Oracle Utilities is encouraging its Middle East systems integration channel base to increase efficiency in their end-user implementations.

"Partners always need to focus on efficiency and we have to help them to grow faster with the assets that they have and cope with the current environment," says Bastian Fischer, VP and general manager EMEA Oracle Utilities.

"In customer service for a example they do this [increase efficiency] by providing to the agent one application which enables them to solve every customer request on one call, in an efficient manner, so this allow utilities to do more with the same staffing or on the network area by reducing network losses or by managing or measuring very precisely the consumption which will help identify losses and reduce those losses," continues Fischer.

At GITEX Technology Week Oracle Utilities has highlighted the implementation that has taken place at end-user Palm Utilities as a good example of efficiency in integration. Not only does efficiency reduce implementation time,  it also means the end-user sees the return on investment at a faster pace and reaps the rewards.

"With Oracle's support, we look forward to sustaining our aggressive expansion programme without being bogged down by the complexities involved in handling customer-related issues such as billing and customer-care support," says Ahmed Butti, director general of Dubai Customs and chairman at Palm Utilities.In addition to developing the speed and accuracy of implementations, Oracle's Fischer commends partners for developing business practices that are tailored to the local business market and regulatory environment.

He also feels it is good idea for Oracle Utilities' partners to customise its solutions to provide the end-user with the best service.

"It makes the initial investment from a partner into the knowledge and into the product repeatable," explains Fischer.