ARTICLE: Top 5 Myths About Portable Metering - Myth#5: Three Visits Required
Portable metering is often used by electricians, engineers and contractors to diagnose a problem or to provide insight into some phenomenon where permanently installed meters are not available. In this series, we dispel several common myths regarding selection and application of portable metering.
Myth #5:
Service providers need 3 visits before customers get results.
Portable metering service providers are used to a standard procedure when deploying a portable metering study:
Go onsite to install and configure the meter(s). Start the observation period
Return after the observation period to download the meter data and to uninstall the portable meter
Prepare the report with the downloaded data
Book a meeting with the customer to review the results from the report
This creates 3 separate scheduling events for customers, 2 of which provide no direct value for them.
With a cloud-connected portable meter, the new procedure looks like this:
Go onsite to install & configure the meter(s) and connect it to the cloud-based metering platform. Show the customer how simple it is to login and start seeing live data and reports that generate insights immediately.
Back at your office, monitor the data coming in and watch for any signs that the meter has been misconfigured or tampered with while it was installed. Prepare your report from the cloud platform before you return to the customer site.
Return to the customer site to deliver your reports and pick up the meter at the same time
With this approach, you dramatically increase the value of customer meetings and you save yourself a low-value trip to collect the onboard meter data.
