brian mokgele and kevin venketiah eskom online vending pilot lessons learnt
TRANSCRIPT
Eskom Online Vending Pilot Lessons Learnt
Discussion Items• Introduction• Current Vending in Eskom• Vending Process• Offline Vending Issues• Key Change Drivers• Pilot Objectives• System Architecture • Pilot Site Requirements• Pilot Results • Impressions and Intentions
Eskom Online Vending Pilot Lessons Learnt
Eskom Online Vending Pilot Lessons Learnt
Introduction• Eskom has over 3 million prepaid
customers, served by almost 1600 Vendors
• The intention is to grow this vendor base improving customer service using online vending
• This paper presents the findings of the online vending pilot
Eskom Online Vending Pilot Lessons Learnt
Eskom Online Vending Pilot Lessons Learnt
Current Vending in Eskom• Credit dispensing units are offline and
geographically dispersed• Distributed databases• Data transfers are achieved via disk transfer
or modem• Vendors have been migrated from credit
vending to the Upfront vending model• Credit is managed in the CDU hardware
Eskom Online Vending Pilot Lessons Learnt
Eskom Online Vending Pilot Lessons Learnt
$
Bank
CDU
SMS
$$
$
Customer
Financial System
$ $$
VendorBanks
CTMS
$$
$
Customer
Customer Database
Vending Process
Eskom Online Vending Pilot Lessons Learnt
Vendor Banks upfront
Bank deposits received
Credit encrypted
Credit file sent to CDU via SMS
Vending permitted
Data transfers
Eskom Online Vending Pilot Lessons Learnt
Offline Vending Issues• Customer data not synchronized• Transactions not uploaded regularly• Vending points not always easily
accessible• Vendor credit management• Opportunities for fraud• Theft of equipment
Eskom Online Vending Pilot Lessons Learnt
Key Change Drivers• Increasing vending footprint• Technology advancements and the
reduction in comms costs• Evolving customer requirements• Reducing security risks
Eskom Online Vending Pilot Lessons Learnt
Pilot Objectives• Server compliance• Evaluate the XML Vend specification• Establish comms performance and
reliability• Determine costs• Identify potential risks and contingencies• Impact on business processes• Supplier support capabilities
Eskom Online Vending Pilot Lessons Learnt
GPRS Network
Online VendingServer
Online VendingClients
Firewall
System Architecture
Server:VendingCustomer dbCredit Mang.
System security:Prevents unauthorized access
XML Vend comms protocolover GPRS Network
Vending Clients:Desktop PC loaded with the vending application
Eskom Online Vending Pilot Lessons Learnt
Server specs• Hewlett Packard Web Server• Oracle Database (on a separate machine)• Security module cluster• IAS Server
Client/terminal information• Hewlett Packard Pentium 4• MT-85 card reader/writer• USB based sim card for the (SSL Private key and X509 certificate• Epson receipt printer• UPS backup
Eskom Online Vending Pilot Lessons Learnt
Pilot Site Requirements• Six geographically dispersed pilot sites• Sites were rural and urban• Customers should have STS meters• Vendors were on an Upfront contract• GPRS communications must be
available• Sites should be easily accessible if
support is required
Eskom Online Vending Pilot Lessons Learnt
Jane Furse
Bishop Lavis
Warrenton
Newlands
Margate
Vereeniging
Pilot Sites
Server: Bellville
Eskom Online Vending Pilot Lessons Learnt
Pilot ResultsStatistics
Evaluation Criteria Value Expected Results
ActualResults
Server uptime 1920 hrs 99% 99.73%
Transactions vended 67 187 99% 99.93%
Credit file processing 145 99% 97.24%
Customer file download 69 90% 100%
Transaction uploads 34 90% 91.18%
Eskom Online Vending Pilot Lessons Learnt
Typical Problems• Most problems related to the vending
client, but not part of this evaluation• Server configuration problems
• Transaction duplication• Demo tokens
• XML Vend shortcomings• Vendor unable to view credit updates• Vendor cannot reprint bank batches• Provision to make ad hoc bank deposits
Eskom Online Vending Pilot Lessons Learnt
Benefits Achieved• Centralised customer database
improves customer services• Accessibility• FBE
• Improved vendor credit management• Real-time availability of transaction
data and other statistical information• Reduced risk of secure module theft
Eskom Online Vending Pilot Lessons Learnt
Lessons Learnt• Server uptime was satisfactory but system
redundancy is required for 99.99% availability• Network is stable but not perfect • Slow communications can be frustrating• Client user interfaces should be simple• XMLVend specification shortfalls identified• Server location and system monitoring• Technology must supported by strong business
processes