As utilities look for ways to manage accelerating electrification and rising customer expectations, Australian energy network operator AusNet’s latest transformation indicates how energy providers are moving beyond static service models toward dynamic, connected customer journeys.
The company has launched a unified customer connections platform developed with IBM Consulting and Salesforce, to replace fragmented manual workflows with a single digital environment for customers, electricians and internal teams.
The platform allows users to submit, track and manage customers’ connection requests through one portal, while giving AusNet a unified operational view across metering, solar, supply applications, retailer updates and contact center interactions.
The move comes as utilities in Australia and elsewhere face growing pressure from rooftop solar adoption, electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, home electrification and other distributed energy resources. Energy providers are faced with managing higher volumes of more complex customer requests without adding friction, delays or service failures.
The Australian energy industry is changing, with the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) reporting that the market saw record distributed rooftop solar output and a surge in grid‑scale battery projects in the pipeline during the first quarter.
From Fragmented Processes to a Single Connection Journey
AusNet is Australia's largest diversified energy network business, managing electricity distribution and transmission systems as well as gas distribution. Before the rollout of the new customer platform, AusNet’s connections process relied on multiple systems, manual handoffs and separate operational touchpoints. That created complexity for customers and electricians, while limiting AusNet’s ability to manage applications consistently.
The platform centralizes data and automates key stages of the connection lifecycle, including service-order creation, validation checks, pricing estimates and supply-availability assessments.
In practice, that means customers and electricians can use one digital front door to manage requests, while AusNet teams can see the status of applications across the wider service journey.
AusNet said around 51 percent of customer applications are now processed end-to-end automatically, while validation times have been reduced by more than 80 percent. The company also reported fewer guaranteed service level infringements since the system went live.
Those metrics are significant in a sector where connection delays can affect solar installations, new developments, electrification upgrades and broader customer confidence in the energy transition.
Why Connections Are Becoming a Strategic CX Issue
Utilities have traditionally treated customer connections as operational transactions. But the rise of distributed energy resources is changing that model.
A standard connection request may now sit alongside rooftop solar, battery storage, EV charger installation, commercial electrification or more complex supply requirements. Each adds technical, regulatory and customer communication demands, making connection management a customer experience priority as much as an infrastructure issue.
Australian energy bodies, including the Australian Energy Market Operator, have repeatedly pointed to the growing operational complexity created by distributed energy resources. Meanwhile, regulatory expectations around service levels and customer outcomes continue to place pressure on networks to improve speed, transparency and reliability.
