24/7 service for utilities: How rhenag leverages Parloa AI agents for improved utility CX

rhenag (Rheinische Energie AG) is an established service provider and partner to energy utilities across Germany. With expertise spanning the full energy value chain, rhenag helps municipalities and municipal utilities digitize their processes with its lima billing system. The provider operates with the mission of making innovation scalable for the whole market.

Challenge

The energy sector faces immense competitive pressure. As utilities aim to retain existing customers and win new ones, customer service becomes the core differentiator. But with high call volumes and service teams already working at full capacity, combined with regulatory guidelines consistently shifting, the ability to deliver such service has become increasingly difficult.

In order to meet customer expectations for fast help around the clock, rhenag looked for a solution that could automate simple tasks, such as meter reading submissions and installment adjustments, and work through complex cases like rate advice. Ultimately, the company’s goal was to relieve their human team of routine work, so employees could focus on individual inquiries and customers could experience faster service.

Solution

Parloa and its implementation partner, logen.ai, built a standardized, multi-tenant AI platform for energy providers running on the lima backend system.

Now, rhenag equips its municipal utility partners with AI agents that come with an out-of-the-box backend integration, so they can be deployed quickly and continue improving after launch. Because the solution scales across the entire energy market, it’s adaptable to every partner, and logen.ai handles the development and management of all agents.

For the first deployment, rhenag, Parloa, and logen.ai built a standard voice AI agent, with the intention to expand to more specific use cases in collaboration with municipal utility partners. In just six weeks, rhenag implemented AI agents that can automatically read meters and make adjustments to estimated payments. Now, customers can submit their own readings and have the agents make adjustments automatically. The AI agents guide customers through the process step by step and send the recorded data back into the lima billing system. Should the call require human involvement, the AI agents can route the customer to the right department for quick resolution. Soon, this functionality will be available 24/7.  

“Our AI vision is clear: It's about unlocking efficiencies and deploying employees outside of standard processes – where experts are needed for customers' problems.”

Norman Petersson, Head of Energy Business, rhenag Energie

The AI agents currently handle around 200,000 calls annually, across both large and small municipal utilities. Service quality and customer satisfaction continue to climb, as service teams are freed to focus on the cases that benefit from human judgment. 

Why Parloa

Parloa and logen.ai’s proven track record of deploying AI solutions in the energy market attracted rhenag, as the companies have a clear understanding of the unique service needs of energy utilities. 

Additionally, because logen.ai had built the predecessor to today's AI agents for rhenag, rhenag knew logen.ai could handle the complex ERP integration of voice AI agents into its lima system. Parloa would then deliver the scale they needed to serve numerous municipal utilities. 

“Parloa and logen.ai combine innovative strength with the ability to deliver. This is exactly what we need to quickly scale our multi-tenant AI agents and sustainably improve customer service for our municipal utility partners.”

Michael Hombach, Head of Process Services, rhenag 

Collaborative partnership focused on rapid impact

Parloa and logen.ai continue to implement and optimize voice AI agents in close collaboration with rhenag. The partners follow the specific requirements of energy providers to prioritize use cases that match customer needs, deliver value quickly, and fit technical capabilities.

Results

Since day one in production, the AI agents have delivered measurable value:

• 200,000 calls a year are handled automatically, across both small municipal utilities and larger providers

• Accurate routing, so every inquiry reaches the right contact person and customers find a solution fast

• Estimated payment adjustments handled directly during the call, with no follow-up needed

• Meter readings submitted quickly and conveniently, around the clock

• Less phone time for service teams, a shift that's earned broad support for the AI project internally as teams focus on higher-value work

• Greater accessibility for energy providers

• Higher satisfaction for customers

What’s next

rhenag has a clear roadmap for its multi-tenant AI agents. The company will soon make voice AI available to all of the municipal utilities for which it serves, and the utilities can decide whether or not they implement it. Next, AI agents will take on more complex use cases, such as change-of-address notifications, status inquiries on switching utilities, and document distribution. rhenag also aims to deploy AI agents for rate consultation and enrollment, opening a direct path to revenue growth through upselling and cross-selling opportunities.

As the use of automation increases in service, so do the benefits for energy providers and their customers. Each positive experience earns trust, deepens rhenag's relationships with its municipal utility partners, and turns customer communication into a competitive advantage.