Customer-focused utility executives gather annually to discuss current topics and best practices surrounding pressing issues in their departments. Roundtable topics from recent offerings include CIS implementations, customer analytics, customer IT solutions, live chat, outage restoration communications, call center leadership, social media strategies, and employee development and morale.
General Details
- Program Chair(s)
- Mike Broemeling, Avista Corp.
- Program Location
- Virtual Event
- No travel required. All agenda times are in Pacific time. Instructions to access the virtual event will be provided before the program.
- Who Should Attend
Participation is restricted to senior leaders of WEI energy member companies. This strategic forum is designed for Vice Presidential level customer service executives, Directors of customer service areas, and Chief Customer Officers responsible for all areas of customer contact.
- Registration Options
Member: $199 USD
Registration provides full access to meeting sessions, materials, and roster.
- General Cancellation Policy
- To best serve WEI members and program participants during the COVID-19 pandemic, WEI will be waiving its standard cancellation policy for this program and all virtual programs through July 2021. Registrants can now receive a full refund should they need to cancel their registration up to the day before the program begins. This applies to both new and existing registrations for virtual programs.
- Participation Policy
- Western Energy Institute programs and events are open to energy companies (including gas production and electric generation, gas and electric transmission and gas and electric distribution utilities). Select programs and events are open to energy industry product and service suppliers. Programs and events are closed to all media representatives and to the general public. Recording is not permitted for any portion of the event.
- For more information contact Beverly Woolf, Program Manager at (503) 688-2790.
Agenda
All session times are listed in Pacific time.
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Welcome + Introductions
Speaker(s): Mike Broemeling, Director, Customer Services, Avista Utilities
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Challenges, Opportunities, and Successes Roundtable
Facilitator(s): Mike Broemeling, Director, Customer Services, Avista Utilities
Everyone will have the opportunity to discuss current challenges as well as new initiatives and what’s going well at your company.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Break
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Communicating with Customers during COVID
Speaker(s): Bobbi Schroeppel, VP - Customer Care, Communications and Human Resources, NorthWestern Energy
Learn about the steps NorthWestern Energy took to communicate with their customers during the pandemic and the subsequent resumption of disconnections.
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Open Roundtable
Topics may include:
• The future of the CSR – home agents, skill set, hiring, empowering, etc.
• Technology and business processes supporting both employees and customers
• Customer Experience efforts
12:30 PM - 1:00 PM
Break
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Disconnections
Facilitator(s): Mark Freeman, Director of Employee, Customer & Community Services, Central Lincoln PUD
This facilitated roundtable on the resumption of disconnections will cover topics that may include:
• Alternative payment plans
• Regulatory issues
• Communication strategies
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Social Time
Social distancing doesn’t need to end the socializing. Grab a beverage and turn on your webcams for a time to chat, network, and connect with colleagues and friends.