Digital Transformation in Energy: 22,000 Companies Switch to Electronic Document Management With Vostok
Energy retailer Vostok reports significant progress in the digital transformation of its customer interactions. More than 22,000 legal entities across the Kurgan, Tyumen and Orenburg regions, as well as the cities of Noyabrsk and Surgut, now use electronic document management (EDM) for energy-supply and utility-service contracts.
Automation Trend
The core change lies in the complete abandonment of paper workflows in favor of digital channels. Instead of waiting several days for courier delivery, documents – invoices, statements, reports – are now transmitted within minutes. This is made possible through the use of accredited EDM operators such as Diadoc or SBIS, paired with a legally valid digital signature. For businesses, this means not only speed but also improved reliability, document security and reduced administrative overhead.
Company leadership positions this step as part of a broader strategy to build a modern digital ecosystem. Maksim Romashev, CEO of Energy Retail Company Vostok, emphasizes that remote interaction has become a standard for convenient, efficient communication, and further expansion of online services is planned for both corporate and individual customers.
A Signal for the Market
A transition of this scale – 22,000 companies – sends a strong signal across the entire market. For Vostok itself, it represents a pathway to higher operational efficiency, reduced costs and a more transparent interaction environment. In the long term, such practices may become the industry standard.
For the IT sector, Vostok’s successful case creates stable demand for related services: digital-signature issuance, integration of EDM systems with internal corporate software (ERP, CRM), consulting and technical support. This strengthens the position of vendors and integrators operating in this niche. Although EDM technology is tied to Russian legislation and is not an export product, the accumulated experience in building digital platforms for energy companies can be replicated across other regional utilities.
Growing Through Digital Services
Vostok’s active digitalization is not a sudden development but a logical step in its long-term trajectory. As early as 2018, the company launched specialized mobile apps and web interfaces for property-management companies, enabling remote submission of meter readings and access to account data. In 2023, together with Sberbank, it launched a pilot online service in the Kurgan region allowing residents to submit meter readings in real time and immediately receive recalculated utility-payment amounts.
These initiatives align with a nationwide trend that has unfolded over the past five years. The pandemic and a broad need to optimize business processes accelerated the mass adoption of EDM among companies, including utility providers. The market of electronic-document-management operators has demonstrated significant growth, and energy retailers across the country have begun actively deploying smart meters and digital customer services.
Changing Traditions
The large-scale transition to electronic document management with energy retailer Vostok is a clear example of how digitalization is transforming traditional economic sectors. Businesses gain tangible competitive advantages through time and resource savings, while service providers adopt more efficient and modern operating models. The number of connected users is expected to grow, and service functionality will likely expand through integration with other digital solutions in utilities and resource-management sectors. This process contributes significantly to building a new, technology-driven ecosystem for utility services.
