Omaha Public Power District Successful Transition from Call Center to Customer Solution Center

1. Omaha Public Power District Successful Transition from Call Center to Customer Solution Center Presented to APPA 2004 Business and Financial Conference September 21, 2004

2. Background • Publicly-owned electric utility • Regulatory oversight by 8-member elected Board of Directors • Serve 13 counties and 307,000 customers in eastern Nebraska • 1600 employees that are represented by 3 different unions

3. Customer Care Services Department • Encompasses six Omaha metro branch offices and the Call Center • 58 contract positions and 5 supervisor positions • CSRs process 20,000 contacts a week; 10,000 are walk-in customers

4. Customer Care Services Department Cont’d • Ability to take any type of call • Call types consist of: • electric service problems • service orders • bill inquiries • payments

5. Customer Care Services Department Cont’d. • Call Center is staffed 24/7/365 • Branch offices are open 8-8 M-F and 9-1 on Saturdays

6. 1997 - A Turning Point • Through the efforts of a new customer-focused philosophy at OPPD came our mission…..our goal…. our MAIN THING - • EXCEED CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS!

7. What Did That Mean? • Surveys said that customers wanted a reliable supply of electricity with outstanding customer service • With federal/state deregulation looming, it meant offering & bundling products/services so that customers were less likely to switch utilities, if given the choice

8. It meant changing the way we interact with customers... • External: • Concentrating on building a relationship with that customer • Offering the customer a solution for a particular situation

9. Internal: • Rewarding CSRs based on performance • Introduction of a “Universal Rep” concept

10. How Did That Happen? • Management worked with the Union to restructure CSR job classifications to support universal rep concept which allowed for sales incentives • Management developed dept. and CSR performance tracking measures and campaign goals

11. Both Sides Win • Win-win situation for Union and Management • Union able to secure sales incentives • Management able to initiate customer focused ideas and performance-based tracking measures for CSRs/department

12. While at the same time Internally... • Updating Call Center environment with new design and phone system and new CIS system. • Building better relationship between union stewards and management in order to prepare employees for changes

13. Instituted monthly Manager Meetings in which reps are able to visit w/Manager about customer/dept. issues • Began working to introduce offering concept to reps

14. What was still missing? • For any of these changes to be successful, had to have the CSRs’ buy-in and their confidence in customer-focused direction and about offering products/services • Enter Barbara Burke & Associates

15. Barbara Burke & Assoc. • Provide training to help CSRs overcome apprehension in offering products/services • Cooperative effort to provide scripts and flip charts • Worked w/Marketing to develop structured campaigns

16. Green Power

17. Surge Guard/UPS

18. Some push back from CSRs on offering and fact that it is mandatory on every call Old mentality of promotions were based on seniority Thought OPPD was heading toward telemarketing Was It a Smooth Transition?

19. 2003 and beyond… • Customer Care Services has an excellent track record of offering products/services to customers. • Initiated major culture change in a union environment to ensure outstanding customer service

20. Continue to monitor customer trends and fine tune performance measures • Continue to build relationship w/customer by offering products/services

21. Questions?