During the recent northeast snow storms, many residents were frustrated with the lack of communication between the utility company and their customers. Many residents were left in the dark for days with no time frame for their power to be restored. Other residents had to find out Halloween festivities were canceled through word-of-mouth. Read the full Energy Central article.
When customers lose power, they want to know what is going on, when the power will be 
restored, and be assured their electric company is doing everything they can to get the power restored as soon as possible, which is why proactive outbound communications are so important. Before Hurricane Irene hit, one utility sent out over a million proactive outbound calls to their customers, informing them of the current situation and possible shelters available.
The Energy Central article also mentioned that they had difficulty getting out of state crews because they were dealing with their own mess. The town should let residents know they can help crews by keeping trees trimmed around the electrical lines. Proactive outbound communications isn't just for outage notifications. There are many other ways it can be used.
View our video presentation on how utilities are implementing a proactive outbound communication plan that will increase customer satisfaction and offset inbound calls by providing relevant information to the customer before they call the utility.
View this previous post on best practices for messages script design.
A freak snowstorm hit the northeastern states just in time for Halloween. This rare October storm, aka "Snowtober" dropped anywhere from a trace to 30 inches and left more than three million people without electricity from Maryland to Maine. Hundreds of schools closed and trick-or-treating activities were curtailed due to downed utility lines. It's being said that this storm has had a far greater impact on daily life than Hurricane Irene. View the Energy Central news story on a state-by-state look at effects of Oct. snow storm.
All utility companies across the northeast were hard at work, working around the clock to get power restored to their customers. Crews were being sent from the southern states to assist in the clean up. This is only the beginning of the brutal winter months ahead, so make sure your utility is prepared to communicate with your customers using proactive customer communications so they know what is going on and when their power should be restored, putting them at ease.
Allow effective communication between you and your customer during a power outage. TFCC offers an automated Mobile & Desktop Outage Reporting service where your customers can report an outage or get a status update from a smart phone or desktop computer. The utility gets outage information instantly, and improved customer satisfaction.
Mobile & Desktop Outage Reporting Business Benefits:
- Enhanced customer convenience and satisfaction
- Effective communication even during power outages
- Seamless integration with HVCA and your CIS and OMS systems
- Private branding and ownership of mobile website domain
- Little or no requirement for internal development of IT resources
- 24/7/365 customer support
Watch as Gulf Power talks about how they gained support from management and other stakeholders so they could begin a mobile outage communications initiative.
In the past decade, more utilities have been taking a proactive approach to utility collections and customer notification, utilizing credit report agencies to assess risks and implementing remote disconnection procedures. In interviews conducted by Chartwell recently, utilities are redoubling their efforts to streamline these practices due to the effects of the recession.
More than 50 percent of utilities interviewed stated they are changing their credit and risk mitigation assessments, with 12 of 23 interviewees changing or intensifying customer notification and utility collections processes.
In addition to assessing payment and credit histories of customers, utilities are placing a higher priority on security deposits, with more companies requiring security deposits. This is not new to the industry, but has taken a greater precedence in light of the current recession.
Respondents to the survey reported changes they were making directly because of the current economy, and some of the successful changes they reported include:
- Utilizing automated outbound calling of customers with past due amounts
- Being more willing to work with customers and set up payment arrangements
- Beginning programs to utilize credit reporting agencies to identify risk and verify identity
- Becoming increasingly diligent in collecting and assessing security deposits
- Coordinating outreach for customers who qualify for energy assistance programs
- Reviewing eligibility for security deposit refund and holding deposits if credit ratings warrant
- Implementing prepayment options for commercial customers instead of security deposits
- Creating internal rating systems to move customers through collections more quickly if their rating warrants
One of the more commonly reported changes was utilizing the power of automation to contact past due customers sooner. This change was successful for many respondents to the interview.
TFCC's automated collections solution can provide the leverage your utility needs to increase collections revenues and help customers catch up on their payments. To find out more, view the presentation, Collect More When You Connect More.
We are entering into the last part of our best practices for message script design. We hope you have found this content beneficial so far. Read part 1 and part 2 if you missed them. This will focus on including menu options and general considerations. Make sure you download your copy of the message script tool kit at the end.
Best Practices for Including Menu Options:
- Relay all the information first, then the actions. Otherwise, people may begin pressing keys before listening to all the options.
- Tell people how many choices they will have, and then tell them what those choices are.
- If numbers are included in your message, avoid confusion on the part of the recipient by clearly differentiating the numbers from the action key. For example, use "To report a Level 3 emergency, press 2."
