Establishing Clear Technology Direction and Investment Planning for a Growing Utilities Provider
As Altogether Group continued to grow, leadership recognised that existing systems and governance structures were no longer keeping pace with the organisation’s scale and complexity.
Rather than rushing into technology replacement, Altogether Group partnered with Solution Minds Consulting (SMC) to step back, reduce decision risk, and establish a clear, evidence-based direction before committing to major investment.
SMC acted as an independent, client-side advisor, collaborating with executives and stakeholders to define priorities, assess options, and translate complex system considerations into clear, Board-ready recommendations.
Key outcomes
Operational risk reduction
Targeted reduction in risk exposure through improved integration, governance, and removal of single points of failure (estimated 25–30%).
Cost and efficiency benefits
Projected savings and productivity improvements through process optimisation, automation, and independent vendor negotiation (approximately $500,000 over three years).
Process automation uplift
Significant reduction in manual intervention across customer and billing processes (up to ~40% improvement in automation).
About Altogether Group
Altogether Group Pty Ltd is a leading provider of embedded energy networks and private water utilities across Australia’s Eastern seaboard. Owned by the Sustainable Communities Infrastructure Trust and managed by Morrison, the organisation supports more than 400 communities across New South Wales and Queensland.
With close to 100,000 billing points and continued growth, Altogether Group needed systems and governance capable of supporting scale, regulatory complexity, and an increasingly customer-centric operating model.
Continued growth increased pressure on legacy systems and highlighted the need for clearer technology direction and governance.
Fragmented Systems and Rising Operational Risk
Over time, Altogether Group’s technology landscape had evolved into a collection of siloed systems with limited integration. While functional, this environment relied heavily on manual processes and workarounds, increasing cost, complexity, and operational risk.
Key challenges included:
- Fragmented systems and limited integration. Reduced visibility and efficiency across customer, billing, and finance functions.
- Extensive customisation and functional gaps. Bespoke solutions increased reliance on specialist knowledge and constrained scalability.
- Pressure on critical billing and customer platforms. Core revenue processes were dependent on systems that no longer aligned with future requirements.
- Manual intervention across critical processes. Operational teams relied on workarounds to support service continuity, affecting efficiency and customer experience.
These factors made it difficult for leadership to confidently manage risk, prioritise investment, and plan a credible path forward.
SMC Role and Approach
SMC was engaged to develop a comprehensive systems review and business case to support executive and Board decision-making. The goal was to provide clarity, alignment, and an objective foundation for investment decisions before progressing to vendor selection or delivery.
The scope covered core enterprise and customer-facing capabilities, including:
- Customer operations, billing, and revenue management
- ERP functions including finance, human resources, and asset management
- CRM covering sales, account management, and stakeholder engagement
The engagement followed SMC’s early-phase advisory approach:
Strategy and Roadmap
- Stakeholder interviews and workshops to align business priorities
- Current-state assessment and process mapping
- Gap analysis to define future-state requirements
- Development of a phased transformation roadmap
Options Analysis and Business Case
- Evaluation of strategic system options at an architectural level
- Cost–benefit and return-on-investment modelling
- Identification of risks and mitigation strategies
- Development of a Board-ready business case
Throughout the engagement, SMC acted as a vendor-neutral advisor, ensuring recommendations were grounded in business needs rather than vendor-led assumptions.
Expected Outcomes
The business case provided Altogether Group leadership with a clear and practical foundation for decision-making. Key outcomes included:
- A clear, phased IT transformation roadmap aligned to strategic goals.
- Leadership and stakeholder alignment to support Board approval.
- Identification and prioritisation of high-value initiative
- Objective comparison of solution approaches with defensible recommendation
- Order-of-magnitude cost estimates and value modelling
- A structured approach to risk management and governance
Together, these outcomes delivered clarity and confidence before progressing to vendor commitment or implementation.
Impact and Value Indicators
Based on the business case modelling, the transformation program is expected to deliver measurable benefits over time, including:
- Approximately $500,000 in cost savings over three years through improved processes and commercial outcomes
- An estimated 25–30% reduction in operational risk exposure driven by improved integration and governance.
- Up to a 40% increase in process automation, reducing manual effort and improving operational efficiency.
These indicators provided leadership with a credible view of value, risk reduction, and return prior to committing to delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions
To establish clear priorities, future requirements, and investment sequencing before committing to major change, reducing uncertainty and decision risk.
SMC gave vendor-neutral advice, ensuring options, costs, and risks were assessed objectively and aligned to business needs.
Complex technology considerations were translated into clear, evidence-based insights to support informed discussion and approval.
Yes. A structured strategy and roadmap helps organisations assess readiness, prioritise opportunities, and adopt new capabilities at the right pace.
Ready to set clear direction before committing to change?
Organisations under pressure to modernise often commit too early, increasing cost, risk, and disruption.
Book a free consultation to learn how independent advisory can help you clarify priorities, reduce risk, and build confidence before major systems investment.