NEWSLINENEWSLINEa CS Week publication Fall 2016

in this issue...

Announcing...Profiles in Excellence: Utility Chief Customer Officers

available soon as ebook or hardcover

And the Survey Says...

So Worth It! Conference 41 in Fort Worth!

Attendee Registration Opens November 15

311 Synergy Group Rebranded as CS Week 311

WITH INDUSTRY SPONSORS:

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And the Survey Says...It’s an election year! Here’s a quick three-question survey that I’d like you to answer:

• Raise your hand if you have picked up your ringing home telephone and been greeted by a political party’s polling agency.

• Nod your head if you’ve opened correspondence mailed from a political fundraiser asking you to respond to a short survey (and send a contribution!).

• Give a wink if you’ve tweeted an opinion on a candidate’s recent statement or policy position and then watched your and others’ responses trend.

Whether by phone, written mail, email, billboard, social media or major media outlets, surveying and polling are in high season because of this year’s presidential election. Pollsters are actively seeking public opinion/comment both to get information they can report and to give feedback that shapes election results. Probably like me, you’re wishing yesterday’s survey was the last one. I promise you, it wasn’t.

And it’s not just political campaigns and their operatives that understand the importance of surveys and polls. Utilities conduct surveys following online business transactions, after phone inquiries, before launching service and product campaigns and during rate cases, to name a few examples, all to help them understand the “voice of the customer.” Capturing the VoC and developing public information and education programs that reflect the VoC have become foundational for utilities everywhere. No longer can utilities be satisfied that they are doing the “right things” for their customers. Rather, utilities actively solicit, capture, categorize, re-sort, report on and integrate customer feedback into their business models. They use customer opinions, experiences shared and consumer wish-lists to tweak existing business processes, to build training programs and to create top-to-bottom customer-centric organizations.

Penni McLean-Conner’s newly published book, Profiles in Excellence: Utility Chief Customer Officers, illustrates this reality. Every one of her eight profiled executives uses the VoC obtained from surveying to shape, build and

enhance the customer experience and to permeate the utility culture with a customer-first orientation. I urge you to go online in mid-October and order your copy. “This book is not a one-time drive-by read,” New York Times best-selling author Chip Bell says in his Foreword. “It should be studied thoughtfully and applied compassionately.”

Like utilities, CS Week actively uses survey tools to capture feedback from its conference attendees, industry partners, exhibitors andsponsors. Perhaps you downloaded the Conference App last April and completed workshop evaluations with a few key strokes and swipes on your smart phone. Maybe you responded to written surveys and evaluations using our forms. Some of you even tagged a CS Week Planning Committee or Board member and gave them an earful. Whatever survey and evaluation choice you used, thank you very much for the feedback!

My appreciation is sincere because we actively read, reflect on and react to your comments, criticisms, applause and suggestions. Trust me, it’s not lip service when I say, “Your voice is heard loud and clear.” Indeed, your survey results are shared with all CS Week planning groups, both as information and as fence posts to guide them on what to continue and what to adjust, what is trending and what is stale. Our conference and venue planning effort reflects you, our VoC. So when we ask you to complete workshop surveys or provide evaluation after CS Week College courses, Executive Summit, Key Account Forum, Synergy Groups and workshops, it’s because we care, we listen and we respond.

This Fall Newsline issue focuses on 2016 survey results and how they are influencing and informing our planning efforts for Conference 41 in Fort Worth, TX. In each venue feature, you’ll find references to what attendees told us they liked and didn’t like. You’ll learn about adjustments underway to refocus certain venues like 311 Synergy Group in 2017. You’ll see how your feedback, combined with evaluation from sponsors and exhibitors, informs future Exhibit Hall set ups and all the activities that happen between those four walls.

As you read this edition, know that surveys are critical to understanding the VoC, especially yours.

Rod LitkeCEO

CS Week

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Announcing CS Week Publishing’s Second Book

She has a story to tell. In fact, she narrates eight, each featuring distinguished, dynamic chief customer officers in today’s utility space. Penni McLean-Conner, Eversource Energy’s CCO and Customer Group Senior Vice President, now publishing her third book, is the authoress of CS Week Publishing’s latest book. Profiles in Excellence: Utility Chief Customer Officers will launch in mid-October through Amazon and Barnes & Noble as both an e-book and hardcover. Having spent the last year interviewing, conceptualizing and polishing her prose, Ms. McLean-Conner wrote this book for the same reasons these executives so enthusiastically agreed to tell their stories. “It is because we are all passionate about our customers and customer service,” she says in her Introduction. “We share a collective desire to take service to the next level (and) to help the next generation of customer service leaders achieve success in serving customers and in their personal careers.”

