Asset Management Integration

As installation winds down, meters transition from “new works” to long-term operational assets. Stage 5 is where the metering fleet is fully integrated into the organisation’s asset management system so it can be monitored, maintained, and renewed just like any other core infrastructure.

This begins with embedding every meter, and its associated components such as boxes, lids, valves, and transmitters, into the asset register with accurate spatial location, installation details, and lifecycle attributes[JF1]  eg battery life.

Maintenance requirements

Once captured, the provider can define clear maintenance and replacement cycles, covering battery life, transmitter performance, mechanical wear, and AMI connectivity.

Operational rules also need to be established: how faults are logged and triaged, how suspected tampering is managed, how access issues are handled, and how leaks or defects are escalated. These processes ensure consistent responses in the field and predictable levels of service for customers.

Renewal planning

Finally, meters need to be integrated into renewal and O&M planning. Establishing meter renewals along with other asset renewal programmes, and using meter data to inform asset health and lifecycle forecasting.

At this point, the metering system becomes part of the broader asset ecosystem, maintained, monitored, and improved through established asset management practices rather than project processes.

Continuous Improvement Framework

As with any good system, continuous improvement is essential. Once metering moves into business-as-usual, the focus shifts to keeping the system sharp. Metering programmes evolve quickly in their first 18–24 months, and without a deliberate improvement framework, processes can stagnate just as customer expectations and operational realities continue to change.

A structured improvement cycle keeps the programme tuned. This means active, regular monitoring and review of KPIs, analysis of complaint and enquiry trends, and ongoing refinement of escalation pathways for leaks, high-use alerts, and hard-to-find connections. [JF2] 

Customer communications should be adjusted based on real-world feedback, and field processes updated as contractors and staff identify practical efficiencies. As AMI performance stabilises, providers can also optimise cost-to-serve by fine-tuning reading cycles (scanning and data transmission cycles in the case of AMI), network alerts, and service-order workflows.

A consistent, ongoing improvement process ensures the metering system remains responsive, efficient, and aligned with customer needs, delivering value long after the initial rollout is complete.