CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

Transcription

1 EB Exhibit F Filed: 00 Aug Page of CUSTOMER SERVICES 0 CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT Customer Relationship Management ( CRM ) provides services to approximately,000 customers supported by THESL s Call Center, Escalations Group, and Key Accounts Team. The Call Centre handles an average of,000 written requests, including s and 0,000 customer telephone inquiries per year. The Escalations Group successfully handles high level customer complaints including those received from the OEB, THESL s senior executives and local and provincial political representatives. The Key Accounts team ensures all concerns of THESL s high usage customers are given immediate attention. 0 Customer inquiries are handled by phone, and in writing. Annually, THESL responds to over,000 written requests and,000 s from customers requiring follow-up within time frames established by the OEB s service quality measures. Dedicated staff, process streamlining, and the use of technology has allowed THESL to achieve a consistent performance level of meeting or exceeding the OEB Service Quality target of responding to 0 percent of all written inquiries within 0 days, in each year since Market Opening in 00. In addition to written inquiries, the call centre receives an average of 0,000 phone inquiries annually and has exceeded the OEB service quality target of responding to percent of calls within 0 seconds consistently since 00. The Call Centre average service level from 00 through 00 is percent of all calls answered in 0 seconds. Along with process improvements and technology, cost escalation has been mitigated by utilizing an outsource Call Centre to assist in the handling of the daily call volumes. This enables THESL to maintain the required number of staff to ensure service levels are

2 EB Exhibit F Filed: 00 Aug Page of achieved. We are also able to react to forecasted demands of higher or lower call volumes when necessary within a reasonable time frame. It is most efficient and cost effective to add or reduce staff at the outsource call centre as call volumes dictate. 0 After five years with the same outsource call center vendor, an RFP process was initiated in late 00 in an effort to achieve lower cost and improve service. A new vendor has been selected and the switch to this vendor occurred in May 00. Although higher costs had been budgeted, costs are actually expected to decrease. The lower costs resulting from this change will allow THESL to manage expected higher future call volumes associated with conservation and demand management projects in a more cost effective way. 0 Customer inquiries to the call center cover a broad spectrum and involve most aspects of THESL s business including: Ensuring customer records are updated as required to track customer moves and for other changes in customer information; Verifying information and explanations relating to billing, collections and meter accuracy; Requesting meter checks; Responding to inquiries relating to Conservation and Demand Management ( CDM ) Programs including Summer Savings, Peak Saver, Refrigerator Bounty and other programs sponsored by THESL and/or the Ontario Power Authority ( OPA ); Providing first contact for power outage calls. Using the Outage Management System, Customer Service Representatives enter the information for follow up by the Customer Service Dispatch team. The Customer Service Dispatchers review the calls and determine whether the outage is an isolated incident or part of a larger outage. They dispatch field service representatives to single outages, part

3 EB Exhibit F Filed: 00 Aug Page of power calls and wires down. Larger outage information is passed to the Trouble Dispatch team in System Operations for follow-up. The Escalations Group handles approximately,000 customer issues annually that are escalated through the call centre during daily operations. Another 0 are received through THESL s Senior Executives and City Councilors and approximately 0 are received directly from the OEB. These issues cover a wide range of customer concerns. The two issues raised most frequently relate to power outages and high bills. 0 The Key Accounts Team responds to issues raised by large volume customers and assists with their energy management issues. The Team meets with customers as required, to resolve billing issues, to coordinate planned outages and explore possible CDM projects. 0 Relationships with retailers operating within THESL s territory are also managed by the Customer Relationship Management team. The manager and a coordinator oversee ongoing communications with retailers and ensure that new retailers complete the necessary paper work prior to set up. Ongoing customer issues and complaints related to retailer activities in THESL s service area are communicated to the retailers as appropriate. Throughout 00 and 00, the Customer Relationship Management team will be developing a strategy to improve customer service by being more proactive in its communication methods. This will include improving the customer information available on THESL s WEB site; expanding the Interactive Voice Response ( IVR ) to provide easier access to information on current programs; contacting customer groups that will be impacted by changes before they occur; and conducting regular surveys to measure the effectiveness of these changes. Once developed, this strategy will be initiated through process changes and the use of new technologies. The most significant

4 EB Exhibit F Filed: 00 Aug Page of benefit that can be achieved through this initiative is to get information to customers in a timely manner in order to avoid the costs associated with increased call volumes. Costs Table : Customer Relationship Management Operating Costs ($ Millions) 00 Historical 00 Bridge 00 Test 00 Test 00 Test Customer Relationship Mgmt The increase in costs from 00 to 00 is $.0M. Of this amount, $0.0M is due to an increase in the outsource call centre budget to cover an expected increase in costs with a move to a new vendor (actual costs are expected to be lower due to the negotiation of a price lower than the budgeted amount), $0.0M represents an increase in allocated costs for occupancy and IT and $0.0M is due to a contracted increase in labour costs and the move of three staff into this area as a result of a department reorganization. From 00 to 00 the budget increase is $.0M. Of this amount $.0M is an increase in the outsource call centre budget to cover the hiring of approximately an additional staff to accommodate the higher call volumes expected when Time-of-Use billing is initiated. This is to ensure that the required service levels are maintained. The balance is $0.0M for a contracted increase in labour costs and a loss of $0.M of labour-related recoveries previously received from affiliates for Streetlighting and Rental Water Heater work. The removal of this work has allowed for the reallocation of a small number of resources to improve CRM service levels. The budget increase from 00 to 00 is $0.M. This is due to anticipated increases in labour costs.

5 EB Exhibit F Filed: 00 Aug Page of The change from 00 to 00 is also $0.M. This too, is due to anticipated increases in labour costs.