NEWSLINEA CS WEEK PUBLICATION Summer 2020

WITH INDUSTRY SPONSORS:

• Delivering Versatility and Value

• Company and Individual Award Winners: Excellence x 11!• Utility Sessions:

CX Lifecycle Track Workshops and COVID-19 Topics

• Supporter Sessions: May – September

• EVCx Forum Launch

in this VIRTUAL TOUCH Special Edition issue…

CS Week 2021 Tampa Convention Center

Tampa, FLApril 26 - 30, 2021

2 / CS WEEK NEWSLINE CSWEEK.ORG

Delivering Versatility and Value

Rod Litke, CEO, CS Week

Question: How can a countdown clock stop, pause for eight weeks and then advance six months? Answer: CS Week’s reimagined 2020 conference experience VIRTUAL TOUCH! For visitors to csweek.org, you know our clock ticks from September 1 to the first day of CS Week. COVID-19, a clock stopper in so many ways, unsuccessfully tried to gum up the gears.

Up until a week before the cancel decision, 2020 registrations were higher than prior years and climbing. But we could see travel bans coming, stay-at-home orders escalating and local restrictions on gathering. Cancelling was obviously the correct one at the right time, but making this decision was still extremely difficult for our Board. Through floods, recessions and other problems, CS Week had always “made,” 43 times before, in fact.

With pandemic restrictions on us, we pivoted to new ideas borne from innovation. They say innovation requires vulnerability. Our staff, though anxious, were girded with know-how and time-tested relationships. Can’ts quickly became cans. Remote workshops set for our original dates were scheduled, speakers committed, scripts were practiced and attendees registered. Stopped or paused, CS Week reemerged like a classic Timex watch, “It takes a licking but keeps on ticking.” VIRTUAL TOUCH will keep ticking through October. I am so proud that we not only survived, we thrived. Watch as we tick confidently side by side with you into 2021!

“Mentally shifting gears from full force forward to an abrupt halt was difficult for everyone on our team,” said Lisa Collins. “We united in our shared determination to remain the leader in the utility customer service/IT space. We wanted to keep CS Week at the forefront of our attendees’ minds and continue to be the leader in delivering relevant content and networking when utilities needed it most. Our first Session, we decided, should feature LeadNext. What better place for us to show that we are innovative, cutting edge and industry leaders,” she continued. “I have heard from many attendees who were delighted we held the events and Sessions virtually.”

CS Week typically keeps its wizardry behind the curtain, but in these times, John Sild shared some of its pixie dust. “We had to stand up the VIRTUAL TOUCH site within our website really quickly. New sponsorships and entitlements were created ‘on the fly.’ Normal logistics hashed out within an office setting had to be done under quarantine after some contacts were furloughed or others lost jobs. Many hands made it a reality, and I’m very proud of our team. Everyone had a part to play and just like Conference, they played their parts with excellence.” Looking ahead, Sild sees a future hybrid model. “We may have 75 in a workshop and 75 watching virtually. I can’t wait to see how we incorporate lessons learned into our new CS Week normal.”

• Cancelled >4000 room nights.• Cancelled Fort Worth Convention

Center, Omni and Hilton meeting rooms, catering orders, keynote speakers, a band, flowers and decorating services plus video and photography, to name a few.

• Processed extensions/refunds for attendees and sponsors.

• Cancelled materials to be printed.

Unwinding CS Week:

John Sild, Conference Dir, hosts VertexOne/Pinellas County Utilities’ Supporter Session.

Utility Sessions (and 311)Utility COVID-19 Sessions

LeadNext SessionWomen in Utilities Sessions

EVCxAwards Sessions

Supporter SessionsBenchmark Review

KAF FridayVendor Synergy Group

Total

114128

105

341

27

1313

3

4

2

9

1 + TBA

1 + TBA1 + TBA

2

5

2 + TBA

TBA1 + TBA

2

5

Hours Presented/Planned:May Jun Jul Aug Sep

Look for sum boxes throughout this VIRTUAL TOUCH Special Edition!

