 months, beginning 21 December 2010 and concluded 22 December 2011 involving all Retailers. The Pilot Program is currently still running.

The aim of the extended Pilot Program was to ensure that this process captures the appropriate queries, with the actions resulting from the process matching the effort undertaken to input and retrieve the data. It was agreed at the RBPWG that if the calls that are being logged with AEMO (during the extended period) are outside the scope of this Pilot Program, the program will be reviewed and a decision made regarding its continuation.

 With the assistance of Distributors, AEMO were able to capture the results from the Pilot Program and define a percentage success rate of all Pilot Program calls sent to AEMO helpdesk. The total number of Pilot Program calls processed was 165 with a success rate of 67.28%. The failure rate of 32.72% occurred when insufficient information was provided to AEMO.

The total number of BAU service orders during the pilot program period is estimated to be 8400 based on data received from each IIR IN029-12 Page 3 of 24 Distributor. The successful Pilot Program calls processed account to 1.32% of BAU service orders.

These results were reviewed by the RBPWG in May 2012 and unanimous support was given by all Retailers for inclusion of the Pilot Program into the Gas Interface Protocol (GIP).

Currently in South Australia and Queensland, there is an industry agreed process in place and the extension of the piloted program was not required. This IIR therefore excludes the changes from the Queensland specific Participant Build Pack.