Touchpoint Teams Engaging employees improving customer experience Roger

Touchpoint Teams: Engaging employees, improving customer experience Roger Woodworth Marketing Executives’ Conference October 2013; New Orleans, LA

What are the elements of a customer-centric culture and why does it matter?

Variable POV re: CE

The import of CE is clear “Happy” customers… • • • Cost less and are easier to serve Are more tolerant of rate changes Tend to use more of our products and services Make work pleasant for customer-facing employees Adapt more readily to changes and new technologies More likely to be advocates for us with relatives, friends, colleagues Leads to greater enterprise value

Greater value? Prove it! January 2012 Report: http: //www. oliverwyman. com/media/EGY-_5 B_prize_white_final. pdf

Value depends on experience… …Experience depends on touchpoints January 2012 Report: http: //www. oliverwyman. com/media/EGY-_5 B_prize_white_final. pdf

r e h ot V An How do you establish a line-of-sight to customers amongst frontline employees regardless of where they work in the operation?

Start with the end in mind A customer experience statement of intent “At every point of interaction with Avista I feel that I am dealing with people who listen and genuinely care about me. They are efficient, open and honest; communicate appropriately; and are easy to do business with. When problems arise, they are competent, fair and responsive problem solvers. I trust them to be proactive and always be there with information and advice that helps me manage my energy costs. I can rely on Avista. ”

Act on intent via Touchpoint Teams Engaged employees ‘fix’ within a framework

Example: High Bill Inquiry Touch Point Team • Core Team Presentation - December 12, 2012

High Bill Inquiry Touch Point Team Top left to right: Mary E. Smith, Mike Jones, Toni Smith and Michelle Jones. Bottom left to right: Lisa Smith, Connie Jones and Carlos Smith

It takes a great group of Stakeholders to be successful Thank You! Rod Jones Carol Smith John Smith Kim Smith Andrea Jones Kelly Smith Tom Smith Josh Jones Linda Jones Mike Smith David Jones

Agenda Current State Desired Future State Recommended Opportunities Implemented Opportunities Lessons Learned

How did we get here? Customer frustration (less than pleased) with high bill inquiry Non-Avista Issue Misread Wrong rate schedule Meter failure Meter change out Equipment failure Lifestyle change/s Behind on payments Temperature related issue “The Sum of all interactions = Good/Bad Customer Experience”

Current State • Inconsistency – Across departments • No ownership – Accountability • Lack of communication: – Avista-to-customer – Avista internally • Procedural Breakdown – Many hand offs • Unclear Expectations – No set Time Frame

• Customer feels that Avista is competent, fair and responsive at solving HBI. “Red Carpet Treatment” across all HBI, not just Commission complaints Ø Less touch points should = Better HBI experience Ø Consistent ownership & accountability to ensure customer satisfaction Ø Clarity of expected time frame thru whole process Ø Enhanced communication between Avista-Customer and Avista-Avista

High Bill Inquiry Opportunities Opportunity Prioritization Description Priority 1 Revise meter read exception report parameters 2 2 Set expectation for CSR to respond to customer w/ check read results 1 3 Require CSR follow order and follow-up w/ customer after HB investigation is completed. (apology & opportunity to educate and provide additional resources) 1 4 Correspondence (Bill Insert) to customer with corrected bill 1 5 Update flipchart or create checklist for HB procedure to resolve issue during first call – “right the first time” ideally ensures that field visit is one of the last steps 1 Priority 1 18 16 2 Priority 12 8 Engage other Depts. (i. e. DSM) during call to resolve issue 1 9 Annual training for High Bills focusing on ATTITUDE/process (Listening to HB calls) 1 10 AMR (solution to inaccurate reads in WA) 1 11 CSR provides expectation for timeframe to be contacted by field rep – Timeframe changes during “light-up” & “atmospheric” areas – You will hear from a field representative in X amount of days/hrs 1 Field rep calls customer to provide realistic timeframe (based on workload, proximity to location) to set up visit not to exceed X days Field rep is responsible (takes ownership) to track appts commitment 1 13 Create high bill investigation S. O. P. for Electric Meter Shop 2 14 Update high bill investigation S. O. P. for Gas Servicemen 2 12 15 12 2 8 17 4 14 5 13 High Update search info provided on Web for “High Bill” search 9 11 Require CSR to ask preferred method of contact for follow-up (procedure) 7 3 19 7 Effort # Low Opportunity List Priority 3 Low 10 Benefit High 15 Update high bill investigation S. O. P. for Gas Meter Shop 2 16 Update/Add messaging information provided in Energy Use Kit (Efficiency, CLB, Home Analyzer, Low Income resources) 1 17 Distribute Energy Use Kit by CSR/Field Rep – procedures and tracking 1 18 Revise gas meter results letter 1 19 Cross training between different depts. that are involved in HB inquiry issues 1

