nGenue Replaces Quorum for Natural Gas Operations
My last blog post, nGenue Replaces Safari for Natural Gas Billing, triggered a number of reader responses, ranging from congratulations to questions seeking additional details. One reader asked, “Has nGenue replaced other software systems and, if so, which ones and what were the circumstances?” In fact, during our most recent briefing to Gartner Group, we were asked the same question. Since we answered the Gartner analyst’s question, why shouldn’t we answer a reader’s question?
When nGenue engages with a prospective user, the most common operations landscapes in place are:
- Traditional multi-commodity ETRM product
- Generic Utility Billing software product
- Generic database architecture
- Homegrown system(s)
- Spreadsheets
- Some combination of the above
Previous blogs have covered #1 and #2, so this time around, let’s cover #3. In 2020, first one and then a second regional Natural Gas Marketer contacted nGenue, both Quorum users who had been informed the software they had purchased was being deprecated; support was ending, and migration was required. Apparently, a new architecture was under development, however both Marketers evaluated it and judged it to be no more designed for Natural Gas than the previous; they told us the migration path to it represented additional, unwanted cost and risk. This made identification and adoption of an alternative the right business strategy.
The two Marketers undertook parallel and comprehensive evaluations of nGenue. It wasn’t surprising that specific areas of focus were of common interest. Based on prior experience they were seeking to avoid existing issues with a replacement solution. Questions we were asked and called upon to prove out were:
- Does nGenue “get” Natural Gas, both the software itself and the knowledge and experience of nGenue personnel?
- Is nGenue usability intuitive to a Natural Gas operations mindset?
- Will using nGenue do away with the need for workarounds?
- Does nGenue ensure entered deals are valid?
- Does nGenue easily integrate with other systems?
- Will nGenue system performance be better than 5-10 seconds from mouse-click to screen refresh?
- Will nGenue Support answer our calls, be responsive and Natural Gas industry knowledgeable?
Let me answer the above unequivocally, “YES!” Quite frankly, we were shocked by some of the questions being asked, until implementation started and we saw first-hand what these two Natural Gas businesses had been dealing with; how convoluted and unproductive their environments were, the stress and strain they had been experiencing trying to use a generic database architecture as a Natural Gas operations system. Said one new nGenue user, “We didn’t realize how little we had going for us until we started using nGenue. The difference is night and day!”
End Users, Producers, LDCs, Marketers, Pipelines, and Utilities face increasing competitive and compliance pressures, requiring increased operational efficiency, data integrity and process improvement. Their operational systems must support this, but most don’t. Engage us and we’ll show you how to make a breakthrough. It’s what we do for natural gas companies, and we are experts in our field.
~Ken
