Sotex partnered with BPS Africa to design and deliver a modern utility billing platform that replaced manual processes with real-time, integrated operations. The system expanded billed customer coverage, unified meter data, automated debt recovery, and delivered live billing insights. As a result, BPS Africa significantly increased billed energy, tripled monthly revenue, reduced outstanding debt, and gained full transparency and control over utility billing operations.
Overview
To support efficient energy distribution and maximize revenue recovery, BPS Africa required a modern and flexible billing platform specifically tailored to the complexities of electric utility operations. Sotex Solutions partnered with BPS to design and implement a scalable, fully integrated billing system that enhances customer coverage, reduces debt, streamlines payment processing, and drives billing transparency. With powerful features like split billing, real-time tracking, and seamless meter integration, the solution transformed how BPS manages its utility billing operations.
Challenges
Before the implementation, BPS Africa faced significant challenges in its utility billing processes:
- Limited Billing Coverage (Only 63% of Customers) – A large percentage of users remained unbilled due to fragmented systems.
- Manual Billing Processes – High reliance on manual processing resulted in inefficiencies and delays in payment collection.
- High Levels of Outstanding Debt – Unmonitored payment plans and ineffective debt recovery led to accumulating losses.
- Disparate Meter Data Formats – Diverse meter protocols required complex handling and conversion, complicating the billing process.
- Minimal Real-Time Insights – Limited visibility into billing performance prevented quick decision-making and adjustment.
Our Solution & Key Features
Sotex Solutions delivered a custom-built billing platform that directly addressed the key pain points of BPS Africa’s operations. The solution included:
- Custom Billing Logic for Large Accounts – Advanced billing configurations allowed for split billing, custom payment schedules, and multi-account management.
- Predictive Billing and Real-Time Alerts – Enhanced forecasting capabilities and instant notifications of usage spikes, underpayments, or system anomalies.
- Rich Reporting Dashboards – Comprehensive real-time analytics and interactive dashboards provided full control over billing cycles, usage patterns, and debt status.
- Seamless Integration with Diverse Meter Formats – The system seamlessly ingests data from various smart meters, handling COSEM/DLMS protocols and other industry standards.
- Automated Reminders and Debt Recovery Tools – Auto-generated payment reminders, debt recovery schedules, and escalation alerts for overdue accounts.
- User-Friendly Interface – Designed with utility teams in mind, the intuitive interface simplifies complex billing processes and accelerates staff onboarding.
- Integrated Revenue Protection Module – Identifies and recovers lost revenue through advanced monitoring and reporting, contributing directly to improved cash flow.
Key Achievements
Implementation of the billing platform delivered dramatic improvements across all major performance indicators:
Billed Customer Rate Increased from 63% to 98% – A near-complete coverage of utility customers, reducing revenue leakage.
Energy Billed Efficiency Improved by 60% – Energy billed increased from 344 MWh to 605 MWh, significantly reducing ATC&C losses.
Monthly Revenue Boosted from GHC 283M to GHC 867M – Optimized billing and enhanced collection processes tripled monthly revenue.
Postpaid Debt Reduced by GHC 2.2B (22%) – Automated reminders and structured debt recovery accelerated outstanding payments.
Revenue Protection Module Recovered GHC 97M – Generated recovery bills for 53,000 customers, totaling GHC 172 million in additional recovered revenue.
30% Reduction in Customer Service Inquiries – Real-time visibility into billing status reduced disputes and enhanced customer trust.
Technology Stack
Built for scalability, interoperability, and high performance:
- Backend: .NET Core
- Frontend: Angular
- Database: SQL Server
- Cloud Hosting: Microsoft Azure
- Integrations: Custom meter protocols, finance modules, and third-party payment gateways
Conclusion
Through its partnership with BPS Africa, Sotex Solutions delivered a transformative billing platform that increased customer coverage, reduced outstanding debt, and tripled monthly revenue. With real-time insights, predictive billing, and seamless meter integration, BPS Africa now enjoys streamlined operations and enhanced financial performance—setting a new standard for utility billing in the region.
Looking to optimize your utility billing operations?
Contact Sotex Solutions to discover how we can elevate your revenue management.
📧 bd@sotexsolutions.com
📞 +381-64-165-7193
