Project Snapshot
Industry: Energy sector, Germany
Headquarters: Berlin
Collaboration with coeo: Trust-based collection of gas, electricity, and basic utility payments in Germany
Since its founding in 1847, GASAG AG has helped shape Berlin’s energy landscape. Today, together with its subsidiaries, it is one of the leading energy service providers, network operators and energy producers in the Berlin-Brandenburg region. Its portfolio includes the supply of electricity and natural gas, along with a range of energy services covering district heating networks, solar power, geothermal energy, and heat pumps for households, businesses, the housing sector, and industrial customers.
Through innovative technologies and continued investment in renewable energy, the GASAG Group is playing an active role in driving the region’s energy transition. As a Berlin Partner, the company also supports a wide range of initiatives in sport, culture, environmental protection, education and science, reflecting its commitment to the communities it serves.
Task & Challenge
Energy providers face dual pressures in receivables management: Rising energy prices are leading to more payment defaults, while their status as essential service providers requires particular care when dealing with debtors. Those who supply electricity and gas are not providing luxury goods – they are supplying the essentials of life. This places unique demands on every collection notice and every step in the collection process.
GASAG brought something to this collaboration that cannot be taken for granted: a high level of in-house expertise in receivables management and external debt collection. Accordingly, the criteria for a partner were clear.
What GASAG was looking for:
- A partner with proven industry experience in energy supply, not just generic debt collection expertise
- Cost reduction without compromising quality, daily payment disbursements with full transparency for monthly billing
- Technical flexibility and customized, controllable processes that respond to creditworthiness and cost-effectiveness
- A customer-centric approach as a core principle, not just a promise in the request for proposal
Our Approach.
The energy supply industry is not like any other sector. Those responsible for collections in this sector encounter heterogeneous data sets and customer master data, regulatory peculiarities, and debtor groups with very diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. A rigid, one-size-fits-all model fails precisely because of this complexity.
For GASAG, this means three specific things:
Industry-specific process logic instead of a one-size-fits-all solution. We have tailored our control logic to the requirements of the energy supply sector: regulatory frameworks, blocking criteria, and retroactive invoice corrections. All of this is incorporated into case processing – not as special treatment, but as standard practice.
Automation that scales. High case volumes are part of everyday life in the energy sector. Our processes are structured so that automation is the standard, without compromising quality or individuality. Daily payment disbursements, structured processing strategies, clear reporting logic.
AI where it matters. cAI, our AI platform, ensures that communication with debtors isn’t handled in a one-size-fits-all manner. Tone, channel, timing – these are all controlled on an individual basis. For a utility provider that deals daily with people in difficult life situations, this isn’t just a nice-to-have.
What we built jointly.
Collection of receivables from gas and electricity supplies that have been sent to collection and finalized. As a trust-based collection partner, we handle the process in a structured and legally compliant manner. Clearly defined interfaces, daily distribution logic, and full transparency in monthly billing.
Customized management logic. Instead of a one-size-fits-all process, we use a differentiated, case-specific approach that responds to the available data, case type, and debtor behavior. Case managers are trained not only in process management but also in customer-focused communication and understanding different debtor types. This results in operational quality that you can really feel. And as part of a “trainee program,” we also brought our head of operations together directly with the GASAG team for two days – an exchange that yielded even more than the regular scheduled meetings – fostering communication on an equal footing, without any reservations, and providing a transparent view into the underlying processes.
Regulatory Integration. The energy supply industry operates within a complex regulatory framework. We have ensured that industry-specific requirements – whether blocking mechanisms, documentation obligations, or legal implications – are consistently incorporated into the collections process.
cAI: AI-powered debtor communication. GASAG already uses its own AI-powered processes. Our systems are designed to build on one another, ensuring that information is consistently taken into account throughout the entire debt collection process. The result: a seamless, coordinated approach from the first reminder to the final resolution.
Jasmin Jäger, Client & Project Manager, Energy, coeo
Results.
An improved implementation rate and a measurable increase in liquidity. Processes are scalable, and the operational workload on the GASAG team has decreased. Thanks to automation and clear interfaces, day-to-day operations run more smoothly, while billing transparency enhances planning reliability.
At the same time, the collaboration has produced something that cannot be captured by a single metric: a deep mutual understanding of the requirements of the energy supply industry. This knowledge is incorporated into every step of the process.
Customer satisfaction in the context of collections processing: this is not a given in receivables management. For GASAG, it is one of the key criteria for success. For us, too.
What Partnership Truly Means to Us.
This collaboration has evolved over time. What began as an operational partnership has grown into a relationship based on trust. We maintain close communication, our processes are well-established, and our mutual understanding continues to deepen.
What GASAG gains from us: a partner that treats debt collection not as a cost factor, but as a matter of quality. One that doesn’t view industry-specific requirements as special cases, but as the foundation. And one that doesn’t fall back on standard processes, even when data situations are difficult and cases are complex.
What we get from GASAG: a client with genuine technical expertise who challenges us, helps us grow, and with whom we work as equals. That’s exactly what makes a partnership better.
Gabi Bieber, Head of Accounts Receivable Management; Daniela Schütze, Head of Customer Service for Accounts Receivable Management and Anja Kanter, Head of Transformation for Accounts Receivable Management, GASAG
