Meralco stages MTech Replay - A glimpse on Meralco's Journey to Tomorrow

Meralco shares how the company moves forward and how it plans to lead the way and take advantage of technology in enhancing its support and customer interaction

Due to strong clamor for a repeat of the Meralco Technology and Innovation Summit (MTech) held last November 2017, the country’s largest power utility recently staged a one-day re-run of the highly successful event that took the audience on a virtual journey to Meralco’s digital transformation, featured speakers from globally renowned tech firms, and showcased the latest technology innovations from around the world.

Meralco Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan welcomes participants to MTech 2017 Replay.

A condensed version of last year’s MTECH, the re-run dubbed “MTech 2017 Replay” was held at the Meralco Theatre and was attended by employees of Meralco and its subsidiaries, its customers, students, and representatives from key government agencies as well as other industry players. It featured a forum in the morning with keynote speakers Gavin Barfield, Meralco’s Chief Technology Advisor, and Jeffrey Katz, IBM’s Head of Grid Technology Energy, Environment and Utilities Industry.

Meralco Chief Technology Advisor Gavin D. Barfield shows how technology can be used to delight customers.

Though it's considered as a replay, more attendees and personalites were seen and keen to know how Meralco will shape the future. We're just one of the privileged few to witness it live.

Jeffrey Katz, IBM’s Head of Grid Technology Energy, Environment and Utilities Industry, details how utilities can become the “Utility of the Future” through technology and innovation.

In case you didn't know Meralco also started using Facebook(Workplace) as one of their productivity tool and also migrated to Office 365 which takes advantage of the cloud-based environment

Meralco IT experts explain the importance of cyber security in the workplace.

In his presentation dubbed “Journey to Tomorrow,” Barfield showcased once more Meralco’s achievements over the past few years which saw the electric distribution utility refreshing its information technology systems, delivering new digital customer experience and embarking on the development of a “Smart Grid.”

Meralco has changed a lot since we embarked on our digital transformation journey, but we are still transforming. We continue to pivot and embrace the new digital world – expanding our products and services using the latest technologies to remain relevant to the customers of tomorrowhe

- Gavin Barfield

During our short interview with Gavin, Meralco is has embraced innovation and new technologies will not only benefit customers. It will also create IT jobs, more coming from Meralco.

By June this year, they are expecting a Meralco mobile app customer portal, where customers can now submit documents for new application or receive tips on how to efficiently use each appliance in their household. Field personnel might use apps too, which allows Meralco customers to make appointments or reschedule a visit.

Internally, their IT is already running a like an IT Service Desk system were chatbots are used and guides end-users to answer basic queries and provide information or self help options.

A Meralco representative shows off the latest technology developed by Meralco Innovation Labs.

Meralco is also aiming that through technology, they can remotely monitor the transformers, temperature, problem areas making their work more efficient time-wise and expense-wise.  It will also help them understand customer trends so they can serve them better.

One of Meralco's pride in its Journey to Future, is its first Research Center in the Philippines which is expected to kick in December 2020.

Just like the customary exhibit at the annual technology and innovations summit, the MTech re-run featured a technology exhibit at the Theater Lounge where Meralco showcased its latest innovations including the soon-to-be launched customer experience engine, new HR and collaboration tools, a new mobility solution for field crews, a new safety app and Artificial Intelligence chat bots.

At a glance the Mtech Replay talked about Robotics, Artificial intelligence, Blockchain and Edge computing which will become the face of Meralco's future. Which from these are you excited to witness the most?