One visual aid Ms. McLean-Conner employs so effectively to describe those profiled is word clouds. Each word cloud is unique, composed of words used in a particular text or subject in which the size of each word indicates its frequency or importance. Based on interviews with these CCOs and their direct reports and bosses, Ms. McLean-Conner showcases:

Profiles in Excellence:Utility Chief Customer Officersby Penni McLean-Conner

• Marilyn Caselli, SVP of Customer Operations, Consolidated Edison

• Carol Dillin, Vice President, Customer Strategies and Business Development, Portland General Electric

• Gregory (Greg) Dunlap, VP – Customer Operations, Public Service Electric and Gas

• Joanne Fletcher, Assistant General Manager – Customer Service & Marketing, Burbank Water and Power

• Gregory (Gregg) Knight, SVP of Sales, Marketing and Customer Service & Chief Customer Officer, CenterPoint Energy

• Michael (Mike) Lowe, Deputy General Manager, Customer Operations and Service & Chief Customer Executive, Salt River Project

• David (Dave) McKendry, Director Customer Service, Hydro Ottawa

• Joseph (Joe) Trentacosta, SVP of Customer and Enterprise Services and Chief Information Officer, Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative

Read about their career paths, professional challenges, personal decision points and successes they’ve achieved in implementing customer-centric organizations for their utilities.

If you are an aspiring utilities writer or have questions about CS Week Publishing, contact or call her at 903-821-8675.Lisa Collins

Amazon Barnes & Noble

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NEWSLINENEWSLINE Fall 2016Todd Arnold*CS Week

Sue Daulton*Tacoma Public Utilities

Rod Litke*CS Week

Penni McLean-Conner*Eversource Energy

David McKendry*Hydro Ottawa

Kerry Overton*Austin Energy

Andrea Pelt-Thornton*Next Era Energy/Florida Power & Light

Mark Wyatt*CS Week

Sandra BroughtonAGL Resources, Inc.

Diane ColeyPiedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc.

Tom CunninghamDuke Energy

Fred DaumPSEG Long Island

Clayton DeanTECO Energy

Cindy DossettVectren Corporation

Christopher GaglianoAlagasco

Alfred GlassNew Jersey Natural Gas Company

Jessica HobbickAPS

Ann KellyCanadian Electricity Association

Jacqueline KirwinEversource Energy

Tim LangWe Energies

Elaine McCallisterDuke Energy

Chad MooreLas Vegas Valley Water District

Sheila PressleyJEA

Lois StarkKansas City Power & Light Company

Roger StephensOncor

Crystal WhitakerFlorida Power & Light Company

Felicia WilliamsPuget Sound Energy, Inc.

Shelly WrightBaltimore Gas & Electric Company

Lisa CollinsCS Week

John SildCS Week

*Board Member

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The mission of CS Week...is to plan and deliver professional, unbiased educational opportunities in a cost-effective manner for the electric, gas, water/wastewater utilities, cooperatives and municipalities throughout North America and the world.

Newsline is published quarterly by CS Week, 2612 W. Lamberth Rd. Ste. 300, Sherman, TX 75092; 903-893-3214 tel, 903-893-6136 fax, . Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of CS Week.

© 2016, CIS Conference, Inc. dba CS Week, all rights reserved.

All CS Week print media, including Newsline, is distributed at no charge to utility industry professionals. To receive current and future publications, please e-mail . Address changes: Please photocopy the back page as currently addressed, carefully print your new address and fax it to 903-893-6136. You can also send an email to

www.csweek.org

info@csweek.org

info@csweek.org

That Teeter-Totter BalanceRod Litke, CEO, CS Week

Announcing CS Week Publishing’s Second Book

So Worth It! Conference 41 in Fort Worth

7 Fort Worth’s Door Mat Says, “Welcome”

11 CS Week Conference

10 CS Week Key Account Forum CS Week Research

12 CS Week Synergy Groups

8 CS Week College

17 311 Synergy GroupRebranded asCS Week 311

9 CS Week Executive Summit

In This Issue...Planning Committee

6 Attendee Registration Opens November 15

And the Survey Says...

13 CS Week Video Series: • Executive Perspectives • 2016 Perspectives and Highlights

14-15 Introducing New Planning Committee Members

16 Survey Results and VoC Usher in 2017 Updates

19 CS Week 2017 Sponsors

CS Week 41 | May 22-26, 2017 | www.csweek.org

18 Expanding Excellence Awards

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Todd Arnold*CS Week

Sue Daulton*Tacoma Public Utilities

Rod Litke*CS Week

Penni McLean-Conner*Eversource Energy

David McKendry*Hydro Ottawa

Kerry Overton*Austin Energy

Andrea Pelt-Thornton*Next Era Energy/Florida Power & Light

Mark Wyatt*CS Week

Sandra BroughtonAGL Resources, Inc.

