Join over 250 energy professionals to discuss the latest industry trends and best practices in corporate and customer services. The diverse mix of presentations, Q&A panels, roundtable discussions and networking allow attendees to share their experiences and develop contacts throughout the industry. Expect to gain applicable insights on a variety of topics including customer experience; human resources; emerging technology, products and services; community engagement, data and business systems. This program is an excellent professional development and organizational team-building opportunity.
General Details
Program Chair(s)
Alex Kim, Director of Customer Programs, San Diego Gas & Electric Company
Kim Wagie, Director, Digital Transformation, Arizona Public Service Company
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
• Corporate and customer service senior management
• Customer experience and channel managers
• Service center managers
• Customer program managers
• Community outreach and public relations professionals
• Human resources professionals IT and technology professionals
• Data analysts and management professionals
• Service company providers
Registration Options
Member: $249 USD
Regular: $349 USD
Women in Leadership Participant: $199 USD
Member and regular registration prices increase $100 after February 22, 2021. Registration includes virtual access to all agenda items and digital program materials through the conference app.
The Women in Leadership Participant registration is available to enrollees of the 2021 Women in Leadership – Mentoring + Development Program. Registration includes virtual access to all agenda items and digital program materials through the conference app.
Cancellation Policy for WEI Member Promotion
The promotional registration rate of $199 per person for 3 or more from the same company is non-refundable, but registrations can be transferred to another person from within the company up to the day before the program begins.
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 Amy Nye, Program Manager at (503) 688-2794.
Agenda
All session times are listed in Pacific time.
Event app sponsored by:
Monday, March 8, 2021
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Virtual Help Desk + Technology Check
WEI will host a virtual help desk before and throughout the conference. Stop in for a visit if you want to test your audio and webcam, have questions about the agenda, want more information on how to use the app, or need assistance accessing any of the virtual meeting rooms.
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Virtual Networking Activities
Members of the Program Development Team will host networking rooms exploring a variety of activities and interests. Each room will kick-off their activity at 3:30 PM (Pacific) and again at 4:15 PM (Pacific). Each activity is expected to last about 30-40 minutes and attendees are encouraged to switch rooms during the break for a new experience. See the event app or welcome email for details and activity descriptions.
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
8:00 AM – 2:15 PM
Virtual Help Desk + Technology Check
WEI will host a virtual help desk before and throughout the conference. Stop in for a visit if you want to test your audio and webcam, have questions about the agenda, want more information on how to use the app, or need assistance accessing any of the virtual meeting rooms.
8:30 AM – 8:45 AM
Welcome + Opening Remarks
Speakers: Alex Kim, Director, Customer Programs, San Diego Gas & Electric Company
Kim Wagie, Director, Digital Transformation, Arizona Public Service Company
The Corporate Services Chair and Customer Connections Chair will welcome us to the 2021 Customer + Corporate Symposium.
8:45 AM – 9:45 AM
Keynote: Creating a Culture Where Everyone Matters
Speaker: Simon Bailey, Chief Executive Officer, Simon T. Bailey International
As business changes at the speed of light, an organization’s culture will stand the test of time if it’s built on the right foundation. With our time together you’ll learn how transformational leaders leverage divergent thinking to avoid status-quo strategy and create an environment where everyone is able to bring their best self to work. We will explore conscious inclusion in order to foster trust, growth, and adaptability in an ever-changing industry. This career-enhancing discussion will help you create game-changer culture that attracts talent, engages customers, and establishes a brand in the next decade.
Session sponsored by:
9:45 AM – 10:15 AM
Break
10:15 AM – 11:30 AM
Concurrent Tracks – Breakout Session 1
Customer Contact Transformation – Creating a Hybrid Working Environment with Lessons Learned
Data-Driven Insights – Data Governance: Management of Data Assets within the Organization
Emerging Threats + Risk Management – Emerging Trends in Enterprise Risk Management
Facing Customer Disruptors – Our Evolving Customer
Innovation + Business Agility – Breaking Down Silos between Technology and the Business
Insights That Drive Customer Value – Customer Empowerment through Digital Channels
Our Customers + Community – Reputation Matters: Communicating in a Crisis
Our People – The Next Normal: Workforce Transformation and Lessons Learned through COVID-19
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Break
12:30 PM – 1:45 PM
Concurrent Tracks – Breakout Session 2A
Customer Contact Transformation – Innovative Billing, Payment Arrangements and Programs During a Pandemic
Data-Driven Insights – Data for Non-Data People
Emerging Threats + Risk Management – COVID-19 Pandemic – The Lasting Impact on the Utility and its Customers
Our Customers + Community – The Evolution of a Communication Strategy
1:45 PM – 2:15 PM
Break
2:15 PM – 3:30 PM
Concurrent Tracks – Breakout Session 2B
Facing Customer Disruptors – Decarbonization + Affordability
Innovation + Business Agility – Replicating Crisis-Driven Innovation and Agility
Insights That Drive Customer Value – Making It Easy for Customers to Do Business with Us
Our People – The Journey of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Successes and Lessons Learned
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
8:00 AM – 1:45 PM
Virtual Help Desk + Technology Check
WEI will host a virtual help desk before and throughout the conference. Stop in for a visit if you want to test your audio and webcam, have questions about the agenda, want more information on how to use the app, or need assistance accessing any of the virtual meeting rooms.
