Filters
Topic: Credit & collection 
(remove) Content type: Research (remove) Results
Review of North American Electric and Gas Company IVRs: 2011
September 12, 2011
Our 2011 industry benchmark comprehensively assesses 13 essential tasks on the interactive voice response systems (IVRs) of 96 North American gas and electric companies. We provide an overview of the current state of the industry, plus best practices and things to avoid when planning an IVR.
Content type: Benchmark Study | Document ID: UCC-BMK-IVR-11 | Author: Florence Connally, Sarah Fiebiger
Review of North American Electric and Gas Company IVRs: 2011
Task Findings
September 12, 2011
In this benchmark study, based on the review of 96 North American interactive voice response systems, we reveal key industry trends and guidance to improve your residential customer’s experience for 13 essential tasks. The best practices and things to avoid are also discussed for each task.
Content type: Benchmark Study | Document ID: UCC-BMK-IVR-11a-Tasks | Author: Florence Connally, Sarah Fiebiger
Leveling the Paying Field, Part 1
Levelized Billing Programs for Residential Customers
June 24, 2010
What are the standard characteristics of utility levelized billing programs, and how do utilities calculate monthly payments? How many utilities offer levelized billing programs, and what participation rates have been seen?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: UCC-AskES-38 | Author: Sarah Weldon
Security Deposit Policies for Commercial Customers
November 16, 2009
What security deposit policies are utilities using for their commercial customers?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: UCC-AskES-10 | Author: Sarah Weldon
2009 Review of North American Electric and Gas Company IVRs
September 2, 2009 | Updated: November 9, 2009
This comprehensive review assesses the 13 essential features of the interactive voice response systems of 95 North American utilities. We present findings for each feature; show where utilities can improve; and describe trends in self-service, past-due accounts, and speech recognition.
Content type: Benchmark Study | Document ID: UCC-BMK-IVR-09 | Author: Maggie Boys and Ethan Brown
Programs That Help Customers Pay Regularly and On Time
August 27, 2009
What are some programs utilities can offer to customers at various income levels that help them pay their bills?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: UCC-AskES-08 | Author: Sarah Weldon
Utility Delinquency Rates
July 2, 2009
Do you have data on utility delinquency rates, such as the percentage of people who are late on their payments and how late payments are in the U.S., by state, or by utility?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: UCC-AskES-7 | Author: Sarah Weldon
Security Deposit Policies That Help Struggling Customers
June 26, 2009
What security deposit policies can both protect the utility against risk of customer nonpayment and still allow it to help financially struggling customers who might have a hard time meeting deposit requirements?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: UCC-AskES-6 | Author: Sarah Weldon
Using Key Account Executives to Reduce Bad Debt
May 13, 2009
With the goal of reducing bad debt, do utilities’ key account executives work with collections departments to collect outstanding delinquent balances from commercial accounts? If so, are they able to do so while meeting the utility’s goals of customer satisfaction and retention?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: SMB-AskES-6a | Author: Alexandra Behringer and Sarah Weldon
Residential Credit and Collections in a Recession Economy
Managing Payment-Troubled Customers
February 15, 2009
Payment-troubled customers can be more effectively managed if they are first segmented by risk of nonpayment. We found several effective techniques that will help utilities identify, segment, and manage their payment-troubled customers.
Content type: Focus Report | Document ID: UCC-F-26 | Author: Sarah Weldon
Reaching Out to Customers in Troubled Financial Times
January 15, 2009
In late 2008 and early 2009, the U.S. economy deteriorated in ways not seen since the Great Depression. Many utilities reported record numbers of customer arrearages and disconnections. How are utilities communicating with customers and what messages are they using?
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: UCS-RB-4 | Author: Alexandra Behringer
DSM Changes in an Eroding Economy
January 1, 2009
The U.S. economy’s downturn at the end of 2008 has touched all citizens and businesses, including electric and gas utilities. How are some of the broader trends of increasing unemployment, a down stock market, and failing businesses influencing energy-efficiency and demand-response ... ...
Content type: White Paper | Document ID: ES-WP-5 | Author: William LeBlanc
Energy Services for Low-Income Seniors
July 1, 2006
Low-income elderly customers are an increasingly pressing issue for utilities. At a time when fuel prices continue to go up, there are both more and more people who qualify as low-income and more and more elderly people in the U.S. These customers are more vulnerable than others, with greater requirements ...
Content type: Focus Report, Research | Document ID: RES-F-17 | Author: Tertia Speiser
Prevent Increasing Arrears Through Service Improvements to Low-Income Customers
December 1, 2005
Higher energy prices coupled with regional economic setbacks and cold winter winds may create unusually high arrears for some utilities this season. But utilities can avert a customer debt crisis by increasing support for low-income customers in three main ways: promoting the use of energy assistance ...
Content type: White Paper | Document ID: WP-3_Low_Income | Author: Leland Keller
Late Fee Practices
April 22, 2005
How many days do utilities typically allow to pay a bill, and do all assess late fees? Are residential and commercial utility bills subject to the same rules related to late payments?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: UCC-AskES-16
Best Practices in Utility Credit and Collections
March 1, 2004
Many utilities have stuck to the familiar debt collections regimen of arbitrary deposits, door hanger warning notices, and disconnection for delinquent residential customers. Others, pressured to cut costs, have begun to implement methodical collection processes such as preventative credit scoring and ...
Content type: Best Practice, Focus Report, Research | Document ID: UCC-F-8 | Author: Melissa Tuck
Outsourcing Collections for Utilities
September 1, 2003
Collections is often a dreaded task, but it is an essential part of the utility business. Many utilities are turning to outsourcing collections, because it is relatively easy to separate this function from the rest of the customer service department. Whether outsourcing is part of an effort to reduce ...
Content type: Best Practice, Focus Report, Research | Document ID: UCC-F-5 | Author: Melissa Tuck
