#76 - Next Meters Is Making Smart Water Beautifully Simple

Ben Jarrett has spent his career around water, first as a professional bass fisherman, then in the boating industry, and now as a Regional Sales Director for Next Meters USA. In this episode of The Clear Voice, Ben joins James Groom to discuss his unconventional career journey and the lessons he learned from fishing, competition, hard work, and conservation. The conversation then moves into the challenges facing municipal water utilities. Ben explains how aging meters can miss usage, how hidden leaks can lead to unexpectedly high bills, and how smart water meters give utilities and customers faster access to accurate information. They also discuss water scarcity, infrastructure planning, meter replacement, customer satisfaction, and the importance of selecting technology that employees can actually understand and use. Ben shares what communities should consider when moving from manual meter reading or drive-by systems to advanced metering infrastructure. For Next Meters, the goal is simple: provide utilities with powerful technology while making smart water beautifully simple. Chapters 00:57 Introduction and Ben’s Career Journey 03:02 From Professional Bass Fishing to the Water Industry 05:54 Work Ethic, Preparation, and Career Lessons 08:29 Meeting Your Heroes and Competing at the Highest Level 10:22 Conservation and Protecting Water Resources 12:07 Water Scarcity and the Role of Smart Metering 14:52 Finding Leaks and Water Loss Faster 16:53 Customer Satisfaction and Usage Awareness 21:13 Aging Meters and Lost Utility Revenue 23:36 Better Data for Rates and Infrastructure Planning 25:09 Moving from Manual Reading to Smart Metering 27:36 Implementing and Maintaining a Smart Meter System 31:10 Choosing the Right Metering Technology 33:25 Why Software and Usability Matter 35:58 Making Smart Water Beautifully Simple 40:41 Encouragement for Utility Professionals Connect with Ben LinkedIn:   / ben-jarrett-288969108   Email: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) Phone: 903-387-3550 Learn More About Next Meters https://nextmeters.com/ Connect With Clear Career Professionals Clear Career Professionals is a Texas based municipal executive search firm specializing in City Manager search services, municipal executive search, and local government leadership consulting for cities and counties across Texas and the United States. Clear works with communities to recruit City Managers, City Administrators, Assistant City Managers, Police Chiefs, Fire Chiefs, Finance Directors, HR Directors, and other senior municipal leaders. In addition to executive search services, Clear provides local government leadership training, organizational assessments, executive coaching, interim leadership placements, and strategic consulting designed to strengthen city organizations and support effective public service leadership. Clear partners with city councils, county commissioners, and public sector leadership teams seeking experienced municipal professionals who can guide growing communities, manage complex organizations, and deliver strong public service outcomes.  Career Opportunities https://clearcareerpro.com/career-opp... LinkedIn   / clear-career-pro