Accelerating Digital Transformation in Utilities Through Strategic Nearshoring

The Challenge 

Due to a fast-growing customer base and significant capacity constraints, the enterprise struggled with technical debt, technology limitations, and a declining resource pool. With 90 business-critical systems, the IT landscape became too complex and couldn’t scale efficiently under the burden of numerous legacy technologies. The company needed a reliable technology partner with deep domain expertise in Energy & Utilities to boost software development, support and extend the functionalities of business-critical applications, modernize legacy systems, and advance strategic initiatives.

The Solution

Scalefocus quickly established a full-scale Nearshoring Delivery Center (NDC) to support the client in developing web and mobile applications, augmenting their internal technology teams, and accelerating their modernization and innovation efforts – including a dedicated track for AI adoption. The NDC became a primary driver for digital transformation, delivering end-to-end software projects, architecture and innovation consultancy, and additional services across Data, Cloud, App & Mobile Development, BA, CX, MuleSoft integration, Project management, and others.

Legacy App Modernization

The Scalefocus team completely revamped an important client-facing web app, allowing customers to easily register and interact with their heat and hot water utility accounts. Our team implemented a React-based frontend, optimized for desktop and mobile use, and a new, intuitive UX. We retrofitted the existing PHP backend using RESTful services, preserving the Oracle database logic while improving system responsiveness and scalability. Customers gained easy access to meter readings, streamlined service requests, and seamless payment integration with Barclays Bank.

Self-Service Portals Expansion

Another important platform allows end customers to connect their embedded generation facilities to the utility network. Our team significantly expanded its functionalities, creating a new dedicated module for photovoltaic connections. It enables customers to integrate photovoltaic (PV) facilities into the UK utility grid in compliance with the Energy Networks Association’s (ENA) G98 (up to 3.68kW) and G99 (above 3.68kW) engineering requirements. Built on a modern .NET backend, with an MS SQL database and React frontend, the solution ensures scalability, security, compliance, and user-friendly interaction.

The NDC extended the functionalities of another crucial platform, supporting customers in ordering and quoting infrastructure, scheduling services, and managing utility connections. Scalefocus developed a module that provided users with a unified mobile interface to track key project milestones, scheduled fieldwork and easily manage, upload, and view essential documentation and infrastructure maps.

API Gateway and Integration Consultancy

As part of a broader digital transformation initiative, our NDC experts provided consultancy for their API architecture. MuleSoft was identified as the optimal API Gateway solution aligned with the client’s IT landscape and development roadmap for the next 5+ years. The successful pilot with MuleSoft proved effective in modernizing legacy systems by gradually exposing functionalities through a centralized gateway as new projects are initiated and developed.

Integration With Fibre Café Platform

Our teams helped the client to integrate their systems with the UK’s wholesale fibre network, performing seamless integration with Fibre Café, an API-driven cloud platform providing seamless access to multiple fibre networks through a single, unified gateway. This enabled connections to various network providers and AltNets and facilitated efficient interactions between suppliers and tenants for new sales and existing service inquiries.

Centralized Portfolio Management

In another important project, we enabled the client to set up a centralized approach to project management, budgets, and scopes across diverse teams. Previously, each team utilized its own methods, causing inefficiencies and inconsistencies. Scalefocus implemented a comprehensive Atlassian stack, including Jira and Confluence, to unify project management and facilitate advanced reporting.

Other Strategic Projects

As the extended digital hand of the enterprise, Salesforce boosted the development of numerous strategic projects throughout the client’s IT landscape.

The NDC worked on several Oracle-based retail projects, including the development of a digital platform specifically for housing developers. When new homes are sold, the platform allows builders to digitally transfer utilities ownership, like water, electricity, and district heating, directly to the new residents.

We developed a GIS (Geographic Information System) project using Python to enable the client to map and trace their entire infrastructure visually – such as pipes, power grids, and fibre cables, directly into interactive maps accessible both online and offline through tablets or laptops.

In another data migration project, we helped the client meet the UK’s Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS) requirements. This is a major initiative led by the UK’s energy regulator to modernize how electricity consumption and generation are measured and settled. 

Transitioning users from paper bills to electronic billing significantly improved customer experience, reducing administrative and environmental impacts. Our teams also digitized 600 forms, replacing spreadsheets to enhance data consistency and improve tracking capabilities.

Innovation Hackathon

As part of our successful collaboration, we organized a three-day hackathon utilizing our innovation framework and toolset to turn innovative concepts into reality. During the hackathon, five dedicated teams tackled real-world use cases from our clients’ businesses involving AI, LLM, and Мachine learning. From creating a speech-to-text solution for call centers to developing an AI that analyzes images of electrical panels, the hackathon provided five innovative Proof of Concepts that have the potential to turn into viable products and applications.

The Results 

The establishment of the Nearshoring Delivery Center (NDC) significantly enhanced the client’s digital capabilities, resulting in streamlined processes, accelerated innovation, and substantial cost-efficiency. Through the NDC, legacy applications were effectively modernized, improving responsiveness, scalability, and user experience across critical platforms. New self-service functionalities reduced onboarding time and increased customer satisfaction, while API-driven integrations like MuleSoft facilitated seamless connectivity and future-proofing of their IT landscape. Centralized project management via Atlassian tools improved internal coordination, reducing operational inefficiencies.

Overall, the strategic partnership resulted in tangible competitive advantages, including faster time-to-market, optimized resource utilization, and elevated service quality.

• Streamlined operational processes and accelerated innovation
• Enhanced customer satisfaction through modernized applications
• Reduced onboarding times via improved self-service capabilities
• Effective management through centralized Atlassian project management tools