AGL plans $300m digital transformation

Energy utility AGL is set to embark on a three-year, $300 million digital transformation program that will target everything from core systems to customer-facing IT.

The value of the capital expenditure associated with the program is “indicative”, CEO Andy Vesey said in financial filings, raising the prospect of an even greater outlay.

"It is about delivering an industry-leading digital experience to drive value for our customers and ultimately change the quality of their relationship with AGL," Vesey said.

"We are now in a period where customer expectations are being set broadly in a digital world and we must invest now to keep pace."

The program is to be broken into three components targeting AGL’s “foundational capability,” the digitisation of “all key customer interactions” and delivering “signature moments”.

AGL promised “significant investment in core technologies, processes and people to enable [a] platform for transformation”. 

"Bear in mind much of our IT architecture pre-dates the smartphone age," Vesey said.

It said it would digitise processes including customer sign-up, billing, issue resolution, and moving house.

"Much of the capability we are seeking to build relates to the personalisation of service based on data-driven decision making," Vesey said.

The digital transformation program comes as AGL reinvigorates the executive ranks of its technology functions.

The utility is presently recruiting its first-ever CTO. It also this year appointed a CISO and reinstated the role of CIO.