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Integrys Takes a Multi-Pronged Approach to Drive E-Billing Growth

By Mary Kay Wesolowski, Billing and Payment Life Cycle Manager, Integrys Utilities, September, 30, 2011 - Despite the fact that electronic bills, or e-bills, have been around for more than a decade, there is still a lack of consumer awareness about them. Many consumers lack insight into the availability of e-bills, how they work, and their benefits. This general lack of knowledge is a factor in lower than hoped e-bill adoption rates -- which hover around 10 percent for many utility companies1.  more...
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How Technology Advancements in Smart Metering Can Enable Broader Socio-economic Changes

By Prosenjit Dutta, Principal Consultant, Infosys, September, 13, 2011 - With the deployment of Smart Metering, Utilities now have an opportunity to explore the broader benefits that Smart Metering can result in. Of course, many utilities are currently in the process of leveraging their Smart metering investments to employ energy savings programs such as Demand Response, Critical Peak Pricing just to name a few. However, one important aspect that should be considered by Utilities and regulators alike are the socio-economic changes that can be brought in by leveraging the Smart Metering Infrastructure.  more...
Article Viewed 2533 Times  |  20 Comments

EBPP Becoming More a Requirement Than an Option

By Harry Stephens, President and CEO, DATAMATX, July, 22, 2011 - What a difference a decade makes. Just a little over ten years ago, many businesses remained uncertain that they really needed a Web site, and we might have remembered to check our email maybe two or three times a week without missing anything important. Cell phones were catching on, but they were only voice-enabled and not linked to the World Wide Web. Twitter was strictly for the birds and Facebook a fad among college students. Things have certainly changed.  more...
Article Viewed 2510 Times  |  1 Comments

Things to Consider When Outsourcing Your Bill Print Processing

By James Jossie, Owner & Principal, James J. Jossie Consulting, LLC, December, 07, 2010 - As utility companies continue to evaluate ways to lower the cost to serve their customers, one of the questions that typically arise is: Should we outsource our "non-core" processing?  more...
Article Viewed 1550 Times  |  1 Comments

New Technologies Are Set To Alter the Business Equation For Public Utilities

By Holly Merrill, Director, BillingTree, November, 30, 2010 - By adopting new technologies, utility companies can eliminate costly and slow paper cycles, improve their cash flow by integrating e-billing with mobile text notifications, and reduce the element of risk by offering customers pre-funded accounts and a range of payment options. At the same time, these new technologies enable them to become more environmentally friendly and improve their customer service by interacting more directly with their customers.  more...
Article Viewed 1621 Times  |  3 Comments

Who will cover my check?

By Mark Gabriel, Senior Vice President/Executive Director of Strategy, Black & Veatch, May, 06, 2010 - Amidst the swirling interest in the electricity business these days around renewables, smart grid, plug-in electric vehicles and customer engagement schemes it appears that other people are writing checks for systems, software, hardware and a myriad of items that the incumbent utility is expected to happily cover.  more...
Article Viewed 3539 Times  |  22 Comments

Knowing Electronic Payers' Preferences and Habits Makes for Great Customer Relationships

By Robert Craig, Executive Vice President and General Manager, eCommerce Services, Online Resources Corporation, April, 21, 2010 - Consumers who pay their bills through online channels fall into four distinct, but fluid and changeable, categories. It is important for utilities to recognize and understand the varying needs and payment preferences of these customers, and to meet their needs through a comprehensive and flexible online billing and payment solution.  more...
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Buying Energy Commodity - It's as Simple as Usage and Price

By Peter Noland, Consulting Partner, Artois-Bell, December, 10, 2009 - All buying and selling of an energy commodity (natural gas and electricity) by both end-user customers and their energy suppliers, involves a simultaneous look and interpretation of only two variables: energy usage and energy price. While conceptually simple, in reality marrying accurate energy usage and price information is extraordinarily difficult, first and foremost because the added dimension of time must be considered as both variables are in a constant state of change.  more...
Article Viewed 4874 Times  |  3 Comments

Self-Service Payment: Take the Money

By Maggie Boys, Senior Associate, Research, E Source, November, 12, 2009 - Residential customers want to give you their money. That's the good news. The bad news is utilities are making it hard for customers to hand it over. Research conducted in 2009 by E Source shows that the payment feature on both utility web sites and interactive voice response score at the bottom of usability ratings. The difficulty in finding or making a payment through the web and interactive voice response (IVR) hinders the use of these self-service channels.  more...
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Utilities Reap Greater Cost Efficiencies and Consumer Relationships Through Fully Integrated Electronic Payment & Billing

By Robert Craig, Executive Vice President and General Manager, eCommerce Services, Online Resources Corporation, October, 08, 2009 - Smart grids, remote meter reading -- these are exciting times for new technology in the utility industry. But while some of these major core services are being rapidly reengineered there is one regular activity in need of improvement that is often overlooked: customer billing. Today, savvy utility companies are finding greater cost efficiencies by building stronger consumer relationships through an integrated electronic bill payment and presentment approach.  more...
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3rd Annual Utility Customer Experience Management Conference

 Wednesday Feb 8, 2012 - Friday Feb 10, 2012 - San Antonio, TX - United States

The 3rd Annual Utility Customer Experience Management Conference will be a three day, industry focused event, specific to those within Customer Service, Customer Relations, Customer Communications and Credit and Collections. more...
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