CHARACTERISTICS

Improved customer service can be described in terms of improved reliability. Service reliability is measured in terms of frequency and duration of outages. Other measures of service include prompt and accurate billing and payment procedures, as well as providing information to users. In the case of commercial and industrial customers, service assistance may include energy audits and surveys. Some service programs include assistance in conversion to energy efficient lighting.

SIZE:
N/A

FEATURES:
Can consist of a variety of programs, for example: reducing outages, institution of easy-to-use payment procedures, provision of customer assistance programs, etc.

COST:
Improving service reliability is the cost to upgrade and improve protective relaying, and repair feeders, and may be bundled into the cost of distribution maintenance activities.

CURRENT USAGE:
Utilities in the U.S. and other countries are instituting programs to improve customer service.

POTENTIAL USAGE:
Every utility can benefit from customer service improvement programs. Especially in countries where competition is being introduced, maintaining and improving customer services is essential to profitability.

ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH IMPLEMENTING ACTION

• Need to establish "benchmark" values for acceptable and unacceptable service performance.
• Rates must be adjusted to provide adequate funding to repair and maintain feeders and substations at a proper level.
• Need to build a database of outage events recording of details of each service interruption.

CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT

EMISSION EFFECT:
    

CONDITIONS FOR EMISSIONS MITIGATION:

• There is no guarantee that improving customer service will result in reduced energy use.

EMISSION ESTIMATE:
Will vary according to the generator's fuel mix as well as to the nature and duration of the program.

COST-EFFECTIVENESS:
Improved service performance is measured in the reduction in energy not served as maximum revenue.

SECONDARY EFFECTS:
Varies.

RESOURCES

• The Energy and Utility Partnership Programs, sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Energy Association has sponsored a number of programs teaching customer service.

CONTACTS

American Society of Quality Control
Reliability Division
Milwaukee, WI
Tel: (414) 272-8575
Fax: (414) 272-1734
http://www.asqc.org

Harza Engineering
Peter Donalek
Electric Power Systems Department
Chicago, IL
Tel: (312) 831-3170
Fax: (312) 831-3999
pdonalek@harza.com
http://www.harza.com

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)
James Willis
International Programs Division
Arlington, VA
Tel: (703) 907-5669
Fax: (703) 907-5532
jim.willis@nreca.org
http://www.nreca.org