Diane ColeyPiedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc.

Tom CunninghamDuke Energy

Fred DaumPSEG Long Island

Clayton DeanTECO Energy

Cindy DossettVectren Corporation

Christopher GaglianoAlagasco

Alfred GlassNew Jersey Natural Gas Company

Jessica HobbickAPS

Ann KellyCanadian Electricity Association

Jacqueline KirwinEversource Energy

Tim LangWe Energies

Elaine McCallisterDuke Energy

Chad MooreLas Vegas Valley Water District

Sheila PressleyJEA

Lois StarkKansas City Power & Light Company

Roger StephensOncor

Crystal WhitakerFlorida Power & Light Company

Felicia WilliamsPuget Sound Energy, Inc.

Shelly WrightBaltimore Gas & Electric Company

Lisa CollinsCS Week

John SildCS Week

*Board Member

So Worth It! Conference 41 in Fort Worth!Fort Worth, Texas, affectionately known as “Cowtown,” is the site for the 2017 CS Week Conference.

Established in 1849 as an Army outpost on a bluff overlooking the Trinity River, Fort Worth embraces its Western heritage and traditional architecture and design. As a stop on the legendary Chisholm Trail, Fort Worth was stimulated by the cattle drive business and became a brawling, bustling town. Millions of head of cattle were driven to market along this trail. Fort Worth became the center of

the cattle drives and later the ranching industry. To commemorate that heritage, a band of cowhands drives a herd of Texas Longhorns to the Fort Worth Stockyards, down brick-laid streets twice daily. It’s a local tradition and pays homage to Old West nostalgia.

Today, those Stockyards are situated in the 35-block entertainment area known as Sundance Square , yes, named for the infamous Sundance Kid who with Butch Cassidy were frequent visitors to the area. If they rode into town today, they’d find a lively, eclectic, artsy, laid back city, home to nearly 850,000 residents and stomping grounds for a wide variety of restaurants, honky tonks, shopping, microbreweries, cultural festivals, the infamous Stock Show and Rodeo , Kimbell and Modern Art museums and a world-class zoo, with major sports venues located less than 15 minutes’ drive away.

Major companies based in Fort Worth include American Airlines, D. R. Horton, John Peter Smith Hospital, Pier 1 Imports, RadioShack, and the BNSF Railway. DFW, an international airport and regional transportation hub, is a significant economic engine for Fort Worth and Dallas, together known as the Metroplex, and their extraordinary growth over the past 40-plus years.

The Fort Worth Convention Center is just a short walk from the Omni and Sheraton Hotels, the two designated conference hotels. Whether boots and brands or ballet and Botticelli suit your fancy, Fort Worth boasts a cross-section of downhome flavor with highbrow culture. Make plans to attend CS Week 41 in Fort Worth and enjoy “Where the West Begins.” It will be ‘So Worth It!’

Fort Worth, Texas,

Sundance Square

Stock Show andRodeo Kimbell Modern Art

zoo

REGISTRATION FEES EARLY REGULAR ON-SITE 11/15/16 - 4/1/17 4/2/17 - 5/14/17 Starts 5/15/17 UTILITY ATTENDEE $995 $1,095 $1,195 EXHIBITOR ATTENDEE $995 $1,095 $1,195 NON-EXHIBITOR ATTENDEE $2,700 $2,700 $2,700 Full Conference attendee registration fee includes admission to breakfasts and keynote speakers’ presentations, Exhibit Hall luncheons, CS Week Conference workshops and all social and networking functions including, but not limited to, Exhibit Hall receptions and the perennial favorite – the CS Week Special Event.

Conference 41 | Tiered Pricing*

20% discount: 3-5 attendees30% discount: 6-10 attendees40% discount: 11+ attendees

For booth registration, please contact Gail Farmer or call her at 903-893-3214 or directly at 903-821-8623.

6 CS Week 41 | May 22-26, 2017 | www.csweek.org

Attendee Registration OpensNovember 15

CS Week College is intended for utility company attendees only

REGISTRATION FEES (includes breakfast and lunch) UTILITY COLLEGE $395 COLLEGE WITH CONFERENCE REGISTRATION* $249

*Discounted College registration fee is offered to those who register for College and Conference.

CS Week Synergy Groups are intended for utility and governmental attendees only (with the exception of Analytics)

REGISTRATION FEES$249 – Business Process Synergy Groups Complimentary - Vendor Solution Synergy Groups

Admittance to Vendor Synergy Groups is subject to presenter approval.

CS Week 2017 Registration

Gail Farmer

* To qualify for this discount, utilities must register all attendees on the same date. To learn more, contact Julie Shankles, Registration Manager or call her at 903-893-3214 or directly at 903-821-8631, Monday - Friday. 8:00 am - 5:00 pm CST.

