A new report from IDC Energy Insights, Methods and Practices: Getting the Right Customer Analytics, could be a welcome helping hand for professionals wondering whether they need to pay attention to it, and if so, how to get started.

It's not theory; it's a nuts and bolts approach to helping utilities get through a thorough evaluation process. Here are some of those nuts and bolts:

·         Identifying the objectives

·         Matching needs with the right vendors

·         Asking the right questions

·         Winning support for analytics

·         What decisions need to be made, and when

·         What to expect in the future

·         The right approach for getting started

As IDC VP Jill Feblowitz put it, "Winning support for analytics requires the same level of effort as with other foundational architecture investments – asking the right questions, involving all levels of personnel and socializing the benefits of technology. Analytics to support revenue assurance bring immediate value, and analytics are core to demand response planning. Planning for the future, utilities can use the cloud to experiment with analytics applied data stored in business applications and available through social media."