Lisa Collins, Education Dir, moderates a Supporter Session.

SUMMER 2020 / 3 VIRTUAL TOUCH SPECIAL EDITION

NEWSLINE Summer 2020 Todd Arnold*CS Week

Sue Daulton*Tacoma Public Utilities

Jared Lawrence*Duke Energy

Rod Litke*CS Week

David McKendry*Canadian Electricity Association

Penni McLean-Conner*Eversource

Kerry Overton*Austin Energy

Andrea Pelt-Thornton*NextEra Energy/Florida Power & Light

Mark Wyatt*CS Week

Ashley ArndtPSEG Long Island

Sandra BroughtonSouthern Company Gas

Mitch CarmosinoDuke Energy

Jennifer CervantezAtmos Energy

Fred DaumPSE&G

Timothy DavisAustin Energy

Clayton DeanTECO Energy

Shawn DownsCharlotte Water

Gerri DrummondTECO Energy

Tracy FamigliettiEversource

Kinn’zon HutchinsonGainesville Regional Utilities

Saba IdrissBaltimore Gas & Electric

RJ KeeAPS

Eric MastroianniConsolidated Edison of New York

Elaine McCallisterDuke Energy

Chad MooreLas Vegas Valley Water District

Sheila PressleyJEA

Kim RichCenterPoint Energy

Vanessa ShieldsDuke Energy

Lois StarkKansas City Power & Light Company

Roger StephensOncor

Nicole SwanPSE&G

Eric Van BecelaereEvergy

Crystal WhitakerNextEra Energy/Florida Power & Light

Lisa CollinsCS Week

John SildCS Week

*Board Member

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5

The mission of CS Week:Is to advance utility customer service through the delivery of unbiased educational opportunities, forums for networking, and sharing of innovative best practices that will advance the customer experience.

Newsline is published quarterly by CS Week, 2612 W. Lamberth Rd. Ste. 300, Sherman, TX 75092; 903-893-3214 tel, 903-893-6136 fax, www.csweek.org. © 2020, 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 info@csweek.org.

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 info@csweek.org.

Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of CS Week.

9 KAF Friday

8 Supporter Sessions: May - September

In this Special Edition issue…

Planning Committee

6-7 Utility Sessions: CX Lifecycle Track Workshops and COVID-19 Topics

Delivering Versatility and ValueRod Litke, CEO;Lisa Collins, Education Dir; and John Sild, Conference Dir; all of CS Week

15 Executive Summit

4 VIRTUAL TOUCH Sponsors

Company and Individual Award Winners: Excellence x 11!

9 CS Week Research

12 CS Week 311

16 Thank you, CS Week Supporters

14 LeadNext

13 Women in Utilities

16 CS Week 2021

15 2021 Call for Presentations

13 Vendor Synergy Group

EVCx Forum Launch10-11

VIRTUAL TOUCH WEBINARS

4 / CS WEEK NEWSLINE CSWEEK.ORG

THANK YOU, 2020 VIRTUAL TOUCH SPONSORS:

Utility Session Sponsors:

Supporter Session Sponsors:

ENGAGE311 Utility Sessions Sponsor:

Women In Utilities Co-Sponsors: Industry Sponsor:

EVCx Forum Sponsor:VIRTUAL TOUCH Guide & Vendor Synergy Group Sponsor:

SUMMER 2020 / 5 VIRTUAL TOUCH SPECIAL EDITION

Company and Individual Award Winners: Excellence x 11!

Minus the General Session applause, CS Week’s 2020 Expanding Excellence Awards program proudly announced eight company winners and three individual winners in May. Four company finalists were also recognized. All received, by mail this year, those coveted acrylic statuettes that symbolize dedication, effort and results.

Industry-wide adulation will have to wait less than a year though when 2020 winners will be recognized on the 2021 General Session stage in Tampa, with opportunities for team photos.

In the meantime, click any winner’s logo or Individual Awardees below and watch their short highlight videos, this year narrated by CEO Rod Litke from his home as he complied with pandemic stay-at-home orders.

