The Real Takeaway? Start With The Customer

Over two packed days, the recurring theme was clear: smart metering works best when designed around the customer. We saw how utilities that embed smart data into customer journeys are already reaping the rewards. Others are just beginning.

Smart Metering as a Catalyst for Organisational Transformation

It’s clear that smart water metering represents more than just a technology upgrade—it’s a generational transformation. A recurring theme throughout the conference was organisational redesign and change management. Several leading utilities shared their ongoing journeys towards new operating models—particularly the development of digital operations centres, real-time monitoring capabilities, and integrated customer engagement strategies. These are not just technical shifts, but deep structural transitions that signal a new era of utility management.

No Standards, No Scale: The Urgency of Alignment 

Standardisation emerged as a mission-critical theme. Without shared data frameworks, utilities risk vendor lock-in, data fragmentation, and inconsistent customer experiences. We’re exploring the potential for a dedicated online conference on this issue.

Building The Business Around The Customer, Rather Than The Meter 

We also heard from several leading water utilities that are actively reshaping their operations to embed smart meter data into the heart of the customer experience—proving that when used effectively, data can be a powerful enabler of engagement and trust. That said, this forward-thinking approach is not yet industry-wide. Insights from the Q&A sessions—and more than a few shared war stories—made it clear that many utilities are still in the early stages of aligning smart meter data with meaningful customer experience design.

This gap led naturally into one of the event’s most compelling and widely echoed themes: workforce transformation. A dedicated roundtable session explored the evolution of skills required to deliver smart-first operations, and the message came through loud and clear. Whether it’s field technicians adapting to digital diagnostics or back-office teams interpreting real-time data, the sector is undergoing a major human capital shift. Success, as many speakers affirmed, won’t hinge on technology alone—it will depend on how well organisations reskill, retrain, and realign their people. 

The consensus was unanimous: workforce change is the critical enabler of smart metering success.

Do Less, Do It Better, Then Scale

Speakers consistently urged caution: don’t try to do everything at once. Plan smart. Phase deployment. Stay agile. A 10–15 year horizon is realistic.

From Satellites to Cybersecurity: Tackling Infrastructure at Scale

We also delved into the technical backbone of smart water metering—examining the critical networking and communication challenges that can make or break a deployment. From ensuring reliable access to metering data in remote or hard-to-reach locations, to navigating the intricacies of connectivity, the conversation was both deep and solution-oriented. Delegates heard about a range of strategies—from tried-and-tested IOT networks to advanced satellite technologies now gaining traction globally. 

But the conversation didn’t stop there. The scope of discussion stretched across the full digital value chain—from infrastructure resilience and supply chain continuity, to customer-facing innovation. 

Speakers looked ahead to what’s next: personalised tariffs, intelligent digital alerts, and advanced customer segmentation tools designed to deliver hyper-relevant engagement. 

Once again, the takeaway was clear—smart water metering success will rest on the industry’s ability to integrate technical reliability with customer insight and operational adaptability.

Data Is Useless Unless It Drives Action 

A particularly memorable analogy surfaced more than once during the presentations and panel discussions: smart metering was compared to dietary advice. Several speakers pointed out that while there's no shortage of data on how to reduce water consumption—just as there's plenty of guidance on how to lose weight—widespread change doesn’t always follow. In fact, the same analogy was shared at a recent oil and gas conference, where participants were debating how to use operational data more effectively, including for automating field assets.

What emerged clearly across sessions is that data alone isn’t enough. Presenters and delegates consistently highlighted that the real value of smart meter data depends on whether utilities have the systems, processes, and engagement models in place to act on it. Without that, insight risks going underutilised.

This theme came up repeatedly—whether the focus was on board-level strategy, designing better customer journeys, or equipping field teams with decision-making tools. Across the board, the message was the same: smart metering is only as powerful as the operational response it enables.

Commercial Customers: The Smart Metering Gap

One data point sparked particular discussion: non-household premises account for just 1% of water connections, yet they consume 30% of England’s water. And despite this significant consumption, many speakers pointed out that the current smart metering model is still failing to fully address the operational and commercial needs of this customer segment.

In his session, Kye Smith directly challenged the assumption that smart metering alone is the solution. For the non-domestic market, he argued, a different approach is needed—one that prioritises targeted rollout, more coherent retail mandates, and a sharper commercial focus on how data is used.

Speakers across the conference echoed this sentiment: business customers are not motivated by the same triggers as households. Behavioural nudges and generic messaging won't work. Instead, non-household customers need real-time data that offers operational efficiency, cost visibility, and measurable ROI.

Ultimately, the issue is not with the meters themselves, but with how the sector is deploying and integrating them within a commercially viable framework.

A Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity 

As one attendee put it: this is the transformation moment for the water sector. Not just for devices—but for customer strategy, workforce capability, and systemic resilience.

Get the Whole Picture: Full Report, Slides, Videos

A full post-conference package—including curated analysis, full transcripts, presentation slides and all recorded video content—will be available from Monday, 31st March 2025. This includes every talk and Q&A session in full.

Explore the website for speaker snapshots—or download the full report for deep dives into every session. See you at Smart Metering 2026.