There was a time when “choice” and “utilities” were two words that seldom intersected. Today, that’s hardly the case as the exploration of new types of power generation have opened up the marketplace. Those newfound options have given customers power. Utilities should address that power and provide a customer experience rather than traditional customer service. This shift can help match new expectations and needs.

In response, utilities have upped the ante on customer service strategies to show customers that they care. That they want to be the provider of choice. If doubling down on customer service is something your utility wants to do better, the tips we’ve drafted below might be helpful. Check out these five ways utilities can make customer service a pillar of their organization.

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According to a 2019 survey conducted by Microsoft, 90% of Americans consider customer service a factor when deciding if they want to do business with a company. It turns out “the customer is always right” is as true today as it was 50 years ago.

While that theory may still apply, one big change between then and now is that customers have access to more communication technologies. Unhappy customers can freely — and publicly — voice their displeasure. On the flip side, brands can also use that same technology to actively solicit customer feedback. They can create customer service surveys to identify and fix isolated issues before they become systemic problems.

Read on as we go into greater detail on the top three benefits for utilities who send customer service surveys.

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With the pandemic in effect, companies in a wide variety of industries already knew that managing a remote workforce can be challenging. How does leadership maintain a strong company culture and keep employees motivated? Regardless of the industry or workforce, the main focus for successful remote work should be communication.

In this post, we’ll look closer at how a solid communication strategy can lead to remote workforce success. Here are the five best practices for building relationships among your remote team.

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If there’s one reason why workplace relationships matter, it’s that full-time employees likely spend more hours with their coworkers than they do with their own families. But the reality is that there are a lot of reasons why workplace relationships matter.  Including the impact on operations and productivity.

In a field like utilities, partnerships and collaboration are often instrumental to success. It’s always a fruitful exercise to explore getting the most out of those relationships. Here are a few significant ways that inter-team relationships affect projects. Also, learn what you can do to mitigate and address any that hurt the business.

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In its 2020 Global Trends Report, LinkedIn Talent Solutions reported that 96% of talent professionals believe employee experience is gaining in importance. The employment and recruiting-focused social networking giant defines employee experience as “everything an employee observes, feels, and interacts with as a part of their company.” At Utility Partners of America (UPA), we prioritize team building and creating a family-like environment for employees. In fact, we consider that focus to be the bedrock of our employee experience.

Here are a few specific initiatives we have in place for team building and rapport development at UPA.

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Much has been said and written about the state of America’s utility infrastructure, including by us. From its age and condition to the importance of repairing and replacing critical parts, it’s a popular topic of conversation. One of the most significant contributors to the decline of tanks, pipes, and enclosures is corrosion. (more…)

If you’re involved in a customer service business, chances are that you’re monitoring your brand’s Net Promoter Score (NPS). This score is an indication of how likely a customer is to recommend a company or product. At Utility Partners of America (UPA), we’ve built our service organization around core tenants such as safety, quality, customer experience, responsiveness, professionalism, working relationship and integrity. Our customers and our NPS are paramount to us.

There are many reasons why utilities and energy cooperatives select a utility contractor when there is a need to outsource a service or a task. We believe that the aforementioned tenets are some of the reasons utilities and energy cooperatives across the nation turn to us for help in building, inspecting, maintaining, and upgrading their infrastructure. We also believe that these are the same tenets that drive our strong NPS.

In this post, we’re peeling the curtain back just a bit, to provide a glimpse into what we believe drives a strong NPS.

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Utility companies have a lot going on all at once. They generate and deliver much-needed resources like electricity, gas, and clean water. Their office-based operations like customer service and billing also play critical roles. With so many different plates spinning at one time, successful organization and preparation are the keys to ensuring nothing slips through the cracks.

While there may not be functional similarities between all projects, there is a common thread. Completing projects can be made easier through the use of a project plan. If you’ve been considering implementing a project plan for your utility, you’ll want to keep reading as we dive into what belongs in a project plan.

Related: Win in Procurement Management
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There are a few guarantees in the utility industry. One of them is that every company’s infrastructure will fall victim to rust and corrosion over time. This is especially true for underground steel pipelines and exposed enclosures. While it’s OK to accept that corrosion is normal, all utilities should still have plans to prevent and remediate any rust. Read on as we provide more information about rust and rust prevention.

Related: Corrosion Surveys: Why are they Important?

Most of us are familiar with rust and have encountered it on old cars, tools, or building materials. Explaining exactly what rust is and what causes it can be challenging. Rust is a specific type of corrosion. It’s what happens when iron or steel corrodes due to constant contact with oxygen and water, through the process of oxidation.

Related: Improving Customer Awareness of Corrosion (more…)

If you work in utilities, you’re probably familiar with OSHA standards and regulations. These are federally adopted guidelines designed to keep employees safe and healthy. If your company breaks these rules, tickets and fines or worse are sure to follow.

As part of its efforts to raise awareness about workplace safety, OSHA reveals the top 10 violations that occurred each year. The announcement took place in February via webinar with the National Safety Council’s Safety+Health magazine. Read on as we recap the fiscal year 2020’s top 10 list and provide a simplified summary of each standard. (more…)