Company Awards

WinnerLevel II

WinnerLevel I Finalist

Best CIS Implementation

Best Analytics Project

Innovation in Digital Customer Engagement

Innovation in People & Process

PSEG Long Island(Level I)

Southwest Gas Corporation (Level I)

Hydro Ottawa(Level II)

Tucson Electric Power(Level I)

2020 Award winners are selecting summer dates to present Sessions on their successful implementations and projects, with Hydro Ottawa as the first on August 26. Watch your inbox for CS Week emails announcing other dates soon.

The 2021 Expanding Excellence Awards season for company and individual categories opens in September. EEA Mgr, Rachel White is available to answer questions and offer nomination tips and submission advice.

Distinguished Leader Rising StarDistinguished

LeaderTiffany Dennison, Dr, Accts Receivable – Int

Customer Connect Lead, Duke EnergyTomaso Giannelli, Sr Mgr, Business Customer

Division, Southern California EdisonAntonio Diaz III, Sr Specialist, Specialized

Customer Experience Center, Con Ed of NY

6 / CS WEEK NEWSLINE CSWEEK.ORG6 / CS WEEK NEWSLINE

Utility Sessions: CX Lifecycle Track Workshops and COVID-19 TopicsOn the same 2020 calendar dates that Conference 44 workshop would have been presented in Fort Worth, confirmed utility speakers stepped up to at-home computer mics instead. They delivered Utility Sessions covering every Customer Experience Lifecycle track and best practices COVID-19 Sessions.

Starting in July, look for Utility Sessions featuring CS Week 311 presentations too. These show-and-tells primarily focus on customer service/call/contact center challenges and solutions. They represent another opportunity to capitalize on the VIRTUAL TOUCH agenda by attending Sessions that you might not have been registered to attend in Fort Worth.

Across this two-page spread are condensed nuggets, highlighting one Session from each CX Lifecycle track, though some tracks offered multiple Sessions during VIRTUAL TOUCH. With these intros, you’ll want to click the titles, register quickly and watch again or for the first time. CS Week’s On-Demand Webinars makes it easy.

COVID-19 and Energy Assistance: Intersectionality, Policy and Program Evolution

Katrina Metzler, Exec Dir, NEUAC

With 33 million residents either unemployed or underemployed at the time of this Session as a result of the U.S. coronavirus pandemic, this CS Week industry sponsor offered a status on NEUAC’s programs and funding initiatives to make energy more affordable. She emphasized that utilities, like her agency, must remain flexible and evolve quickly to the rapidly-changing landscape of needs.

CustomerAssistance

COVID Session

Performance Management Metrics in the Time of COVID-19;Dashboarding to Deliver Insights

Laura Lemke, Sr Data & Analytics Consultant, Snohomish County Public Utility

Learn how an operational dashboard was stood up by Lemke and her team to provide their utility’s executive leadership and incident

management teams with centralized, actionable information just two months after the first known U.S. case.

The Power of Digital & Automation in Customer Service

Gabe Mika, Digital Strategy & Innovation Leader, Sempra Energy Utilities

Hear how San Diego Gas & Electric developed and implemented almost 50 RPAs, intelligent robotic process automations, and freed up over 135,000 hours of labor capacity annually for more challenging and analytical tasks.

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SUMMER 2020 / 7 VIRTUAL TOUCH SPECIAL EDITION SUMMER 2020 / 7 VIRTUAL TOUCH SPECIAL EDITION

Predicting Intent: Personalized CX with Analytics and Machine-Learning

Jassi Arora, VP, Business Transformation & IT and Ashleigh Kitchens, Personalization & Analytics Lead, both of Duke Energy

As Duke Energy replaces various legacy systems in their Customer Connect project, see why getting the right content in the right hands at

the right time was and remains so critical to their success.

