Lishtot Introduces the Report a Problem Tool on its Website and App
March 25, 2018
Lishtot has unveiled its tool to help users report issues with their water directly to their utility. Numerous water problems around the world go unreported simply because of how cumbersome it is to file the complaint in the first place. Many people don't know how to access their water utility, either because they are renting and do not engage with their utility directly, or they simply send a check or bank transfer to a name every month but have never really worked with their utility.
On the flip side, there are scores of water utilities, authorities, and municipalities in the United States both public and private. The level of customer service and customer engagement at each varies greatly. Some are set up to support customer complaints and have portals for doing so. Many have email addresses that can make a customer feel like they are sending off a prayer into the void and it's in the Universe's hands whether or not they will get an answer. Even more antiquated are many utilities that require a customer to send a fax.
Lishtot is constantly building and improving its database of water utilities. Our goal is to facilitate interaction between customers and utilities in large part to help hold the water utilities accountable for their product. Water is the most essential human need that we all pay for and pay quite handsomely for in many cases. Think of mobile phone companies and the level of customer service that is necessary in order to maintain good relationships with customers. They are increasingly strengthening their offerings to beat out the competition. Customers can threaten to switch to another if their needs aren't met. And while many people have had problems with their mobile phone carriers, at the end of the day if there's an issue someone at their company or representing their company will answer the phone at any time for the most part.
Why shouldn't it be the same with water, the most essential human need that we all pay for?
The first version of the Report a Problem tool allows customers to sign on and, based on the location of their device or on a location that they enter, a list of the utilities in their area pops up. They can select their utility and then fill out a form detailing the complaint with their water. They can select issues with the color of their water indicating whether it is clear, red/brown, yellow, blue/green or cloudy/white. They select the smell as either normal, chlorine, metallic, rotten eggs, musty, or like turpentine.
Even if it is simply that a customer's water is brown for a few seconds when they first turn on the tap, or the water has a funny smell at odd intervals in the day, this little bit of data helps Lishtot and utilities to know more information about the water they are selling to their customers. This water quality data is highly complementary to data generated by customers using the TestDrop, and users can even include results from the TestDrop as part of the report to the utility.
As time goes on, the tool will get increasingly more sophisticated. Lishtot's more advanced products due in 2019 for real-time online water quality monitoring 24/7 will eventually send continuous water quality reports to the appropriate utilities.
Until then, we invite everyone and anyone to report any issues or suspicions about water quality that they might have using the Report a Problem Tool. The more data we have, the more we will advance on the path to a cleaner water future for all.
About Lishtot (Lishtot Detection Ltd.)
Lishtot is an Israeli technology company dedicated to improving water quality around the world. Lishtot makes products that can rapidly test drinking water for numerous types of contaminations and then aggregates this information to create a clearer picture of global water quality. Lishtot was officially founded in 2015 by serial entrepreneur Netanel Raisch, Lishtot’s CEO and Dr. Alan Bauer, Lishtot’s Chief Scientist. The core technology is based on a discovered phenomenon associated with electric fields and water. Lishtot’s patented technology has received awards, grants, and global recognition for its innovation.
Lishtot is on a mission to democratize water data around the world and help people make smarter choices about the water they drink. They continue to build products designed to find contaminants and drinking-water problems before they become disasters.
For more information contact [email protected]