The Water and Wastewater sector is facing a period of unprecedented strain. Infrastructure is aging, operational costs are skyrocketing, and the experts capable of solving complex problems are becoming increasingly scarce. Faced with this “perfect storm,” network managers and maintenance companies are seeking solutions to maintain service quality without exponentially increasing resources.
Remote visual support is emerging as a structural answer to these challenges. Far from being a mere technological gadget, it is becoming the backbone that guarantees efficiency and traceability from end to end. By following the complete lifecycle of a work order, we can see how video solves friction points at every critical stage.
1. Customer support: qualifying Water and Utility emergencies with remote visual diagnostics
The first step of a work order often begins with a panic call. A user reports a “flood” in their home. Information remains vague and emotionally charged. By reflex, the call center triggers an emergency truck roll. Once on-site, the technician discovers… a simple defective washing machine gasket, which is a private responsibility and not a public network issue.
This scenario repeats daily and generates considerable costs:
- Unnecessary truck rolls (the “no-fault found” visits),
- Immobilization of a crew,
- Frustration for the customer who expected immediate resolution.
Remote visual support changes the game from the very first contact. The agent asks the user to activate their smartphone camera. In seconds, they visualize the real situation: the origin of the leak, the state of the meter, and the nature of the installation.
This visual qualification allows them to instantly determine whether it is a collective emergency requiring a crew or a domestic issue that the user can solve themselves.
The benefit is twofold:
- Dispatching the right person with the right equipment at the right time,
- Or guiding the user toward a self-resolution (self-care).
This precision in the initial diagnosis optimizes resource allocation and improves customer satisfaction.
2. Technical support: scaling field expertise in Water and Utilities via video collaboration
Once the work order is qualified and launched, a new challenge arises in the field. A junior technician or a subcontractor finds themselves facing a complex pumping station or an atypical valve they have never manipulated. Without the proper skills, they have two options:
- Attempt the work order at the risk of breakage,
- Or abandon the job and schedule a new appointment with an expert.
These situations weigh heavily on the First Time Fix Rate, a key performance indicator in the sector. They also generate frustration for customers who have to wait for a second visit.
Visual support connects the isolated technician instantly with an expert at headquarters. Through their camera, they share what they see in real-time. The remote expert analyzes the situation and guides their colleague vocally. Better yet, thanks to Augmented Reality (AR) features, they can:
- Circle the specific part to manipulate directly on the technician’s screen,
- Indicate the rotation direction of a valve,
- Or point out the location of a critical component.
This immediate skills transfer transforms a generalist technician into a punctual specialist. Work order time is reduced, the success rate on the first visit increases, and the rare expertise of senior staff is scaled up without them ever leaving their desks.
In a context of skilled labor shortage, this ability to make experts “ubiquitous” becomes a major competitive advantage.
3. Quality assurance: video proof of job completion to secure billing in Water and Utilities
The work order is coming to an end. The technician has replaced the defective gasket, purged the circuit, and checked the pressure. Traditionally, they fill out a paper report or check boxes on their mobile app. These declarative reports often remain summary and do not visually prove the actual state of the equipment.
A few days later, the client or the municipality contacts the company: “It’s still leaking” or “The installation looks wrong.” Without tangible elements, the company cannot defend the quality of its work. Billing is contested, delayed, or even canceled. In some cases, a new crew must be dispatched to assess the situation, generating additional costs.
Video self-audit provides a radical solution to this recurring problem. Before leaving the site, the technician records a short video sequence via their app. They film the installation from different angles and verbally comment on their actions: “I replaced gasket X, the valve is in the open position, the meter is sealed.” This video is automatically timestamped, geotagged, and secured, guaranteeing its integrity.
This “video check-out” becomes an incontestable proof of delivery. It immediately clears up doubts for the client or the contractor, allowing payment to be unlocked without delay. More fundamentally, it reverses the burden of proof: it is no longer up to the company to justify itself, but to the client to demonstrate that subsequent damage did not result from an external cause.
This visual traceability transforms the commercial relationship. Billing accelerates, claims decrease, and trust between parties is strengthened.
4. Incident reporting: optimizing traceability and dispute management using video data
Several months pass. A dispute arises. The client claims that the technician damaged their wall during the work order, or that the leak was never resolved. Without probative evidence, it is one word against another. The company must mobilize legal resources, negotiate with insurance companies, and sometimes accept a settlement to avoid costly proceedings.
Video recordings of visual assistance sessions constitute first-rate legal protection. Timestamped and geotagged, they are automatically filed in the client dossier within the CRM. In the event of a dispute, the company has irrefutable proof of the state of the premises before and after the work order, the actions taken, and the instructions given to the client.
This exhaustive documentation proves particularly valuable during exchanges with insurers. It allows files to be closed quickly by establishing real responsibilities. In a sector where margins are tight, avoiding a single costly dispute can largely offset the investment in a remote visual support solution.
Field Service Management in Water and Utilities: a business model transformation
Remote visual support does not just optimize isolated tasks. It transforms a fragmented service chain into a continuous and transparent process. Each step flows smoothly:
- Precise qualification of requests,
- Effective resolution in the field,
- Certification of quality,
- Protection against litigation.
This operational continuity generates measurable benefits:
- Reduction of unnecessary truck rolls,
- Increase in First Time Fix Rates,
- Acceleration of the billing cycle (DSO),
- Reduction of non-quality costs.
Beyond these quantifiable gains, it improves the customer experience and empowers technicians, who finally have the means to prove the quality of their work.
In a context of ecological transition where every avoided trip counts, and where every resource optimization contributes to reducing the carbon footprint, remote visual support is no longer an option. It is becoming a necessity to reconcile economic performance with environmental responsibility. The Water and Wastewater companies adopting it today are building the operational model of tomorrow.
English 
French