Utility Collections in this New Age

July 28, 2020 | Montreal , QC ::

0720-credit-collections

As a provider of critical infrastructure, the energy industry plans for and is prepared to respond to many foreseeable hazards, including health emergencies. But, even the best thought-out and thoroughly tested business continuity plans need to be adaptable to fully address the fast-moving and unknown variables of an outbreak like COVID-19. The power sector started developing more detailed pandemic plans over a decade ago, in the wake of SARS and other contagious disease outbreaks.

The coronavirus outbreak has caused far-reaching concern and economic hardship for consumers, businesses and communities across the globe. Utilities share in this hardship as millions of customers struggle to pay their utility bill during these difficult times. Join us for this credit & collections symposium to hear how utilities are dealing with this global pandemic and what actions they are taking.

Learning Outcomes

• Explain how to overcome the challenges associated with accounts receivables
• Discuss what utilities are doing to keep customer interaction at the fore front
• Discuss how to leverage technology to increase efficiency and reduce bad debt during a pandemic
• Evaluate how to measure and improve collection performance
• Review what types of models utilities are using to account for increase in arrear balances

Credits

EUCI is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 0.7 CEUs for this event.

 

Requirements for Successful Completion of Program

Participants must login each day and be in attendance for the entirety of the course to be eligible for continuing education credit.

Instructional Methods

This program will include case studies, panel discussions and PowerPoint presentations.

Tuesday, July 28, 2020 – Central Time

8:45 – 9:00 a.m. :: Login

9:00 – 9:15 a.m. :: Overview and Introductions

9:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. :: Utility Case Studies/Reflections

Utilities across North America are facing significant collections problems because of the Coronavirus with no immediate relief in sight. Political and economic pressure has led to payment deferrals or discounts on power bills to keep customers afloat in the current economic stress situation. Utilities are doing their best to try and help customers deal with their current situation. In this session, various utilities will share how they are coping with the pandemic, what actions their team has taken and what challenges they are facing. Some of the topics our utility presenters will talk about include:

• What they have done to keep customer interaction at the fore front
  • How they are handling customers during the pandemic
  • Customer engagement tools they are using
• What relief programs are in place and how do they look
• What types of models they are using to account for increase in arrear balances
• What do their forecasts look like
• What they are basing their increases on
• What percentage of collections they assume will go bad
  • What is this based on?

Presenters:

Elaine Veselka, VP, Customer Account Management, Austin Energy

Carisa Woolstenhulme, Manager, Customer Credit Services, Salt River Project

Joe Dimeo, Manager of Collections, Enbridge Gas

Richard Brewer, Billing & Payments Director, Intermountain Rural Electric Association

Gaylyn Chapman, Utility Operations Supervisor, Lubbock Power & Light

Chad Carsten, Sr Manager, Customer Analytics and Systems, Evergy

Andy Schorn, Director, Customer Revenue, CPS Energy

John Crennen, Director, Innovation and Transformation Delivery RPA, Xcel Energy 

12:30 – 1:15 p.m. :: Lunch Break

1:15 – 2:30 p.m. :: Utility Panel Discussion

This panel discussion will allow conference attendees to ask questions that they did not get to ask of the utility presenters previously. The objective of this session is to have an open Q&A discussion to conclude the session on a high note so “bring your thinking caps”

Elaine Veselka, VP, Customer Account Management, Austin Energy

Carisa Woolstenhulme, Manager, Customer Credit Services, Salt River Project

Joe Dimeo, Manager of Collections, Enbridge Gas

Richard Brewer, Billing & Payments Director, Intermountain Rural Electric Association

Gaylyn Chapman, Utility Operations Supervisor, Lubbock Power & Light

Andy Schorn, Director, Customer Revenue, CPS Energy

John Crennen, Director, Innovation and Transformation Delivery RPA, Xcel Energy (invited)

2:30 – 4:30 p.m. :: Vendor Observations/Reflections

In this session, utility industry experts will discuss what they see as the critical components and challenges for utilities during these difficult COVID times. The presenters will share what they have been seeing and hearing during the pandemic based on the valuable experience and information obtained through their customers’ feedback including:

•  How to elevate the customer experience during the collection process
• Complaint mitigation

Moving Agents to a Virtual Environment Quickly During a Pandemic

The rapid onsite of Covid19 required companies to act quickly by moving agents offsite to their home office. In this presentation, learn about TCN’s experience in working with companies during the pandemic thereby allowing thousands of agents to field calls from home on their PC’s and Cell Phones in just hours.

