Omaha Public Power District Successful Transition from Call

Center to Customer Solution

Center

Presented to APPA 2004 Presented to APPA 2004 Business and Financial Business and Financial

Conference Conference

September 21, 2004September 21, 2004

BackgroundBackground Publicly-owned electric utility Publicly-owned electric utility

Regulatory oversight by 8-member Regulatory oversight by 8-member elected Board of Directorselected Board of Directors

Serve 13 counties and 307,000 Serve 13 counties and 307,000 customers in eastern Nebraskacustomers in eastern Nebraska

1600 employees that are represented 1600 employees that are represented by 3 different unionsby 3 different unions

Customer Care Services Customer Care Services DepartmentDepartment

Encompasses six Omaha metro Encompasses six Omaha metro branch offices and the Call Centerbranch offices and the Call Center

58 contract positions and 5 58 contract positions and 5 supervisor positionssupervisor positions

CSRs process 20,000 contacts a CSRs process 20,000 contacts a week; 10,000 are walk-in customers week; 10,000 are walk-in customers

Customer Care Services Customer Care Services Department Cont’dDepartment Cont’d

Ability to take any type of callAbility to take any type of call

Call types consist of:Call types consist of:– electric service problemselectric service problems– service orders service orders – bill inquiriesbill inquiries– paymentspayments

Customer Care Services Customer Care Services Department Cont’d.Department Cont’d.

Call Center is staffed 24/7/365Call Center is staffed 24/7/365

Branch offices are open 8-8 M-F and Branch offices are open 8-8 M-F and 9-1 on Saturdays9-1 on Saturdays

1997 - A Turning Point1997 - A Turning Point

Through the efforts of a new Through the efforts of a new customer-focused philosophy at customer-focused philosophy at OPPD came our mission…..our OPPD came our mission…..our goal…. our MAIN THING - goal…. our MAIN THING -

EXCEED CUSTOMER EXCEED CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS!EXPECTATIONS!

What Did That Mean?What Did That Mean?

Surveys said that customers wanted Surveys said that customers wanted a reliable supply of electricity with a reliable supply of electricity with outstanding customer serviceoutstanding customer service

With federal/state deregulation With federal/state deregulation looming, it meant offering & bundling looming, it meant offering & bundling products/services so that customers products/services so that customers were less likely to switch utilities, if were less likely to switch utilities, if given the choicegiven the choice

It meant changing the way we It meant changing the way we interact with customers...interact with customers...

External:External:

– Concentrating on building a relationship Concentrating on building a relationship with that customerwith that customer

– Offering the customer a solution for a Offering the customer a solution for a particular situation particular situation

Internal:Internal:

– Rewarding CSRs based on performanceRewarding CSRs based on performance

– Introduction of a “Universal Rep” Introduction of a “Universal Rep” conceptconcept

How Did That Happen?How Did That Happen?

Management worked with the Union Management worked with the Union to restructure CSR job classifications to restructure CSR job classifications to support universal rep concept to support universal rep concept which allowed for sales incentives which allowed for sales incentives

Management developed dept. and Management developed dept. and CSR performance tracking measures CSR performance tracking measures and campaign goalsand campaign goals

Both Sides WinBoth Sides Win

Win-win situation for Union and Win-win situation for Union and ManagementManagement

– Union able to secure sales incentives Union able to secure sales incentives

– Management able to initiate customer Management able to initiate customer focused ideas and performance-based focused ideas and performance-based tracking measures for CSRs/departmenttracking measures for CSRs/department

While at the same time While at the same time Internally...Internally...

Updating Call Center environment Updating Call Center environment with new design and phone system with new design and phone system and new CIS system. and new CIS system.

Building better relationship between Building better relationship between union stewards and management in union stewards and management in order to prepare employees for order to prepare employees for changeschanges

Instituted monthly Manager Meetings Instituted monthly Manager Meetings in which reps are able to visit in which reps are able to visit w/Manager about customer/dept. w/Manager about customer/dept. issuesissues

Began working to introduce offering Began working to introduce offering concept to repsconcept to reps

What was still missing?What was still missing?

For any of these changes to be For any of these changes to be successful, had to have the CSRs’ successful, had to have the CSRs’ buy-in and their confidence in buy-in and their confidence in customer-focused direction and customer-focused direction and about offering products/servicesabout offering products/services

Enter Barbara Burke & AssociatesEnter Barbara Burke & Associates

Barbara Burke & Assoc.Barbara Burke & Assoc.

Provide training to help CSRs Provide training to help CSRs overcome apprehension in offering overcome apprehension in offering products/servicesproducts/services

Cooperative effort to provide scripts Cooperative effort to provide scripts and flip charts and flip charts

Worked w/Marketing to develop Worked w/Marketing to develop structured campaigns structured campaigns

Green PowerGreen Power

Time FrameTime Frame SalesSales GoalGoal % of Goal% of Goal

1/27/02-3/1/021/27/02-3/1/02 808808 800800 101%101%

4/8/02-4/28/024/8/02-4/28/02 499499 400400 125%125%

9/8/02-10/5/029/8/02-10/5/02 615615 400400 154%154%

Surge Guard/UPSSurge Guard/UPS

Time FrameTime Frame SalesSales GoalGoal % of Goal% of Goal

5/4/03-6/15/035/4/03-6/15/03 17701770 15021502 118%118%

8/10/03-9/13/038/10/03-9/13/03 17031703 10011001 170%170%

11/30/03-11/30/03-12/13/0312/13/03

116116 6565 178%178%

Was It a Smooth Transition?Was It a Smooth Transition?

Some push back from CSRs on offering Some push back from CSRs on offering and fact that it is mandatory on every and fact that it is mandatory on every callcall

Old mentality of promotions were Old mentality of promotions were based on seniority based on seniority

Thought OPPD was heading toward Thought OPPD was heading toward telemarketingtelemarketing

2003 and beyond…2003 and beyond…

Customer Care Services has an Customer Care Services has an excellent track record of offering excellent track record of offering products/services to customers.products/services to customers.

Initiated major culture change in a Initiated major culture change in a union environment to ensure union environment to ensure outstanding customer serviceoutstanding customer service

Continue to monitor customer trends Continue to monitor customer trends and fine tune performance measuresand fine tune performance measures

Continue to build relationship Continue to build relationship w/customer by offering w/customer by offering products/servicesproducts/services

Questions?Questions?