Julie Shankles

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Fort Worth’s Door Mat Says, “Welcome”Convenience and accessibility are the hallmarks of the 2017 CS Week Conference hotels. Located within a block of the Fort Worth Convention Center, the conference hub, the Sheraton Fort Worth Hotel and the Omni Fort Worth Hotel offer comfortable accommodations, helpful staff and gracious amenities. Both are situated within strolling distance of the city’s cultural centers, restaurants and nightlife. Curl up in your guest room after a busy conference day or stride out to see, taste, hear and enjoy the local flavor of “Cowtown.”

After November 15, 2016, book your stay at www.csweek.org and click Registration. Then, open the drop down menu to Accommodations.

The Trinity Railway Express links DFW Airport to Fort Worth’s T&P Station. Click for information about Confe renc.

CS Week 41 | May 22-26, 2017 | www.csweek.org

Attendee Registration OpensNovember 15

Omni Fort Worth Hotel1300 Houston Street

817-535-6664

• Non-smoking luxury hotel• WiFi Internet service – complimentary for Select Guest® members• Four restaurants, ranging from a 5 star steakhouse to a neighborhood bar• Kimbell Art Museum Store• Salon & spa• Rooftop pool• Summer Kids Program

$199 + tax$25/day parking

The Omni Fort Worth Hotel is the site for CS Week Executive Summit and CS Week Key

Account Forum.

Sheraton Fort Worth Hotel1701 Commerce Street

817-335-7000

• Free Wireless Basic Internet Access in Lobby, Public Areas and Guest Rooms• 24-Hour Fitness Facility with indoor whirlpool• Laundry/Valet/Dry Cleaning Services• Fully ADA accessible• On-site restaurant open 6 am – 12 am• 100% non-smoking rooms and facilities• Cash machine (ATM)• Gift Shop• 24-Hour Business Center with free high speed Internet and Internet-based printing services

$179 + tax$20/day parking

www.csweek.org

ConferenceTransportation

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Schedule Your Week Beginning with College

CS Week 41 | May 22-26, 2017 | www.csweek.org

CS Week College features day-long courses presented by accomplished utility experts and industry professionals. The 2016 courses below garnered high survey rankings for overall value, satisfaction with materials/handouts and instructor effectiveness.

College courses help attendees prepare to meet the challenges and opportunities facing the utility sector. Each year, CS Week reviews current industry needs and provides the best resources available as presentors for courses which are approved by NASBA for continuing education credits.

Next year’s CS Week College will be held Monday, May 22, 2017, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm and includes breakfast and lunch.

For more information, contact Danise Mullendore, CS Week College Manager or call her at 903-893-3214 or directly at 903-821-8680.

Danise Mullendore

9CS Week 41 | May 22-26, 2017 | www.csweek.org

Strategic Topics CharacterizeExecutive Summit

Thriving on the interaction and networking opportunities produced when 170+ executives comingle and discuss current utility topics, the 2016 Executive Summit was a time for listening, learning and sharing. Presentations and panel discussions covered a broad spectrum from managing the customer experience in an Omni-channel world to translating big data into value, from learning how to protect and secure utilities against cyber-attacks to hearing an update on the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

The Summit transitioned on the second afternoon to breakout meetings for key industry organizations: AGA – EEI executives, the Canadian Electricity Association Customer Council, the Large Public Power Council Customer Service executives and the newly formed Water Customer Service Executive Council. Look for those breakout meetings to continue in 2017 and beyond. This opportunity represented a “two-fer,” adding value by having other organizations meet whose membership was already attending CS Week Executive Summit.

Venue Executive Todd Arnold and his Executive Summit Advisory Panel are already discussing topics and planning content for 2017. Invitations featuring presenters, presentation titles and short descriptions, and a planned schedule for this two-day event will be mailed in January. Mark your 2017 calendar now for Monday and Tuesday, May 22 and 23, at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel.

For more information, contact Lisa Collins, CS Week Education Director or call her at 903-893-3214.

WITH INDUSTRY SPONSORS:

Thank you, 2016 Sponsors:

®

Lisa Collins

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Key Content, Key Insights

CS Week 41 | May 22-26, 2017 | www.csweek.org

a CS Week Educational Venue

TM

The fourth annual Key Account Forum packed a lot of educational content and networking opportunities into its 2016 two-day venue. Highlights included: • Keen interest on how utilities organize to support Key Account customers. Utilities compared and contrasted criteria used to determine how customers are assigned to a key account manager and what level of back office assistance is provided to support that manager. • Increased attention on how utilities support small to mid-size customers. From leveraging joint account plans that assist their large customer base to effectively addressing an aging workforce, utilities were anxious to share their own programs and learn how others manage theirs. • A panel comprised of large Arizona Public Service customers with David Werth, APS’s Commercial and Industrial Segment Manager, facilitating the discussion.

