|
Consulting |
Search |
Coweta-Fayette EMC Natural Gas Seeks Waiver of Service Quality Metric to Implement New Gas Bill
Email This Story
February 22, 2011
Competitive gas marketer Coweta-Fayette EMC Natural Gas (EMC Natural Gas, Inc.) has petitioned the Georgia PSC for a waiver of the Service Quality Standards for Certificated Marketers relating to call center service levels, as it said that implementing a new, improved bill would likely lead to higher call center volume, potentially exposing Coweta-Fayette EMC Natural Gas to a penalty (Docket 15296-U).
Commission Rule 515-7-8-.03 sets a benchmark for Call Center Service Levels, under which 80% of all calls to a marketer's call center answered must be within 180 seconds of a request to speak with an agent, measured over one calendar month.
Coweta-Fayette EMC Natural Gas is currently following a remediation plan due to non-compliance of Service Quality Measures twice within a twelve month period. Implementation of the new billing format could cause Coweta-Fayette EMC to be in non-compliance a third time in a twelve month period, which would lead to a penalty payment, it said in its waiver request.
Coweta-Fayette EMC Natural Gas plans to introduce a new bill in the May 2011 billing cycle, meaning that consumers will be opening and noticing the new bill format during May through June. "The Company is anticipating during the May 2011 to June 2011 Service Quality Measure reporting periods a significant increase in consumer calls with specific reference to the new bills. The vast majority will likely be complimentary, yet many consumers will ask our CSRs to spend time with them going over the new bill. Implementation of the new bill format in all likelihood (due to increased call volume) will result in the Company not meeting the Call Center Standards in May and/or June," Coweta-Fayette EMC Natural Gas said.
Coweta-Fayette EMC Natural Gas said that the new bill, "has made numerous improvements; some of which are to make it easier for consumers to understand the billing calculation, quickly access prior use history in a graphic display, conveniently group all Atlanta Gas Light data in one location on the bill and to clearly indicate the consumer’s rate plan and if applicable the fixed rate expiration date for the consumer."
"The Company’s proposed new bill format is the type of market innovation the Commission contemplated when it initiated natural gas competition in Georgia," Coweta-Fayette EMC Natural Gas argued.
Coweta-Fayette EMC Natural Gas said that the service quality standards did not contemplate the introduction of a new bill by a marketer and attendant increase in call volume. Without the rule waiver, Coweta-Fayette EMC Natural Gas said that it will not proceed with its new bill format at this time, due to the potential for a penalty.
Coweta-Fayette EMC Natural Gas said that it is willing to provide the PSC with daily call center reports, in addition to monthly reports, as a condition of the waiver.
Email This Story
Copyright 2010-
Be Seen By Energy Professionals in Retail and Wholesale Marketing
Run Ads with Energy Choice Matters
Call Paul Ring
954-
|
Consulting |
Search |