Utility customer satisfaction drops
Utility companies registered the largest decline in customer satisfaction this year among various industries rated in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Overall, utilities rated by the service registered an 8 percent drop from a score of 75 a year ago to 69 currently (on a scale of 1 to 100). Utilities included in the ACSI provide gas and electric service to more than 75 percent of U.S. households. Individual utility scores ranged from a high of 80 for both Southern Co. and PPL Corp. to a low of 49 for Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). PG&E’s score fell 33 percent from last year, the largest decline for any company since ACSI’s 1994 inception. The ACSI is a national indicator of customer satisfaction produced by the University of Michigan Business School, American Society for Quality and the CFI Group, a management consulting firm. ACSI scores for the utility sector are available at www.bus.umich.edu.
Study to gauge utility Web use
Severn Trent Systems, a software and services provider to the utility industry, is conducting research into Internet use by utilities and consumer interest in online utility services. The surveys are directed toward consumers, utility Web masters and utility Web sites, and are a follow-up to the Utilities.Online survey that STS undertook in 1999. The current survey-accessible at www.utilityknowledge.com-runs until the end of August. Previous survey results also are available at www.utilityknowledge.com.
NES offers summary billing
Nashville Electric Service (NES) customers with multiple accounts and multiple bills now can consolidate payments with NES’ Summary Billing program. Through the program, NES reads meters for each of a customer’s accounts on the normal meter reading date. Instead of sending a bill after the meter is read, NES holds the bill and sends it along with the customer’s other bills on a master summary invoice. NES customers must enroll in the utility’s electronic funds transfer program and have a satisfactory credit history to take advantage of summary billing.
PNM offers online analysis
Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) is offering its residential and business customers the ability to improve energy efficiency and reduce bills through its Energy Analyzer online tool. Energy Analyzer is a graphical, interactive tool available through the PNM Web site that helps customers determine where and how energy is used in their homes or businesses. The Energy Analyzer tool is a product of e-CRM provider Nexus Energyguide.
RWA wins quality award
Teleservices company Ron Weber and Associates (RWA) earned a Gold MVP Quality Award from Customer Inter@ction Solutions magazine for its work on an integrated customer contact program for DTE Edison America. RWA’s program for DTE Edison America involved inbound/outbound calling, e-mail, mail and faxing.
