Inspired Testing delivers performance, efficiency, cost savings for major UK water utility

Digitalisation is transforming the way utility companies deliver essential services.

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South Africa’s premier global software testing and services company, Inspired Testing, has announced a partnership with one of the UK’s largest water utilities, Yorkshire Water, to develop a strategic approach to delivering service excellence for Yorkshire’s customers in a resource- and cost-efficient way.

The partnership has already cut the water utility’s quality assurance cost by R24 million per annum.

“As customer expectations for reliable, efficient and transparent utility services continue to rise, utility companies across the UK are turning to technology solutions to meet these demands,” says Jacques Fouché, CEO, Inspired Testing. “Software quality assurance is the backbone of successful modernisation, yet is often overlooked as a key step in improving operational efficiency and overall performance.”

“Utilities operate within a highly regulated industry, relying on complex, integrated IT systems to maintain essential services. It is crucial to ensure the reliability and efficiency of these systems. Software quality assurance provides the foundation for improved service standards and ensures utilities meet the needs of the business, the regulator and the customers,” says Lesley Higgins, Managing Executive at Inspired Testing.

Since partnering with Inspired Testing, some of the measurable performance benefits at Yorkshire Water include:

Better service, fewer disruptions. Rigorous software testing and clear strategy has significantly reduced system downtime, leading to faster issue resolution, improved quality monitoring and more efficient responses to outages and infrastructure failures.

Yorkshire Water cut project delays caused by inefficient quality assurance processes in a major ERP system from 50 days in five months to just seven days. This 86% reduction translates to better service using more reliable systems for the utility’s clients.

More accurate billing and customer support. Many customers' top concern is billing accuracy, and software testing is crucial in minimising errors and ensuring that customers are charged fairly and correctly. Digital platforms narrow the divide between utilities and customers, providing seamless access to account information, payment management, reporting and timely notifications.

Together with Inspired Testing, thorough testing of these billing systems not only improves overall platform quality, but also shortens release cycles through test automation, leading to an overall more positive user experience.

Operational efficiency for bigger cost savings. A strategic software QA approach that prioritises efficiency, governance and innovative technology can bring substantial cost savings through improved operational efficiency.

Inspired Testing introduced efficient test automation at Yorkshire Water that proactively identifies potential problem areas before they escalate, effectively saving the utility R8.4 million.

Alongside test automation, regular performance testing ensures that all systems can handle user and task loads without compromising performance, leading to smoother operations and additional cost reductions.

Protecting customer data and privacy. As data security threats continue to rise, utility companies have prioritised protecting sensitive customer information. Advanced software testing ensures compliance with strict data protection regulations.

Accelerating innovation for a smarter workplace. The integration of AI and automation in software testing allows utilities to launch new digital services faster, with clear financial and operational advantages, as demonstrated by a recent pilot project of Inspired Testing’s new VeloAI testing co-pilot at Yorkshire Water.

It took a team of four consultants two days to do less than a quarter of the software testing work that one consultant was able to complete in 20 minutes with VeloAI, a massive performance boost of more than 98%, and a cost saving of more than 95%.

Using this new technology helps to free up additional capacity at the water utility, and create a smarter, more efficient workplace that will ultimately benefit customers.

Digitalisation is transforming the way utility companies deliver essential services, enabling them to respond swiftly to customer needs, optimise resource use and meet regulatory standards.

The full potential of these digital innovations is best realised when backed up by robust software testing. By ensuring the reliability, security and efficiency of digital systems, software testing and quality assurance empowers utilities to deliver consistent, high-quality services that customers can depend on.

Through its strategic partnership with Inspired Testing, Yorkshire Water is not only enhancing operational performance, but also building lasting trust with the communities it serves, ensuring every digital advancement translates into customer tangible benefits.