Whether first-timers or veterans, KAF attendees consistently scored the opening “Top of Mind” discussion lead by Venue Chair Chris Laird and the Forum wrap up session facilitated by Venue Executive Mark Wyatt with high evaluation scores.

In the coming weeks, Michael B. Williams, Principal Manager, Key & National Accounts, Commercial and Industrial Segment, Business Customer Division, Southern California Edison and the KAF Steering Committee will launch plans for the 2017 Forum. Look for invitations in January that highlight presenters, topics and venue schedule. Plan to attend the 2017 Key Account Forum located at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel on May 22-23. For more information, contact Shelley Carter or call her at 903-893-3214 or directly at 903-821-8647.

Interested in becoming a member of CS Week Research? Want to participate in and receive benchmarking and research data on key accounts? Would having 311 comparative and technical data help move your utility forward?

For information about joining this diverse group and the Roundtable Meeting on Wednesday, May 24, contact , Key Account Forum Manager or call her at 903-893-3214 or directly at 903-821-8647.

CS Week Research Benchmarking Study Audio-Visual Services Wi-Fi

Thank you, 2016 Sponsors:

Shelley Carter

Shelley Carter

Conference Surveys Shine Light on WorkshopsConference workshops are the “meat and potatoes” of CS Week Conference. With 60-plus workshops and nearly 100 utility and vendor presenters, the 2016 workshops brought case studies, implementation stories, best practices and program successes to the table. From Expanding Excellence Awards winners to Exhibitor Showcase, from presentations by Canadian and water utilities to a two and a half-day menu of choices, 2016 workshops served up a full plate of interesting, timely and robust content. For more information about CS Week Conference, contact Danise Mullendore, Conference Manager at 903-893-3214 or directly at 903-821-8680.

“Would have liked to listen to him all day. This session was head and shoulders above all others. Very interesting educational and new;

thank you! – Survey responder

“I liked the correlation of agent measures to the J.D. Power survey ensuring alignment

to corporate objectives and the impact of individual actions.” – Survey responder

Three Most Attended 2016 Workshops:

Managing Organizational Change: Metrics that Matter – Presented by Denise Hutchinson of APS and Peggy Blowers of Avista Corporation

Leveraging Technology to Improve Agent Performance and Drive Customer Satisfaction – Presented by Fred Daum of PSEG Long Island and Terri Steffenhagen of We Energies

The Art of the Possible: Bringing Journey Mapping to Life – Presented by John Lincoln of Duke Energy and Erwin Furukawa of EY

It Could Happen to Anyone: The Evolving Challenge of Phone Scams Targeting Utility Customers – Presented by Jared Lawrence of Duke Energy and John Williams of Delhaize Group U.S.

Are You Considering Live Chat? - Presented by Cindy Dossett of Vectren Corporation and Pamela Wheat of Oncor

Empowering CSR to Personalize Customer Engagement – Presented by Erica Penner of KCP&L and Rhonda Basler of Hallmark Business Connections

Three Highest Rated 2016 Workshops:

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Danise Mullendore

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Most Participation Ever

CS Week Synergy Groups for 2016 reflected the Customer Experience Lifecycle tracks for all-day business process-driven meetings on Monday and offered the most ever in vendor solutions on Tuesday. Here’s a sample of what attendees shared in their surveys:

CS Week 41 | May 22-26, 2017 | www.csweek.org

Vendor Solutions:

Avertra

NACHA

Opower

Oracle Utilities

SAP

SUS

Business Processes:

Billing & Payments

Credit and Collections

Customer Engagement

Device, Data & Analytics

Field Services

Low Income

Outage Communications

Attendee Survey Comments:

“Very informative, great learning tool and able to hear what other utilities are doing and their insights on the future.

“The ideas of other companies were very valuable.”

“Excellent dialog and interaction among participants. Good mix of presentations and discussion.

“Interaction from the beginning was great. Lots of sharing, going deeper in their conversations with speakers.

Suggested Topics for Future Agenda:

“Hear stories from utilities who have completed cloud. We are interested but want details, lessons learned and experience.”

“AMI deployment – successes/failures with various mobile devices…”

“Possible low income agency presenter – what they need from utilities or how they can better participate.”

“ETR proactive communication and customer sat measures analytics.”

“More on calling & texting and TCPA…”

For more information on Synergy Groups, please contact Jules Denton, Synergy Groups Manager at 903-893-3214.

Jules Denton

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CS Week’s 2016 Executive Perspectives video series engages senior executives on the forefront of today’s dynamic utility industry market. Simply CLICK on the underlined titles below to view these 10-15 minute videos.