Improve CX and Revenue Collection with Segmentation Strategies

Rob Mulligan, Mgr, Mid-Market & Revenue Assurance, ENMAX Corporation

Learn how a new collections model based on risk characterization, a revised communication channel strategy and advanced reporting enhancements reduced bad debt by over 11% in just one year.

Driving Organizational Change Through Diversity and Inclusion

Nicole Leon, Dir, Diversity & Inclusion and Kirsy Veloz, Project Specialist, both of Con Edison of New York

Appreciate the vision and drivers that have influenced a culture shift in this utility to one based on engagement at every level.

Customer Service at the Front Door

Eric Van Becelaere, Mgr, Field Services, Evergy

Perception is everything. By changing the look and the mindset of field personnel as they approach customers on their turf, this utility improved CX and increased employee morale.

Customer 360°: Using Data and Analytics to Improve CX

Chris Herndon, Mgr, Customer Data & Analytics, Oncor

See how this Texas utility broke down operational silos, created cross-functional teams and agilely became a data-driven organization.

AMI: More than a Reading

Carolyn MacKool, Dir, Customer Service, DC Water

AMI data, now available to operations besides meter reading, drove deeper analysis and actionable strategies to enhance planning and forecasting, back billing, complaint handling, targeted repairs and revenue assurance at this award-winning utility.

8 / CS WEEK NEWSLINE CSWEEK.ORG

Supporter Sessions: May - SeptemberThe partnership that CS Week has forged and nurtured with industry vendors across decades reinforces its mission – to deliver unbiased educational opportunities, forums for networking and innovative best practices to advance the CX. When the decision was made to cancel CS Week 2020, those partnerships switched into overdrive. Many stepped forward and booked early dates; others requested placeholder dates through September. Check out these leaders in the utility customer service/IT space and their Session titles below. Click on any title to register and watch.

10 + 7 + 4 + 1 +1 = 23 and Counting!

Building Resilience: Utility AI Across DSM, Customer Engagement, Call

Center, Marketing

Using AI to Create the Next Best Interaction (NBI) for Utility Customers -

Residential and SMB

COVID-19 Pandemic Response – Managing Uncertainty

A CIS Journey: Creating a Digitally-Integrated Utility

Customer Engagement Post-Pandemic: Strategies for Re-Imagining Business

as Usual

The Benefits of Cloud for a Remote Workforce

How Local Government Is Utilizing 311 Service During Pandemic

On the Front Lines of Responsiveness in the Age of COVID-19

Navigating the Next – Digital Transformation in CX Through Agile

Preparing an Organization for a Large-Scale CIS Replacement Transformation

You Had Me at “Chatbot”: Billing & Payment Trends

Title TBD Title TBD

Digital Customer Service Maturity Engaging Customers at Challenging Times

Utility Voices Panel: Taking CIS to the Cloud

Creative Payment Solutions in Unique Times Using Digital Wallets

How Lewisville, TX Transformed Citizen Engagement from the Inside Out

311 Software Solution: Scenarios from a User-Prospective

Contact Centers: Managing Through an Emergency

VIRTUAL TOUCH Supporter Session

The Digital Opportunity for Global Energy and Water Utility Industry

Moving Movers to Digital – Exceed Expectations and Generate Smiles

Investing in Technology, Processes, Programs to Best Serve Customers

Change Your Payment Solution Without Impacting Your Customers

Engage Customers with Data Driven, Personalized Design and Targeted Messaging

Title TBD How Pinellas County Utilities Implemented a New CIS & CSS in 7

Months Amidst a Pandemic

Title TBD

Thank you, 2020 VIRTUAL TOUCH Supporter Session Sponsors!

SUMMER 2020 / 9 VIRTUAL TOUCH SPECIAL EDITION

FridayFridayCS Week Virtual Series

2020 CS Week Research Benchmark Sponsor:

For more information about becoming a CS Week Research member and realizing the benefits of membership, please contact Rachel White.