- Limit your menu choices to three or four options.
- Use consistent menu options and vocabulary.
General Considerations:
- Make non-emergency outbound calls between 10am and 7pm.
- If sending messages about an upcoming event, send a follow-up message as a reminder.
- Let people know when an event is over. Send them a call to let them know, e.g. planned outage is over.
- Avoid leaving multiple answering machine messages.
View some proactive outbound communication trends in the utility industry.
We've put together a message script tool kit for your benefit. Make sure to check it out!
We hope you found part one of our best practices for message script design useful. Continuing on, here are more best practices focusing on creating voice recorded messages and text messages.
Best Practices for Creating Voice Recorded Messages:
- Whenever possible, have your message/script in front of you and read from it. Reading a script, whether printed out or on a monitor, reduces mistakes, pauses, hesitation, etc, and greatly increases the likelihood that the message will be recorded correctly the first time.
- Try to have one or two other people go over the script first to be sure it makes sense.
- When speaking phone numbers, street addresses, or website addresses, allow extra length of pause/slower speech. Then, repeat them.
- Don't say the letter "O" if you mean zero.
- Record messages in a quiet area and re-record if you make mistakes or said "um".
- Always listen to the message before sending it out.
Best Practices for Creating Text-to-Speech Messages:
- Use a comma to add a pause.
- Enter phone numbers in the following format: 800-555-5555.
- Spell out all abbreviations such as Drive, Avenue, Street, etc.
- Spell out acronyms.
- Do not include commas when entering number amounts.
- Type the date and/or time in the following formats: mm/dd/yyyy, hh.mm AM/PM
- Enter currency in the follow format: $555.55
- Type website address as w w w dot example dot com.
- Always listen to the message before sending it out.
View some proactive outbound communication trends in the utility industry.
To read more best practices, view part 3 of this series. We've put together a message script tool kit for your benefit. Make sure to check it out!
We've talked a lot about how important it is to communicate with your customers when their power goes out and the best practices on how and what to communicate with them. Let's talk about some best practices for proactive outbound message script design.
There are many different notifications your utility can send out:
Whether you use your notification system to deliver outage notifications, billing messages, or service alerts, sending out a clear, consistent message is important.
Message should include elements such as:
- The originator of the message.
- The date/time the message is being sent.
- The type of message. Identify the message as an outage notification, billing message, or service alert.
- The date and time the event happened or will happen. Tell recipients if action should be taken immediately, soon or near future.
- The message should also include a description of the impacted area.
- Include ways for message recipients to obtain further information. For example, direct the recipients to a website, information line, or tell them additional updates will be sent via this messaging system.
View some proactive outbound communication trends in the utility industry.
To read more best practices, view part 2 and part 3 of this series. We've put together a message script tool kit for your benefit. Make sure to check it out!
As our first (and hopefully last) major storm of the year came through, Hurricane Irene left just as quickly as she came, but left millions without power along the east coast. With the hurricane season about half way through and the brutal winter months ahead, you and your electric company should be prepared to communicate with your customers when the unexpected happens.
Losing your power can be stressful, frustrating and inconvenient. When customers lose power, they want to know what is going on, when the power will be restored, and be assured their electric company is doing everything they can to get the power restored as soon as possible.
4 Best Practices for Proactive Outbound Customer Communications:
- Ask Caller If They Would Like a Callback - Customer satisfaction studies reflect significant improvement when the power company provides a restoration callback to confirm that power has been restored. Asking the customer for permission is a courtesy that can allow the customer to state if they would like a callback regardless of the time of day/night. Additionally, the callback can be used as a tool for the crew to confirm that all power has been restored downstream before rolling the trucks away. As more and more customers rely on their cell phone, TFCC can also help you send text messages instead of phone callbacks.
- Power Restoration Callback - Calling customers once their power is restored is a very positive way to touch the customer and improve satisfaction. It catches any stray customer outages while the crew may be nearby.
- Status Callback with Updated Outage Information - This is a courtesy call that increases customer satisfaction by pushing information to the customer instead of the customer calling back into the call center.
- Flag for Special Needs Customers - This is another opportunity to increase customer satisfaction by offering special needs customers a chance to talk with a rep after reporting their outage or to flag their outage ticket so it can be prioritized based on medical needs.
- Call in Advance - Many utilities take the proactive approach and call their customers in advance of an event. The utility states that they are aware of the pending storm, that outages are anticipate and that they have crews standing by to immediately begin restoration efforts. This message might also include shelter locations, and locations where fresh drinking water can be found to name a few. Proactive outbound communications lets the customers know that the utility is hard at work in anticipation of the storm.
