You can have the right Customer Information System (CIS) platform. A solid project plan. Even an experienced PMO. But if your systems integrator doesn’t understand how utilities actually operate?
You’re headed for headaches.
A successful CIS implementation hinges on more than just software. The real differentiator is the partner behind it — the one making your platforms, processes, and people work as one. That’s your systems integrator. And in the utility space, not just any integrator will do.
WHAT A SYSTEMS INTEGRATOR REALLY DOES
A systems integrator is your behind-the-scenes orchestrator. They’re responsible for wiring everything together — from billing to customer service to field operations — so your technology stack functions as one cohesive whole.
But here’s the problem: most utilities don’t hire a systems integrator. They hire a product implementor.
An implementor can install software. Configure screens. Get you to go-live. But that doesn’t mean your systems work together — or that your staff is set up for success.
A true systems integrator goes deeper.
They connect your platforms and your processes. They understand how each system fits into your utility’s daily operations — and how to make the whole machine run better.
THE PROBLEM ISN'T THE PLATFORM
Let’s be honest: Oracle Energy & Water is robust and scalable. Aptumo CIS powered by Salesforce is clean, cloud-native, and built for water utilities. The platforms are solid.
Where things break down is in the integration. Because if your vendor doesn’t know how to implement around the realities of a utility — union rules, seasonal billing cycles, regulatory audits, call center pressure — even the best software won’t save you.
That’s when you start to see:
- Parallel billing nightmares (we’ve developed a tool for that!)
- Call center volume spikes
- “Go-lives” that don’t stick
Software isn’t the problem. Integration is.
WHAT SET'S UTILITY-SMART INTEGRATION APART
Most integrators focus on tech. The good ones? They focus on outcomes.
At USP, our teams don’t just know the software. We’ve worked inside utilities. We’ve sat in the meetings, answered the escalations, and fixed the things other vendors broke. That perspective shapes everything — from how we plan a timeline to how we test a billing run.
A true utility-focused integrator brings:
- Deep platform fluency across Oracle and Salesforce
- Parallel billing and test automation built into every plan
- Change management tactics that actually land with frontline teams
- Support that stays long after the ribbon-cutting moment of “go-live”
If your last implementation felt like a checklist, not a transformation — you probably had an implementor, not an integrator. One installs software. The other installs confidence.
THE RISKS OF PICKING THE WRONG PARTNER
A bad integration doesn’t just waste time. It costs trust, morale, budget, and often, careers.
If your integrator is ghosting after go-live, blaming the software for delays, or forcing your team into workarounds that don’t work — you don’t have a tech problem. You have a partner problem.
And if that sounds familiar, it’s time for a new playbook.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT GUIDE - NOT JUST THE SOFTWARE
Too many utilities focus on picking the perfect platform. But real transformation happens when you choose the right guide.
The right integrator:
- Speaks fluent utility (not just fluent SaaS)
- Understands both platform complexity and organizational capacity
- Doesn’t disappear at go-live
- Installs confidence — not just software
BOTTOM LINE?
If you want a CIS that delivers, start by choosing a partner who knows the terrain — and knows the difference between implementing a product and integrating a system.
We’re not just integrators. We’re utility insiders who’ve seen it, fixed it, and built a better way forward.
👉 Let’s talk about what real integration looks like.
👉 Explore Oracle and Aptumo delivery at USP.
About USP
USP is a leading system integrator firm specializing in the mid-market utility industry. Our team of experienced professionals helps utilities get the most out of their software investments by providing implementation, integration, and support services. Founded in 2013, USP offers the utilities industry a comprehensive range of services and software solutions. USP has been successfully servicing the utilities industry for more than a decade.