Starting in June and continuing for seven Fridays through September, Key Account Forum attendees will log in to virtual one-hour webinars that feature the same 2020 agenda topics and presenters that they would have experienced in Fort Worth. While this is an invitation-only

venue, we want to recognize the KAF Friday speakers and their presentation titles to give those who may be interested in 2021 Key Account Forum a sneak peek. To learn more about these Sessions, please contact Rachel White.

CS Week Research members and Key Account Forum venue executives met May 22 and May 26, to review the annual key account benchmark study. The first day was spent breaking open the 2020 report and discussing its results and trends, comparing them to past years and understanding utility operations behind the data. On day two, they discussed a wide range of topics like rate analysis tools, outage notification solutions, hiring and training key account staff, new CRM products in the marketplace, back office support teams, process improvement opportunities and service contracts.

2 ½ + 2 ½

5

Virtual Is Valuable: Members Share Metrics and Methods

an Invitation-Only Event

Making Remote a ‘New Normal’

1 + 2+ 2 + 2

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Jun 19

Jul 10

Jul 24

Aug 7

Aug 21

Sep 4

Sep 18

Leveraging Your CRM to Improve the Customer ExperienceGiGi Carroll, Mgr, Business Client Relationships, JEA Yimi Kierman, Sr Dir, Customer Experience & Major Accts, American Water

Improving Internal Partnering and Relationships with Utility OperationsTed Novicki, Mgr, Key Acct Mgmt-CMP & UI, Avangrid

Establishing a Customer Outreach ProgramMonika Campbell, Mgr, Lg Customer Accts, BGE, an Exelon Company

COVID-19 Roundtable Session 1Moderator: Vakesia Graves, Dir, Business Strategy & National Accts, Duke Energy

How Technology Solutions Are Making Customer and Managing-Body Political Relationships EasierGreg Earl, Mgr, Community & Customer Experience, AEP Ohio Ed Zazzali, Mgr, Business Customer Solutions, PSE&G David Olivier, Mgr, Strategic Accts, Eversource

COVID-19 Roundtable Session 2Speaker TBA

Establishing an Effective Back-Office Support Function Tom Damon, Mgr, Lg Customer Accts and Derrick Williams II, Key Acct Exec, both of OUC

10 / CS WEEK NEWSLINE CSWEEK.ORG

Its first-year results are impressive. The Electric Vehicle Customer Experience Forum’s inaugural event saw participation from 26 US states and eight Canadian provinces. It included professionals from 30 different North American utilities. Once the face-to-face event was cancelled, EVCx planners quickly pivoted to transform what was to be a one-day Synergy Group into a two-day virtual event. This agility plus the top-shelf content make the attendee overall satisfaction average of 88% even more noteworthy. Most of the content was dedicated to utility experience journeys and featured four large, respected leaders who walked through the whys and whats of their EV programs. Read a couple challenges, opportunities and lessons learned from each and then click the company logos below to watch their Sessions.

John Shipman, Dept Mgr, Electric Vehicles

France Lampron, Dir,Transportation Electrification

Challenges:• Getting Internal by-in• Determining where the greatest value is through market

and customer segmentation

Opportunities:• Targeting transit buses and medium and heavy vehicles• Balancing best ROI and Greenhouse Gas Emission goals

Lessons Learned:• Ensure stakeholder engagement/relationships are solid• Build in flexibility to modify and adjust without refiling

Challenges:• Communicating often and with all involved parties• Overcoming weather challenges that impact installations

Opportunities:• Deploying the insights gained during the pandemic• Emphasizing flexibility with your suppliers

Lessons Learned:• Choose the right stations and suppliers• Stand up a good back office operation

Karl Popham, EV & Emerging Technology Mgr

James Cater, Program Lead, EV Infrastructure Implementation

Challenges:• Ensuring a great customer experience at dealerships• Deciding not if, but how quickly to stand up an EV program

Opportunities:• Filling gaps in skills, experience and expertise with partners

who can make everyone look good• Coordinating infrastructure with adjoining utilities

Lessons Learned:• Get creative with rates and tariffs• Remember the fundamentals: play nice with others, build a

good team and develop everyone into leaders

Challenges:• Incentivizing customers to charge at non-peak times to

drive grid utilization value• Offering alternative programs to support EV equity

Opportunities:• Making your utility central to local discussions about the

transportation space and infrastructure implementation• Making the decision to take ownership and bear the cost

beyond the meter to the parking space

Lessons Learned:• Improve the CX by simplifying legal documentation• Standardize equipment installation specs

4+ 4

8

SUMMER 2020 / 11 VIRTUAL TOUCH SPECIAL EDITION

“I enjoyed the format, and I appreciated the expertise of the speakers and moderators.”

