Service design

Toronto Hydro – Covid-19 Energy Assistance Program

The program created one service flow from application through eligibility and bill credit, with channel-aware reporting and support for back-dated assisted applications.

Role: Digital transformation and delivery lead
Year: 2020
Capabilities: Rapid service design · Accessibility · Operational enablement · Cross-functional delivery

Business context

A pandemic relief program required Toronto Hydro to accept and process residential and commercial applications quickly, fairly, accessibly, and across online, phone, email, and mail channels.

Indicator of value

The program created one service flow from application through eligibility and bill credit, with channel-aware reporting and support for back-dated assisted applications.

Executive summary

The COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program required a rapid, end-to-end service for customers experiencing financial pressure. Toronto Hydro needed to receive applications across multiple channels, determine eligibility, process credits, and monitor the program without creating inequity between digital and assisted journeys.

Business context and constraints

The Ontario government established a finite pool of assistance for eligible electricity customers. Speed mattered, but so did accessibility, fair treatment across channels, accurate processing, and a supportable operation during pandemic working conditions.

My role

I led the virtual cross-functional team through the pandemic and was accountable for end-to-end delivery and support, including timeline, scope, and budget. I advised both the digital approach and the operational process.

Approach and strategic decisions

Used a multi-step application to reduce cognitive load and help customers complete a sensitive process.
Processed eligibility in real time where possible.
Designed to WCAG 2.0 AA requirements.
Created a streamlined internal application for customer relations representatives.
Allowed back-dating for mail and email applications so channel choice did not create unfair processing.
Connected application intake to batch bill-credit processing and program reporting.

Solution

The Liferay-based service supported residential and commercial applications, internal assisted entry, eligibility processing, channel identification, bill-credit batches, and reporting on program health and engagement.

Outcomes and indicators of value

The resulting service connected the customer-facing application to the operational workflow required to deliver assistance across channels. Specific application volumes and completion rates are not disclosed.

What the work reinforced

In urgent service design, speed and fairness are not opposing goals. Designing assisted channels, accessibility, processing rules, and measurement as part of the same service is what makes rapid delivery responsible.