A Scalable, User-Friendly Utility Provider Platform

Dortmunder Energie- und Wasserversorgung GmbH (DEW21) reliably supplies the region with electricity, natural gas, water, and heat, and is actively committed to sustainable and renewable energy supply. Its customers include both residential and commercial customers. 

DEW21 needed a high-functioning digital platform that would meet the requirements of a utility provider and the expectations of users and various target groups. unternehmen online GmbH & Co.KG (UO) has been serving as a strategic and technical partner for DEW21 since 2018. For this relaunch, the already established relationship ensured a smooth transition and productive working timeline.

TYPO3 CMS was utilized for this project due to its high flexibility and scalability, powerful plug-in structure, future-proofing through regular release cycles and seamless integration into existing system landscapes (including SAP).

The tasks were diverse and ranging, which included:

• Development of additional digital services such as an on-site service point and a standalone digital customer magazine
• Complex process landscapes in the B2B and B2C sectors including but not limited to ordering workflows, price calculators, and integrations with SAP.
• UX and CD relaunch, combining functionality, accessibility and brand identity.
• Regular core updates to ensure security and future-proofing (6.x → 8.x → 11.x + ELTS).

The DEW21 relaunch was structured around five key components. These components involved impactful work, including from the relaunch and continuous development of the digital platform. Aligning with the new corporate design, the redesigned DEW21 platform was migrated to modern TYPO3 versions with ELTS support. Agile methodologies were applied during development and UO’s deep expertise and knowledge of TYPO3 was leveraged for integrating advanced functions within the CMS. These advanced functions included rate calculators, availability checks, and order processes connected to SAP systems.

A major function of the relaunched DEW21 platform included a comprehensive online customer center. This implementation was designed for both private and business users, offering advanced, user-friendly features such as meter reading entry, invoice overviews, and detailed consumption histories. Within this portal, a digital service point was created, serving as a touch-point terminal for customer centers. A OnePage application based on Vue.js, was also included and supported by data processing and automatic data deletion.

The relaunch highlighted TYPO3’s efficient editorial maintenance integration through the development of the “Touchpoint” customer magazine. This integration included a standable page template and intelligent tagging structure. Additionally, it created targeted digital experiences, optimized for mobile. This example can be seen within the “Volle Ladung Dortmund” landing page. This Vue.js solution serves as a strong key visual and high-performance architecture tailored to the fan merchandise of Borussia Dortmund (BVB).

UO developed a scalable, modular TYPO3 platform that centrally integrates editorial content, technical business processes, and self-service features, including regular major upgrades. Given the complexity of the application, the use of ELTS licenses is also recommended.

The newly relaunched platform enables DEW21 to respond quickly to market and customer needs due to its flexible, future-proof architecture built on TYPO3. The platform continues to function as a contemporary, user-oriented solution, providing a premium customer experience across every touchpoint.