Borne from thought leaders’ conversations and commitments at the 2019 Executive Summit, EVCx was created as a learning and networking venue where utilities can avoid ‘reinventing the wheel.’ Rather, the mission of this growing group is to lead and be an example to utilities across North America who are tackling electrification of transportation – including a discussion of challenges, opportunities and solutions. Working together to share best practices in the EV space is the Forum’s key driver.

What Worked Well and How Could EVCx Forum Be Improved in the Future?

Canadian Electric Association’s David McKendry and Eversource’s Penni McLean-Conner led the EVCx Forum through its inception and this year’s virtual Forum. Both will continue in leadership roles going forward as this Synergy Group grows.

“Moving the Industry Forward” sessions were held both days where attendees could brainstorm, ask questions, respond and give their preferences. Attendees wanted to hear as much about what to avoid with EV programs as what to get right. Attendees also suggested ideas for future Forums which will likely be a combination of face-to-face and virtual events.

“Provide the technology that allows participants to parallel chat.”

5 EV Implementation Strategy Don’ts:

1. Don’t ignore the OEMs’ expectations for the charging network and the potential for OEMs to cost share the investment.

2. Don’t adopt a proprietary solution.3. Don’t take on too much too fast.4. Don’t forget that facilities should be allowed to monetize

electric service to recover their ROI.5. Don’t underestimate the internal and external CX.

5 Requested Topics for Future EVCx Forums:

1. Recommended practices in EV station design that includes CX and accessibility

2. More utility company EV program examples3. Operating and maintenance challenges associated with

charging equipment4. Partnering with municipalities to accelerate electrification

of transportation5. Load management pilots

Keynote speaker Dr. Peter Fox-Penner was joined by McLean-Conner for a lively discussion based on his best-selling book, Melting the ICE. Q&A focused on the critical role utilities play in the deployment of EV infrastructure and the need for them to step up with leadership and programs when the private market is immature. Penner-Fox explained, “There ought to be a way for utilities to create separate business units with separate balance sheets, then transfer them to the highest bidder when the market is ready.” They discussed rate options and the need for utilities to control the EV charging load, among other topics.

Revisit this Keynote Chat and see how Fox-Penner’s educational research and analysis have shaped many utility EV journeys.

With 10+ years in the industry, Dan O’Shea, ABB’s Dir, Utility Strategy & Business eDev, sat down with McKendry to answer questions about best practices and success strategies. Take-aways included:

• Creating open standards for interoperability• Starting small in a controlled manner to work out

the kinks in the value chain• Taking a holistic approach and keeping

departments like procurement and cybersecurity in the loop

• Bringing in outside experts early and often• Determining your utility’s position – leader,

follower, somewhere in between - on the service continuum

Click Dan O’Shea to watch the full interview.

12 / CS WEEK NEWSLINE CSWEEK.ORG

CS Week 311 planners quickly repositioned a mix of 2020 ENGAGE311 agenda content, Learning Lounges and survey presentations for their VIRTUAL TOUCH lineup. They are excited to feature Supporter Sessions by ENGAGE311 sponsors. The 2020 Award of Excellence winner and finalist webinars kicked off the virtual offerings in June. 311 content will continue through September. All Sessions are recorded and available at On-Demand Webinars and and register for upcoming sessions.

