The process is initiated by a switch-over request . In doing so , the customer transmits his data to the customer service department of the company . Customer service is a shared service center between the departments Sales and Distribution . The customer data is received by customer service and based on this data a customer data object is entered into the CRM system . After customer data has been entered it should then be compared with the internal customer data base and checked for completeness and plausibility . In case of any errors these should be corrected on the basis of a simple error list . The comparison of data is done to prevent individual customer data being stored multiple times . In case the customer does not exist in the customer data base , a new customer object is being created which will remain the data object of interest during the rest of the process flow . This object consists of data elements such as the customer's name and address and the assigned power gauge . The generated customer object is then used , in combination with other customer data to prepare the contract documents for the power supplier switch ( including data such as bank connection , information on the selected rate , requested date of switch-over ) . In the following an automated check of the contract documents is carried out within the CIS ( customer information system ) in order to confirm their successful generation . In case of a negative response , i.e . the contract documents are not ( or incorrectly ) generated , the causing issues are being analyzed and resolved . Subsequently the contract documents are generated once again . In case of a positive response a confirmation document is sent out to the customer stating that the switch-over to the new supplier can be executed . A request to the grid operator is automatically sent out by the CIS . It puts the question whether the customer may be supplied by the selected supplier in the future . The switch-over request is checked by the grid operator for supplier concurrence , and the grid operator transmits a response comment . In the case of supplier concurrence the grid operator would inform all involved suppliers and demand the resolution of the conflict . The grid operator communicates with the old supplier and carries out the termination of the sales agreement between the customer and the old supplier ( i.e . the customer service ( of the new supplier ) does not have to interact with the old supplier regarding termination ) . If there are not any objections by the grid operator ( i.e . no supplier concurrence ) , customer service creates a CIS contract . The customer then has the chance to check the contract details and based on this check may decide to either withdraw from the switch contract or confirm it . Depending on the customer's acceptance / rejection the process flow at customer service either ends ( in case of withdrawal ) or continues ( in case of a confirmation ) . An additional constraint is that the customer can only withdraw from the offered contract within 7 days after the 7th day the contract will be regarded as accepted and the process continues . The confirmation message by the customer is therefore not absolutely necessary ( as it will count as accepted after 7 days in any way ) but it can speed up the switch process . On the switch-date , but no later than 10 days after power supply has begun , the grid operator transmits the power meter data to the customer service and the old supplier via messages containing a services consumption report . At the same time , the grid operator computes the final billing based on the meter data and sends it to the old supplier . Likewise the old supplier creates and sends the final billing to the customer . For the customer as well as the grid operator the process ends then . After receiving the meter data customer service imports the meter data to systems that require the information . The process of winning a new customer ends here .