AWWA ACE60093

This project contains three primary objectives:to identify customer relations best practices from other relevant organizations;to identify metrics for both internal performance tracking and external comparison;to develop tools that will enable water utilities to improve customer relations, withthe ultimate goal of improving customer satisfaction and utility efficiency.The approach involves five basic tasks:identify key customer relations processes;collect and verify customer relations metrics and practices;identify customer relations best practices;develop a web toolkit; and,communicate findings via workshops and written reports.Our approach is to document best practices and associated metrics from both within andoutside the water industry, providing the widest possible set of practices that can be accessedby the water industry.To identify high-performing utilities and other organizations, we have developed a multifacetedperformance metric comparison framework. This framework includes internal andexternal measures for each target customer relations process selected by the project team.Measures include service, productivity, and cost metrics. We developed comprehensive datadefinitions related to these metrics so that utilities can enter comparable data.For gathering original and comparable data, we have piloted several unique surveys and servicetests, including a customer survey, among our participating utilities. Feedback on thesurveys, including definitions, will be taken into account prior to finalization of the surveysfor general release.Our framework of internal and external performance metrics provides a powerfulcomparison of utility customer relations performance, as well as ensuring that service ismeasured by the end-customer. Companies exhibiting high internal performance, highcustomer satisfaction, and effective technologies will be identified as "best performers."During best practice discovery, we will investigate and visit some of these best performersto learn more about their winning strategies and practices.A key element of our approach is the development of a web-based toolkit designed to assistutilities in identifying customer relations improvement opportunities, assessing customerrelations performance, measuring performance over time and against others, and discoveringideas for improvement that have been successfully implemented by leaders in customerrelations.

Product Details

Edition:

Vol. - No.

Published:

06/17/2004

Number of Pages:

4

File Size:

1 file , 180 KB