Read about why customer communications are so important.
Check back to learn some tips on message script design and to see some sample utility notification messages. In the meantime, you can view our Proactive Outbound Communications video.
The past few blog posts have been about the background of text messaging and the uses and benefits of it for utilities. Now, let's talk about how to implement a Text Messaging Program.
Steps to Implement a Text Messaging Program
Step 1 - Get a Short Code
TFCC has a short code that is shared across its client base. A utility may elect to use the TFCC shared short code or acquire a short code of its own. TFCC can facilitate with its aggregator the acquisition of a short code or the utility can acquire the short code directly from the CSCA at http://www.usshortcodes.com/csc_obtain_a_csc.html. Short codes can be leased for 3, 6 or 12 month terms.
Step 2 - Program Approval
If the utility elects to acquire a short code, the program that will run on the short code must be filed with, and approved by, all the carriers on which the program will run. Unless a program is carrier-specific, it is generally filed on all available wireless carriers. TFCC will facilitate the process of gaining approval of the program with the wireless carriers, which can take 2 to 3 months. As part of the
approval process, the utility will be required to develop a program web site or page that meets carrier requirements. Or, by using TFCC's short code, the program approval is already completed.
NOTE: If TFCC is hosting an opt-in web site where utility customers can elect to receive text messages, this web site will serve as the program web site.
Step 3 - Get Customers' Cell Phone Numbers and Permission to Text
The utility must obtain permission before sending a customer a text message. Permission may be obtained a number of ways: through a sign-up web page, which can be hosted by TFCC or the utility; in conversation with agents; in the HVCA or other IVR application and in other customer communications (e.g. mailings).
Step 4 - Send Messages
TFCC will utilize its nearly 20 years working in the utility space and its technical and client services staff to work with you to set up your SMS application.
System Architecture
The system is designed to be expandable and capable of seamlessly integrating updates and improvements. The network is geo-dispersed, redundant, secure and equipped with intrusion-detection systems and alarms. TFCC's headquarters and Network Operations Center (NOC) is located in Columbus, OH. TFCC's NOC is staffed 24/7/365 by technical engineers that are proficient in identifying and resolving system and client application issues.
TFCC has fully redundant systems in Columbus, OH supported by an Oracle backbone, SUN Solaris platform. TFCC has a replicated hot site located at an AT&T POP site in Denver, CO. The Denver facility runs "hot" ensuring that the systems and applications are fully functional in real-time. In the event of a failure at the Columbus or Denver facility, the "swap time" to move all production applications is minimal.
Client data is hosted on the TFCC platform in Columbus, OH and replicated to the Denver facility. Multiple redundant servers ensure that they system is always available. TFCC's proprietary network management software provides for real-time monitoring of all devices including telecommunications links and Internet availability.
Does your utility currently have a text messaging program, or looking to implement one soon?
In the last blog post, I talked about the background of SMS/Text Messaging and what this means to utilities, providing customers with the flexibility of receiving information and initiating requests through SMS/text messaging. Now, let's dig a little deeper and discuss how text messaging works, and some of the uses and benefits.
Carrier Requirements
The wireless carriers have very strict rules regarding what, how and to whom a commercial entity can send a text message. Most of these rules apply to premium messaging due to the additional cost implications to the subscriber. The four most predominant requirements for standard messaging are described below:
Opt-In
In order for a commercial entity to send a text message to a subscriber, the subscriber must 'opt-in' or specifically request to receive text messages. Opt-in can be achieved by:
- Sending a specific keyword to the short code
- Signing up on a website
- Specifying your preference in an IVR application
- Speaking with a live agent
Message Elements
Standard rate messages sent to a subscriber's mobile phone must contain three elements:
- The content provider name/program, e.g. Acme Energy Alerts
- Stop and help information (Txt STOP to quit, Txt HELP for info)
- Contact information, e.g. www.acmeenergy.com
Support for Help and Opt-Out
Content providers must support the required keywords for help (HELP) and opt-out (STOP, QUIT, STOP ALL, etc.) and respond to the user appropriately when one of those keywords is received.
Pricing Information
Since the subscriber does not pay the provider to receive a standard rate message, the only cost to the subscriber is the fee to the carrier for sending and receiving messages. Standard rate messages must contain the phrase 'Msg & data rates may apply'.