Chris Cardenas, VP, Customer Services, PPL Electric UtilitiesThinking Sideways: Tapping into Hidden Resources with Effective Leadership

Hallie Reese, CCO, Exelon UtilitiesCustomer Choice Drives Service Strategy

Rebecca Stenholm, Director, Public & Government Affairs, Epcor Water (USA) Storytelling for Customer Engagement, Education and Investment

Joe Tellez, Chief Technology Officer, Tacoma Public UtilitiesKeys to Developing Effective Technology Management Strategies

James Riley, Chief Strategy Officer, VertexCloud Technology: Shifting Opinions Inform Survey Results

Fort Worth Convention Center | Fort Worth, TX | #csweek17

Post Conference Video Series

Conference 40 in Phoenix created initial impressions and made lasting

memories. Rewind CS Week 2016 in the “Valley of the Sun” by viewing these

three videos:

2016 Attendee Perspectives

2016 Vendor Perspectives

2016 CS Week Highlights

Sponsored by: Share these links with your colleagues to spark interest in attending Conference 41 in Fort Worth.

Thinking Sideways: Tapping into Hidden Resources with Effective Leadership

Customer Choice Drives Service Strategy

Storytelling for Customer Engagement, Education and Investment

Keys to Developing Effective Technology Management Strategies

Cloud Technology: Shifting Opinions Inform Survey Results

2016 Attendee Perspectives2016 Vendor Perspectives2016 CS Week Highlights

Sponsored by:

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Introducing New Planning Committee MembersLike many utility professionals, Clayton Dean, Manager, Contact Center, TECO Energy worked his way up in the organization, first starting as a meter reader, with assignments in multiple business areas including field services, credit and collections and the contact center. He is now responsible for internal credit and collections including dispatching, but Clayton is transitioning soon to his new role in the Contact Center. Clayton has been attending CS Week for about eight years and enjoys creating new relationships with other utilities and talking with vendors about their products and services. He is assigned to both the Credit and Collections conference track and Synergy Group. “We utilities share similar operations but different challenges. Our track and Synergy Group are building agendas with good, crisp topics that stand out and can apply to everybody.”

As Director, Customer Experience at Alasgasco, Christopher Gagliano, is responsible for the overall CX in the call center, back office and billing, dispatch, meter reading and field collections operations. He started in corporate communications and promoted in and out of field ops and dispatch, call center, marketing and sales and market research over his 27-year career with the utility. Since 2016 was Christopher’s first CS Week Conference, he is excited to be assigned to the Digital Customer Engagement track. In his role on the CS Week Planning Committee, he is looking forward to offering workshop and synergy group content and speakers that focus on providing customers with an effortless experience, knowing that effort is a primary customer loyalty driver. Also involved in Southern Gas Association, Christopher brings solid experience and keen insights to his new CS Week role.

New Jersey Natural Gas Company’s Alfred Glass is another new CS Week Planning Committee member. As Manager of the Contact Center, he manages NJNGC’s call handlers who answer inbound calls for gas-only customers and the utility’s appliance service company. Alfred previously worked with American Water where he acquired extensive call center experience. Like Christopher, Alfred attended his first CS Week Conference in Phoenix because he previously attended AGA’s customer service conference. His unique experience in both the water and gas industry will help him find common themes and operational intersections for the Digital Customer Engagement track. As he identifies content and speakers for CS Week Conference and Synergy Groups, Alfred say, “I’m committed to making sure 2017 CS Week is good. I’m so looking forward to seeing the planning effort and logistics work turn into the final product.”

Elaine McCallister, Manager, Accounts Receivable, has a revenue-critical role at Duke Energy where she is responsible for non-residential projects and analytics that impact accounts receivable. Her unit also performs charge-off forecasting, bankruptcies, account securitization, risk assessments, among other financial transactions plus SOX reporting. Elaine started with Florida Power Corporation that was acquired by CP&L and later became Progress Energy which was subsequently acquired by Duke Energy in 2012. Assigned to the CS Week Credit and Collections track, Elaine brings wide and deep experience to the planning effort. She is also active in other organizations where she stays abreast of credit and collections trends and regulations in other industries that have crossover potential for utilities. “I enjoy the networking component and especially seeing what others are doing at their utilities. These are the nuggets I take back and incorporate into our company.”

With 2017 as his inaugural year, Chad Moore, Supervisor, Meter Maintenance and Operations, Las Vegas Valley Water District is excited for the opportunities and challenges of being a PC member. At LVVWD, Chad currently supervises the billing team, but he started as a meter reader and has worked every available field position, plus the Call Center, through AMR and AMI implementations, CIS upgrades and the transition to automated processes. “CS Week is highly regarded in my organization because it promotes acquiring new insights and making connections across the utilities industry.” Chad is assigned to the Billing and Payments track and recently spent a September working weekend with his Planning Committee colleagues reviewing workshop abstracts and building a solid agenda for 60+ conference workshops and business process-focused synergy groups.