Opportunities Summary Implemented Opportunities • Protocol for engaging DSM engineers • Revised energy savings kit Opportunities in progress • SOP improvements • Web site enhancements Recommended future consideration • AMR in Washington • Check reads via smart phone

Lessons Learned Ø Some resisted change Ø Others removed barriers Ø It’s ok to say we’re sorry Ø Process improvements without additional costs Ø Peaks & valleys, but always ended on top

Example: On-boarding Commercial Welcome Brochure

Example: Seasonal Re-lights

Example: OSM Credit/Collections

V e n O re o M How do you validate that the work being done to achieve customer centricity is working?

Touchpoint Teams make a difference Prior Notification • Set up standard method for notifying customers prior to outages and work around their home or business. Onboarding Residential Customers • Improved the experience of welcoming a new customer. • Improved the methods of existing customers transferring service from one address to another. Rebate Thank You Customer Communication Preferences • Enhanced our rebate process to include improved communication and thank you at the end of the rebate process. • Developed the strategy and plan for how we communicate with customers. Began work to develop enhanced cell phone, email, and texting capabilities. CPC Visit • Improved the experience of our CPC’s face to face customer visits. Aspiring Leader Project Deposits • Re-evaluated when we charge deposits. Ended deposits in some scenarios for many customers.

Customer Experience Teams Field Work Performed • Provided our field personnel with new tools and methods when they interact with our customers. Outage Status • Enhanced the types and timeliness of information that we provide to customers during a power outage. Bill Redesign Contractor Repair Claims Field Training Locates Performed • Improved our bill design to make it clearer and easier to find the information that customers find most valuable. • Developed and implemented new methods to help our customers during visits when they have problems on their equipment. • Enhanced our processes and communication to respond to and remedy claims that our customers have. • Developed the strategy and plan to deliver customer service training and classroom practice for our field personnel. Trained 450 field personnel. • Improved the process and communication that our customers receive when underground locates will be performed near their property.

Customer Experience Teams Energy Assistance • Enhance the process that customers have to go through between Avista and Agencies. Partnered with SNAP. Bill Payment • Improve the experience of bill payments options and services provided. Seasonal Relights • Spread out the relights to meet customer requested schedules and reduce overtime. Transformer Spill Response • Enhance the customer experience during transformer leaks and clean up activities. Aspiring Leader Project. Onboarding Commercial Customers • Improved the welcoming of commercial customers. Customer Complaints Resolution • Developed a process to log and respond to customer complaints. Enables quicker resolution and tracking to identify trends. High Bill Inquiry • Enhanced the existing method of responding to and resolving high bill inquiries.

Customer Experience Teams OSM Visit Stopped Meters and Retroactive Billing Lobby Payments and Services Prior Notification (2 nd Look) Customer Choice: Products and Services Employee Understanding of Price Drivers • Enhance the often difficult interaction that we have with customers during a collect or disconnect order. • Improved the process of finding and responding to stopped meters and the retroactive billing process. • Improve the customer experience of visitors to our lobbies. Work mainly on payment options and other services provided. • Expand improve upon the first Prior Notification Team. Goal is to notify on all sustained (>5 min) outages. • Identified existing offerings, benchmarked others, and developed a prioritized list of enhancements and new. • Developed methods to educate employees on the drivers of price to improve the discussion of this topic with customers.

Read more about our efforts… http: //bluespaceconsulting. com/blue-space-consulting-story/