How Text Messaging Works
Text messaging is an option with the TFCC High Volume Call Answering (HVCA) system. The IVR asks customers:
- If they'd like to receive an ETOR and power restoration verification
- How they'd like to be notified - landline, cell or text
Outside the IVR, customers sign up via a registration page to receive ETOR or other text messages.
Two-Way Texting
Two-way texting lets you send and receive two-way SMS messages. Two-way texting is sending text messages to a short code and getting a return text message.
Example: A common utility two-way text message might acknowledge the outage report or ask for confirmation that the customer's power has been restored.
Text Messaging Uses
The following is a sample of the utility message types:
- Power outage reporting
- Restoration confirmation
- Outage status
- Planned outage notification
- Balance inquiry
- Payment reminder
- Request call back from CSR
- Curtailment/load shed request
- Usage information
- Appointment reminder
- Meter reading submission
Text Messaging Benefits
- Provide greater choices and convenience to customers
- Enhanced customer satisfaction
- Available even if the power is out
- Leverages current HVCA system and existing interfaces with CIS, OMS, etc.
- Utility client does not need to acquire SMS short code
- Requires minimal use of IT resources from client
- Reduces calls to the call center
- Less expensive than the IVR
In the next blog post, we will talk about the steps to implement a text messaging program.
How has your utility implemented a text messaging program?
The cell phone has grown from a simple device to make a phone call to a full-fledged business tool, entertainment system, and much more. According to the CTIA, the International Association for Wireless Telecommunications Industry, as of the first half of 2010, nearly 24.5% of U.S. households relied solely on cell phones and 93% of the population has cell phones.
What this means to Utilities:
With increasing service level expectations, utilities must adapt to customer preferences for on-demand information. This means offering choices in how, when and where customers provide and receive information. Text messaging provides utility customers with the flexibility of receiving power restoration and account updates through a simple, timely and convenient messaging service.
SMS/Text Messaging Background
Commonly referred to as text messaging, SMS, or Short Message Service, is a method of sending messages, up to 160 characters, including spaces and punctuation, to mobile phones. Text messaging works on all types of cell phones.
Types of Messages
SMS messages are categorized as either 'Mobile Originated' (MO), which means the message is sent from the cell phone, or 'Mobile Terminated' (MT), which means the message is sent to the cell phone.
Carriers categorize message types as 'standard', this means there is no additional cost to the subscriber other than the carrier charge for sending and receiving the message, or 'premium', which means the subscriber pays a specified amount to the provider for the service (e.g. $.99 for a ringtone or to receive sports scores). TFCC currently supports only standard messaging.
Short Codes, Random vs. Vanity
Also known as a Common Short Code, or CSC, a short code is the "from/to" address for SMS messages. It is a 5- or 6-digit number that must be registered with the Common Short Code Administration (CSCA). All commercial SMS in the United States must run on a short code. Multiple message types can be sent to a short code (MOs). Keywords are used to distinguish between message types, e.g. "Text 'VOTE' to 12345," or "Text 'SUBSCRIBE' to 12345."
Vanity short codes are custom numbers that are often easier for customers to remember, like "55999" or "444888." Vanity short codes are dedicated common short codes which are specifically requested by the utility or SMS vendor on behalf of the utility. Vanity short codes may be chosen for a number of reasons, including to:
- Mimic a current number pattern that the short code application uses, such as a telephone number.
- Spell out a contest providers name or another associated word making it brand specific and easy for consumers to remember.
SMS Aggregator
An aggregator is a company that maintains connections to multiple cellular carriers' networks. An aggregator acts as an intermediary between TFCC and the mobile operators. They manage the carrier relationship to assure messages are not blocked or delayed. Further, the aggregators can help research reported issues with carriers.
The aggregator accepts messages from both its content providers who are sending messages (MTs) to subscribers, and from subscribers who are sending messages to the provider (MOs) and routes them appropriately.
TFCC receives delivery results codes and makes them available to the client in the online reports. TFCC has multiple connections to the aggregators to ensure high availability and uptime.
TFCC uses tier-1 SMS aggregators who maintain SMPP connectivity to all tier 1 and tier 2 carriers in addition to a majority of tier 3 carriers, covering 98% of mobile subscribers in the U.S. TFCC uses Open Market for U.S. messages and Air2Web for international messages.
The next few blog posts we're going to focus on how text messaging works and how to implement a text messaging program. We'll look at the following:
- Carrier Requirements
- Two-Way Texting
- Uses & Benefits
- Steps to Implement a Text Messaging Program
- System Architecture
Does your utility have a Text Messaging Program in place?