“I look forward to planning what I think is a marquee event for utilities,” explained Sheila Pressley, Director, Customer Revenue Services, JEA. “The subject matter is so broad that every utility gains insights and something they can take back for learning and growth.” Sheila has attended CS Week for several years and presented at both the 2015 and 2016 conferences. At JEA, she is responsible for the customer billing and payment experience, meter reading and field services. She also directs revenue risk, low/limited income customer solutions and centralized business office functions like payments handling, service reactivation and identity theft prevention. Sheila has capitalized on commonalities shared between her previous career in financial services and utilities. She is assigned to the Field Customer Services track. Sheila also serves as a board member for North East Florida Community Action Agency and the Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program.

As IT Business Solutions Manager at Florida Power & Light Company, Crystal Whitaker is responsible for billing and payments, from meter reading to bill creation and payment allocation. With seven years’ attendance under her belt, Crystal understands the CS Week venues and looks forward to engaging others in what CS Week has to offer and what it brings to FP&L. “I want to be an ambassador, sharing knowledge and spreading the good word about what CS Week offers.” She is assigned to the Billing and Payments track, partly because her utility is currently revamping its highly-customized legacy CIS, making it faster and more adaptive to changing customer requirements. Her “in the trenches” insights and operational perspectives will be invaluable to CS Week planning efforts.

In her role at Puget Sound Energy, Inc., Felicia Williams, Manager, Business Technology, provides first-tier user support for the CIS solution, partnering with IT and the Business to define business requirements and complete user training. “We are the middleman,” says Felicia. 2016 marked her first year attending CS Week Conference. Felicia is assigned to the Analytics track and will be able to utilize her background in contact centers and customer service to help build content and secure speakers for conference workshops and the synergy group. She’s been heavily involved in her CIS solution’s national user group and plans to utilize those contacts, keeping a pulse on what others are doing with data and analytics in the utility space. “I’m looking forward to seeing how all this planning comes together for a successful conference.”

New PC member, Shelly Wright, Supervisor, Customer Relations Contact Center, Baltimore Gas & Electric Company has been assigned to the Contact Center track. In her role at BG&E, she supervises representatives who answer new business calls from customers requesting upgraded or relocated services and home builders. She also manages CSRs who answer collection, billing and service order calls. “I’m well-versed in the call center because I live it daily. My BG&E experience gives me the tools and understanding to know what conference attendees are looking for and to push subjects and key speakers who will engage with our attendees.” Shelly is also a member of the Network of Excelon Women, an industry networking group that promotes developing, mentoring and coaching women in utilities.

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Survey Results and VoC Usher in 2017 UpdatesSurvey answers and feedback about Conference 40 and other CS Week venues in Phoenix allow our planning groups to hear and respond to the voice of the customer – our attendees! Data from the 2016 conference mobile app, hand-written forms and online Post Conference surveys are compiled by industry partner, Metrix Matrix, so that CS Week can continually improve planning and execution of future events. With an overall satisfaction score at 93%, some might think CS Week would “rest on its laurels.” The reality is just the opposite – CS Week and its planning groups actively reach out for new and trending content from industry partners, review logistics, and respond to each year’s VoC. Here are two highlights from the consolidated surveys:

• The Registration process achieved the highest satisfaction score among those surveyed. This process, whether performed by phone, fax, online or in person promises to be efficient and friendly. As utilities look to spend remaining 2016 dollars before the end of the calendar year or think now about which and how many employees to send to Conference 41, they will want to consider the value of the tiered pricing discount.

• With 41% of respondents indicating they participated in the Conference service to schedule a private consultation/ demonstration with exhibitors, CS Week’s Exhibit Hall continues to meet the mark. The most ever exhibitors, combined with attendees and other industry partners, gave the Exhibit Hall a 92% satisfaction score. Certainly, CS Week’s affiliation with AGA and EEI helped boost participation and satisfaction.

Bolstered by high scores and reinforced with constructive comments, CS Week announces the following updates and changes for the 2017 Conference in Fort Worth:

1. Click Customer Experience Lifecycle to see how this content framework has been tweaked, shortened and split to better reflect today’s utility customer service/IT education needs: • Billing & Payments tracks have been combined. • Devices, Data and Analytics (DDA) has been shortened to Analytics; however, content remains the same. • Customer Engagement has been split to offer Digital Customer Engagement and Contact Center. • The other three titles remain the same: Credit & Collections, Field Customer Service and Strategies & Management. • Exhibitor Showcase has been renamed Sponsor Solutions.

2. The 311 Synergy Group has graduated to become a standalone conference with its own exhibit hall. ENGAGE311 and EXPO311 will debut in 2017 and feature three days of presentations, discussion and engagement forums. See page 17 for more details.

