In this article we explore the benefits Charge Point Operators are getting from moving beyond generic EV and traffic data and adding custom data to differentiate their offering, plan profitable networks and create happy chargers.
As we researched the Secret Sauce eBook, we talked to our internal team and customers, looking at the key reasons charge point operators decided to use Charge Point Planning software and specifically why they chose Dodona; data was a recurring theme.
This is not a surprising insight as a key attribute of successful network planning is to be data-led.
Our industry has matured beyond gut feel and guesswork as the factors that make up a successful charge point with high utilization, and what we call “happy chargers” is a complex blend of data points that, when combined, give insight into the feasibility of the installation and commercial viability of the site once installed.
As one client put it, “We depend on Dodona as a unified source of dependable data, especially up-to-date competitive information of existing chargers, which is critical to the viability of our sites”.
The feedback that might be more surprising was not just how much our clients value the data that comes with the platform but the importance of being able to import custom data that they’ve sourced or developed that fits their business model, the equipment they install, and their ideal “happy charger”.
The charge point operator industry is a broad church of business models and who are their ideal consumers, and as we’ve established, data is the lifeblood of companies that are making good infrastructure investment decisions. So it stands to reason that custom data that is specific to the operator is a key differentiating factor as the market matures and becomes more competitive.
In some mature markets, such as Germany, generic EV data is becoming commoditized and available in free online tools, and to stand out in this market, CPOs need to add their insights derived from a more detailed data set in more sophisticated models.
We believe that this is an indication of the maturity of our industry. Which started with guesswork, moved to ever more complex spreadsheets, to generic data and tools, and now forward-thinking CPOs are increasingly getting more sophisticated with their data and the models they need to drive their decisions.
Charge Point Operators who have experience using other approaches and tools tell us that not having this custom data to hand, trying to use generic industry-standard, one-size-fits-all data sets, is restrictive and blunts their ability to make their offer distinct as they position their approach to partners and investors.
Examples we’ve seen of the value of custom data include:
We have therefore embraced this next evolutionary step in Charge Point Planning, as our platform now makes it incredibly easy for business users to upload their own data in a variety of industry-standard formats and visualize this through advanced modeling in the user interface, with no need to contact the technical team.
This new functionality is also transforming our product demonstrations, as our presales team can often take client data and quickly showcase the product in an incredibly relevant way to the client's challenge. Maybe you’d like to see this? Get in touch, and we’ll book something in.
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