Bob Myers, Sales Executive, TCN

Bryce Payne, Business Development, TCN, Inc.

Essential Living Benefits – An Income Unemployment Product

This presentation will provide the historical background of a unique unemployment product, which is highly appropriate in today’s world and unemployment environment.  The product can help people pay expenses in the event of involuntary unemployment. The presentation will then segue into the potential uses for utility companies and their customers.

Erick J. Piper, Vice President, Allied Solutions

Ron Lefkoski, Vice President, A & H Affinity Solutions, Chubb

How an Identity Driven Call Center Improves the Customer Experience and Reduces Operational Costs Especially During a Pandemic

At the heart of customer interaction is establishing correct identity — get it wrong and everything else will be wrong. In this presentation, learn how current and accurate customer identity data can help utilities increase IVR containment, reduce costs for inbound and outbound calls, all while improving the customer experience during these difficult times.

Mitchell Young, VP Risk Solution Sales, Neustar

Vendor Panel Discussion

This interactive panel will respond to inquiries from the audience on how technology, agency management and more will continue to improve credit and collections during these difficult times. Conference attendees are encouraged to ask as many questions as possible of our panel of experts to learn about what could work best for your utility

Erick J. Piper, Vice President, Allied Solutions

Mitchell Young, VP Risk Solution Sales, Neustar

Bob Myers, Sales Executive, TCN

4:30 p.m. :: Conference Adjourns

Richard Brewer, Billing & Payments Director, Intermountain Rural Electric Association

Chad Carsten, Sr Manager, Customer Analytics and Systems, Evergy

Gaylyn Chapman, Utility Operations Supervisor, Lubbock Power & Light

John Crennen, Director, Innovation and Transformation Delivery RPA, Xcel Energy

Joe Dimeo, Manager of Collections, Enbridge Gas

Ron Lefkoski, Vice President, A & H Affinity Solutions, Chubb

Bob Myers, Sales Executive, TCN

Erick J. Piper, Vice President, Allied Solutions

Andy Schorn, Director, Customer Revenue, CPS Energy

Elaine Veselka, VP, Customer Account Management, Austin Energy

Carisa Woolstenhulme, Manager, Customer Credit Services, Salt River Project

Mitchell Young, VP Risk Solution Sales, Neustar

We will be using Microsoft Teams to facilitate your participation in the upcoming event. You do not need to have an existing Teams account in order to participate in the broadcast – the course will play in your browser and you will have the option of using a microphone to speak with the room and ask questions, or type any questions in via the chat window and our on-site representative will relay your question to the instructor.

• You will receive a meeting invitation will include a link to join the meeting.
• Separate meeting invitations will be sent for the morning and afternoon sessions of the course.
  • You will need to join the appropriate meeting at the appropriate time.
• If you are using a microphone, please ensure that it is muted until such time as you need to ask a question.
• The remote meeting connection will be open approximately 30 minutes before the start of the course. We encourage you to connect as early as possible in case you experience any unforeseen problems.

REGISTER NOW FOR THIS EVENT:

Utility Collections in this New Age

July 28, 2020 | Montreal , QC

Your registration may be transferred to a member of your organization up to 24 hours in advance of the event. Cancellations must be received on or before March 20, 2020 in order to be refunded and will be subject to a US $195.00 processing fee per registrant. No refunds will be made after this date. Cancellations received after this date will create a credit of the tuition (less processing fee) good toward any other EUCI event. This credit will be good for six months from the cancellation date. In the event of non-attendance, all registration fees will be forfeited. In case of conference cancellation, EUCIs liability is limited to refund of the event registration fee only. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as complaints and refunds, please contact our offices at 303-770-8800

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