3. The annual Expanding Excellence Awards category titles have been updated. Click Awards to review category descriptions, the award submission form and the evaluation process. Submission deadline is January 6, 2017. • Best Mobility Implementation • Best CIS Implementation • Best Analytics Project • Innovation in Digital Customer Engagement • Innovation in People & Process

CS Week 41 | May 22-26, 2017 | www.csweek.org

Customer Experience Lifecycle

page 17

Awards

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311 Synergy Group Rebranded as CS Week 311CS Week is busting to share some exciting news. With a significant growth spurt over the past four years, the 311 Synergy Group is graduating in 2017 to become its own conference. When it began in 2007, the 311 Synergy Group targeted municipal employees whose cities had transitioned to or were creating centralized call centers. Today, its mission and objectives continue to be relevant and attract scores of professionals eager to share common interests and learn about trends, technology and best practices for call center operations. Year over year survey results and comments from attendees engaged in the three-day, event-packed meeting led to this important re-branding.

The new venue will feature its own exclusive, separate conference known as ENGAGE311. Set for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, May 22-24, 2017, ENGAGE311 will be located at the Hilton Fort Worth Hotel where a block of rooms will be specifically reserved for attendees and sponsors/exhibitors. Additionally, this venue will have its own Exhibit Hall called EXPO311, adjacent to the conference in an adjoining ballroom.

So besides greater attendance, why is CS Week creating ENGAGE311 and EXPO311? 311 Synergy Group is like the other CS Week Synergy Groups, right? Actually, no. The chart below illustrates its special features and the reasons for this rebranding:

311 Synergy Group CS Week Synergy Groups

Duration

Attendance

CS Week Research

Awards

Sponsors

Leadership

With its features, impressive growth and amazing leadership, CS Week 311 will launch in 2017!

3 full days of meetings, topical dis-cussions, vendor presentations, tours, receptions and more

1 day for business process Synergy Groups1 day for vendor-sponsored Synergy Groups

120 in 2016 15-25 at each of seven business process Synergy Groups and 20-30 at each of six vendor Synergy Groups in 2016

Members participate in annual CS Week Research 311 Comparative Survey and Technology Survey.

N/A

CS Week 311 Award of Excellence presented annually

N/A

Seven vendors sponsored, presented and exhibited at the 2016 annual meeting.

N/A

12 committees guide and plan the annual meeting plus year-round webinars and discussions. Click to view the CS Week 311 archive library of past webinars.

The CS Week Planning Committee plans content for business process Synergy Groups and works with vendors to organize vendor-sponsored Synergy Groups.

Social Media

CS Week 311 will have its own LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter accounts.

CS Week Synergy Groups share social media with CS Week Conference.

$395. EXPO311 will feature 10 x 10 foot vendor booths and multiple opportunities to connect with exhibitors during breaks, meals and receptions. Attendees will be encourage to schedule private meetings and demonstrations in the EXPO311 hall.

For more information about CS Week 311, please contact Amber Wiens or call her at 903-893-3214 or directly at 903-821-8721.

EXPO311

CS Week 311archive library

Amber Wiens

ENGAGE311

ENGAGE311 attendee registration fees have changed to $249 to reflect the additional amenities. Attendees who also register for CS Week Conference can enjoy a discounted conference price of

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CS Week announces the 2017 Expanding Excellence Awards, a program designed to recognize significant contributions and salute innovation and excellence in customer service. Winners and distinguished finalists for the following categories are presented at Wednesday’s General Session:

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS OPENS OCTOBER 15

Best Mobility Implementation

Best CIS Implementation

Best Analytics Project

Innovation in People & Process

Innovation in Digital Customer Engagement

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: 1/6/17For award category descriptions, click on the titles above.

Apply by completing the official Expanding Excellence Awards application form. As your utility considers this application, please remember that CS Week will request photos, images and other visual documentation of your project or implementation to create the awards videos. Your visual history will be shown during the awards ceremony.

Any utility submitting an Expanding Excellence Award entry will receive a 50% discount on up to five Conference 41 registrations. Contact Julie Shankles, Registration Manager, or call her at 903-821-8631 with questions.

For more information about the awards or the nomination process, contact CS Week Expanding Excellence Awards Program Manager, Lisa Collins or call her at 903-821-8675.

official Expanding Excellence Awards application form

Julie Shankles

Lisa Collins

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- GOLD -

- SILVER -

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Thank You, CS Week 2017 Sponsors

- PLATINUM -

- GOLD -

- SILVER -

- HOST UTILITY -

www.csweek.org2612 W Lamberth Rd, Ste 300 | Sherman TX 75092-5183 | 903-893-3214

Fort Worth Convention Center