IZAR: a solution 100% suited to social distancing

In today’s unprecedented times, we all need to rethink the way we interact with customers and the demands we make of employees. If you’re a utility, your business depends on collecting meter data from consumers.

Diehl Metering
IZAR: a solution 100% suited to social distancing IZAR: a solution 100% suited to social distancing

In today’s unprecedented times, we all need to rethink the way we interact with customers and the demands we make of employees. If you’re a utility, your business depends on collecting meter data from consumers. Traditionally, this involves entering people’s homes and taking manual readings. But, today, social distancing requires us to limit physical contact with customers. On top of that, the shift to remote working means employees are less available to carry out readings on the ground.

So, how can you overcome these challenges? How can you collect data without customer contact? And how can you better protect your employees and customers? The answer is IZAR radio technology, a solution that enables Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) and Automatic Metering Infrastructure (AMI) so you can capture data remotely. By digitising meter reading, IZAR empowers your business to adapt to the current climate.

4 ways to read meters at a distance

With IZAR, manual readings are a thing of the past.

  • No need to make appointments, eliminating the risk of tenants missing appointments and the need to reschedule several times
  • No risk of errors resulting from manual reading
  • No need for physical interaction
  • No need to touch any devices thanks to an entirely contactless process

Diehl Metering offers you 4 different methods to collect readings.

With the IZAR Walk-by solution, a person equipped with a tablet simply walks in front of consumers’ homes to capture their usage data, automatically and wirelessly. Similarly, the IZAR Drive-by solution enables readings to be taken from vehicles travelling up to 50km/h.

What’s more, IZAR makes it easy to switch from Drive-by to a Passive Drive-by solution without any need for an upgrade – allowing you to save time and labour costs. Radio receivers can easily be fitted to a vehicle that regularly passes in front of consumers’ homes, such as a refuse collection vehicle or a mail van. Unlike similar systems, IZAR does not require you to programme a special route to gather the data in a specific order. The vehicle can simply do its usual rounds, collecting meter readings as its drives from neighbourhood to neighbourhood.

Finally, you can easily upgrade to a fixed network with AMI by installing IZAR RDC receivers. As well as empowering you to remotely read meters, IZAR AMI allows you to manage all your operations at a distance. It’s the ultimate solution in social distancing.

IZAR efficiency

IZAR technology is at the heart of Diehl Metering’s smart metering solutions. This proven radio technology delivers flexibility and reliability, allowing data to be transmitted remotely and, with AMI, at any time and as often as you like. All meters can be fitted with IZAR radio modules – or they come with integrated radio technology in meters such as HYDRUS for water or SHARKY for thermal energy – and readings are captured using a handheld device such as an IZAR@MOBILE 2 TABLET or via a fixed receiver, depending on the solution you choose.

The data is then synchronised with Diehl Metering’s powerful meter management software IZAR@NET installed on your servers and PCs. Alternatively, you can opt for software as a service with the online platform IZAR PORTAL.

Faster, safer, surer

The benefits? 100% of meters can be read accurately and at a safe distance. You bill customers for their actual consumption, keeping satisfaction high. And you protect both your employees and customers by eliminating the need for face-to-face interaction. Readings are also faster and more reliable.

IZAR is highly flexible, allowing you to combine Walk-by, Drive-by, Passive Drive-by and AMI solutions. For example, an IZAR fixed network can be used to automatically gather data in a high-density area, while Drive-by is used to read meters in more remote locations.

With IZAR, your network processes are digitised and automated. That means you’ll use your resources more efficiently, you’ll protect your people, and you’ll be able to adapt your business the needs of the current climate. It’s a solution that is perfectly adapted to our times.