Changing the company business model can involve new services, products and approaches to sourcing resources and dealing with customers. The motivation could be to capitialise on a new value proposition aimed at current or new customers or to enter a totally new market niche.

A 'smart meter' is an electronic device that can measure and control energy or water consumption through two-way interaction between a measurement unit and a control unit. Meters are available for electricity, gas and water gas consumption. The difference between a smart meter and conventional metering is the storage of data usage, identification of resource use by individual appliances/machines, and potentially the control of the resource use.