Water Fund
Customer Service
DESCRIPTION
The Customer Service Department serves the Customer Service and Billing needs of approximately 8,700 water and 18,000 electric utility customers. Customer Service also provides billing services for Fountain Sanitation District and Widefield Water and Sanitation District. We are responsible for all customer contacts regarding their accounts. This starts with initializing the account for the customer; account maintenance; billing (residential and commercial); key account management; meter reading; meter installation and maintenance; field service support; assisting with any account questions; negotiating payment arrangements; low-income energy assistance (Lighten the Load); utility file maintenance and analysis; cashiering; credit and collections; and financial accountability. The department is also responsible for conducting Electric and Water Rate Studies. Funding for the Customer Service Division of the Utilities Department comes from the Water Fund (30%) and the Electric Fund (70%).
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Customer Service Department of the City of Fountain Utilities is to fulfill the business needs of the Utilities by: providing the finest possible service for our customers (internal as well as external) regardless as to their station or status; listening to their concerns; fulfilling their valid needs; and anticipating their un-communicated needs. At the same time, we are to provide the most hospitable and rewarding work environment possible.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
PERSONNEL HISTORY
2019/2020 HIGHLIGHTS
• Implemented the new Customer Information System - NorthStar. Go Live - Dec 2019
• Utility Bill redesign. Continue to make enhancements to bill presentation.
• Implemented mobile service order system mCare for field services to complete service orders which is paperless. Go Live - Dec 2019
• Implemented a new Customer Web Portal – Customer Connect 6. Go Live - Dec 2019
o Customer may login to view bill, pay bill or see usage data.
o Present utility usage trends for electric and water. Customers can view monthly electric AMI data over a year, daily data over a month, and drill down to hourly usage intervals. Water displays monthly data over a year.
• Implemented the new Meter Data Management System – SmartWorks MeterSense. Go Live - Dec 2019
o Able to perform data analytics with integrations of data from electric SCADA, GIS, AMI, and CIS.
o Electric Line loss analysis
o Transformer loading and sizing analysis
o Automation to complete CIS service orders and pass commands through AMI system.
• Implemented new credit card payment processor InvoiceCloud. Go Live - Dec 2019
• Upgraded Automatic Meter Reading system: ensured reliability with server and dual client setup. Upgraded antennae backpack for collecting water billing readings. New GIS interface. Capable of building in a Water AMI network for water examination of end device leak detection.
• Automated service order processing for electric meter turn on/offs through AMI – Advanced Metering Infrastructure system.
• Collections - Automated batch processes for non-payment collections to turn off electric meters. Once customer makes a payment through web portal, IVR phone, drive-thru or lobby, a service order is automatically generated and processes through the MDM and AMI systems to restore power within 45 minutes of the payment posting to the account. Failures dispatch to mobile service order system mCare for field tech to complete manually and paperless.
• Created outage monitoring for AMI meters. We receive emails whenever a meter is removed from socket and deenergized without appropriate service order. This process rule notifies events to the utility about any tampering of electric meters and prevents theft.
• WMCO – Water Meter Change Out program. Initiative to replace all existing water meters.
o Replaced over 5,000 water meters out of approximately 8,600 water accounts.
o By utilizing technology able to provide customers their hourly usage to help them with leak detection and ways to conserve.
o In 2019, installed 176 new construction water meters and replaced 2,485 existing water meters.
o Program suspended March 2020 due to COVID-19. Field services staff not permitted to enter residences.
o Changed focus to replace existing flatlined dead water meters and install new construction water meters only.
o 2020 Jan-Sept installed 149 new construction and replaced 869 water meters.
• Bad Debt Ratio - Completed 2019 with a bad debt ratio of 0.047%. 2018 was 0.095%. Bad debt goal is 0.2%, which was achieved in 2017. Increase is attributed collections deferment due to implementation of Customer Information System.
• Implemented Executive Information System. 2018 Dec Go live.
o 2019 Processed 110,495 calls and service orders.
o 2020 Jan-Sept processed 81,912 calls and service orders
• In 2019, assisted 44,347 customers on the phone, 51,205 in the lobby, and 2,570 through the drive thru.
• In 2019, Processed 209,245 bills. 204,208 bills.
• Oversaw both the electric and water cost of service studies. Harvey Economics conducted the water study. JK Energy Consulting performed the electric rate case study.
o Electric: Jan 2019 implemented 3% electric increase. Proposing 4% for January 2021; not approved
o Water: June 2019 implemented 4% water increase. March 2020 implemented 4% water increase.
• Oversaw inventory tracking and reporting of electric meters and water meters.
• Continued building customer service oriented and technical field operations team which heightens knowledge sharing and collaboration between Customer Service, Water, Electric, Field operations.
• The Water Efficiency Plan was finalized and received approval from the Colorado Water Conservation Board. This strategic plan details programs, capital improvements, regulation and implementation plans to achieve its water efficiency goals. This plan is a vital component within a statewide effort to promote wise water use through demand management, education, incentives, capital projects and regulatory measures.
• Spoke to 2,984 community members at conservation classes, utility sponsored events, educational presentations at schools and city managed events. During these events we spoke to customers about the various resources that the city offers to help customers save water, energy and money. We provided water and energy saving devices such as showerheads, aerators, dish scrapers, LED bulbs and more.
• Introduced two new conservation classes (Rain Harvesting, Soil Health), two new rebates (dishwashers, refrigerators) and have issued more rebates in 2018 than we have annually since 2013.
• Continued communication strategies to support the Utility’s goals of being easier to do business with, increase customer engagement and improve customer relations.
2021/2022 GOALS - The following goals support the city's vision and its enduring interests for enhancing services and keeping up with economic development and residential growth.
• Look for opportunities to utilize the new technology to streamline processes through a continuous improvement initiative.
• Water Leak Committee program revision.
• Oversee a water rate case in 2021. Deferred from 2020 to 2021 once Water Master Plan is complete.
• Continue to maintain the bad debt ratio in alliance with Chatwell’s National Standards.
• Provide external training opportunities for Customer Service Staff.
• Complete the American Public Power Association (APPA) Customer Service Benchmarking Survey.
• Continue to look for opportunities to enhance the customer experience through programs, bill presentation, customer web portal, communication engagement.
• Continue to utilize the Meter Data Management system: leveraging AMI system data, SCADA, GIS, and CIS for automating analysis of the electric grid health through line loss analysis, transformer loading, graphical mapping of locations and parent/child relationships of the system.
• Service and maintain water meters and electric meters to ensure accuracy of consumption readings and billing.
• Offer new rebates and conservation classes.
• Support the Water Master Plan.
• Oversee the city-wide sustainability plan.