Thames Water

identilam have been supplying Thames Water with an online bureau service for ID Cards since 2006.

Thames Water and identilam held discussions centering on their requirement to have 24/7 online access to their staff and contractor database. Our software was configured to meet the specific requirements and business model of Thames Water.

The card type to be issued to employees and contractors is automatically ‘data triggered’ to guarantee correct issuing of type of pass. With the latest software version, duplicate checking will ensure that the same card is not issued twice.

Currently under development, after discussions between the two companies, is the facility for 500 staff to provide a ‘door stopper’ online verification procedure. If a Thames Water representative visits a home to carry out maintenance work the representative can hand over the card to the house holder before being granted entry to the house; the house holder will then ring the Thames Water call centre so that the identity of the caller can be verified, online, immediately.

Data on cards issued and in use is readily accessible by authorised users, 24/7.

The database, hosted and backed up by 2 servers, is co-located at a high security data centre guaranteeing a secure, controlled environment for the servers and a constant, reliable, high speed internet connection. The servers are ‘mirrored’ to cover any possible failure by the main server and the 2nd server can be brought into use, at a moments notice, remotely from the identilam headquarters.

“I have just ordered my first ID Card using the new system, and I must say that it appears at the moment to be a lot easier and certainly saves a lot of time and effort filling in application forms, printing them off, filling them in, and attaching endless photos.”
– Thames Water.