8:30 AM – 9:45 AM
Concurrent Tracks – Breakout Session 3
Customer Contact Transformation – Ways to Engage During a Crisis – Staying Connected with Distance Between Us
Data-Driven Insights – Developing a Data Analytics Roadmap: Where to Start + How to Plan for Big Data
Emerging Threats + Risk Management – Risk Management in the Crucible and at a Crossroads
Facing Customer Disruptors – Managing in a World of Disruption – Customer Insights
Innovation + Business Agility – How Technology Can Guide your Safety Culture
Insights That Drive Customer Value – Hybrid Workforce Model and Managing Remote Employees
Our Customers + Community – Communicating Across Language Barriers
Our People – The Success of Our Future Workforce is Tied to Today’s Leaders
9:45 AM – 10:15 AM
Break
10:15 AM – 11:30 AM
Concurrent Tracks – Breakout Session 4A
Customer Contact Transformation – Learning in the New Reality: Strategies to Upskill your Workforce
Data-Driven Insights – Using Data to Answer Business Questions
Emerging Threats + Risk Management – Third-Party Risk + Data Privacy Awareness
Our Customers + Community – The Moving Target of Customer Satisfaction and the Customer Experience
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Break
12:30 PM – 1:45 PM
Concurrent Tracks – Breakout Session 4B
Facing Customer Disruptors – Customer Demand: Disruptive or Transformational?
Innovation + Business Agility – Integrating the Customer Lens from Design Through to Implementation
Insights That Drive Customer Value – Understanding Customer Perceptions through 360 Processes
Our People – How To Drive + Embrace the Disruption of Knowledge Transfer
1:45 PM – 3:15 PM
Executive Panel + Program Development Team Recognition
Moderator: Alex Kim, Director, Customer Programs, San Diego Gas & Electric Company
Panelists: Dan Skopec, Senior Vice President, State Government Affairs and Chief Regulatory Officer, Sempra Energy
Monica Whiting, Vice President, Customer Experience, Arizona Public Service Company
DaVonna Johnson, Chief People & Culture Officer, Seattle City Light
Jeanne Vold, Vice President – Technology, NorthWestern Energy
Join us for the closing session and hear from a dynamic panel of utility executives on the challenges and opportunities they face with the changing landscape of the energy industry. Take the opportunity to interact by submitting your own questions. We will close out the conference by acknowledging and celebrating the Program Development Team, speakers, and participants that made this possible.
Track Details
CORPORATE SERVICES TRACKS
Data-Driven Insights
Utilities find themselves inundated with a diversity of data across all lines of business. This track will explore how companies are using data as an asset to improve systems and operations, enhance the customer experience, educate newcomers to the data landscape, and ultimately improve the bottom line.
Emerging Threats + Risk Management
Utilities have always managed risks to maintain a successful business model. However, with the pace of change increasing, emerging risks pose a variety of threats. This track will focus on how utilities measure the likelihood, impact, and velocity of emerging risks across business units.
Innovation + Business Agility
How can utilities be more proactive in embracing change and chasing innovation? This track will focus on technology, process and cultural changes that increase a business unit’s ability to be agile and implement practices that foster innovation across all levels of their organization.
Our People
Like most industries, utilities face core challenges to recruit, retain, develop, and train their employees. This track will bring together employee development and training experts, HR leaders, and other professionals to share best practices, present case studies on current issues affecting the workplace culture, and preparing the utility workforce for future challenges and opportunities.
CUSTOMER CONNECTIONS TRACKS
Customer Contact Transformation
With a focus on contact center management and customer-facing frontline employees, this track will explore how utilities are preparing their current and future customer workforce to handle emerging challenges.
Facing Customer Disruptors
With the industry facing disruptions and competitors on many fronts, the trusted energy partnership that many utilities have cultivated with customers for decades is at risk. Utilities must identify disruptors and develop processes, products, and services to better serve their customers.
Insights That Drive Customer Value
Customer analytics allow utilities to better understand their customers’ preferences, improve the customer experience, and optimize systems and operations within customer business units. This track will focus on how utilities are using data to better serve their customers.
Our Customers + Community
A utility’s brand and communication must meet the ongoing needs and desires of their customers and community. How can and how do utilities strategically brand and market themselves in this changing landscape? This track will explore how companies are enhancing their customer experience, delivering consistent communications across a variety of outlets, utilizing technology to maximize their message, and informing their customers through community outreach and education.