Introducing the CS Week 311 Book Club

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” – John F. Kennedy

Starting in July, there’s another reason to escape somewhere with a good book. Reinforced by motivational quotes, CS Week 311 is launching a book club for professional learning. Each quarter, participants commit to read one book. They also receive other reading recommendations. At the end of the quarter, the club will meet virtually to discuss their takeaways and share how the book can influence their careers.

Reading List 1: Q3 (July 2020 – September 2020)

Reading Choice: Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High, Second Edition By: Kerry Patterson, Al Switzler, Joseph Grenny and Ron McMillan

Book Club Discussion: Thursday, September 24, 11 am

Other Recommendations:1. Authentic Conversations: Moving from Manipulation to Truth

and Commitment2. Becoming Supernatural: How Common People Are Doing

the Uncommon3. The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of

Consciousness4. Bringing Out the Best in People5. The Carrot Principle: How the Best Managers Use

Recognition to Engage Their Employees, Retain Talent and Drive Performance.

Look online, check future Newslines and watch email broadcasts for each quarter’s Reading Choice, discussion date and time.

Click here to add your name to the 311 Book Club Roster

Congratulations to CS Week 311 Award of Excellence 2020 winner, the City of Fort Worth, whose staff presented a June 18 Session showcasing advances to their City Call Center. Some of the most impressive performance improvements have come as a result of their MyFW platforms, which support both customer-facing and employee-facing apps. Data availability and advanced reporting capabilities have ushered in significant service level agreement improvements because now 311 can coordinate more specifically with departments who have gained insights into how and when service requests are received. Higher accountability and greater efficiency are the outcomes. Results are shared with the public on their website. The Center established a scorecard that measures all facets of employee productivity and quality, providing reps with a guide for performance tracking and self-management. This heightened sense of ownership has given Fort Worth ample reasons for celebration and employee recognition.

‘Prince George’s Proud’ was on full display during the 2020 Award finalist’s virtual Session on June 25. Leadership from CountyClick311 explained how they charted their journey to modernization of their County’s customer service center.

By strengthening partnerships with their constituents, nonprofits, businesses and supporting county agencies, the Center has made significant progress. By emphasizing “This is your system,” and implementing new standard operating procedures, the call center:

• Answered an all-time high of 275,000 calls in one year• Achieved a 97% increase in service performance• Answered calls in less than 10 seconds• Hired new call operators, half of which are bilingual• Achieved a call abandonment rate of 1%

2 + 3 + 1 = 6

SUMMER 2020 / 13 VIRTUAL TOUCH SPECIAL EDITION

When work and career anxiety sets in, who can you turn to and pick up your spirits? Next time, try Pegine.

In its first virtual happy hour, Women in Utilities featured Pegine Echevarria; life coach, entrepreneur, author and all-around dynamo. Her keynote message reverberated with four confidence fundamentals: Competence, Dominance, Prominence, Presence. She shared stories of overcoming adversity and perceptions. She urged listeners to kick off unwanted feelings and embrace those that increase their impact, influence and ability to inspire others. Watch her Confidence Karma webinar for the first time or again to remind yourself of your inner strengths and personal power. Soon, you’ll be confidently singing along.

GET HAPPY | STAY HAPPY HOUR

Long-time CS Week sponsor, Oracle Utilities pivoted from its planned face-to-face client Synergy Group in Fort Worth and instead invited clients to join them for two hour-long webinars on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 23 and 24. Neither Session was recorded for proprietary reasons. The first focused on Oracle’s strategic offerings roadmap and the second provided perspectives on AMI innovations and customer engagement:

The Autonomous, Intelligent CIS and the FutureNeel Gulhar, VP, Product Mgmt and Alex Panchula, Dir, Product Mgmt, Oracle Utilities

Maximizing AMI Value: Data-Driven Customer OperationsBrittany Noland, District Project Mgr, American Electric Power; Chad Carsten, Sr Mgr, Customer Analytics & Systems and Elena Johnston, Sr Product Mgr, Energy Solutions, both of Evergy;Wendy Qiu, Sr Mgr, Solution Strategy and Lyn Nelson, Principal Product Mgr, both of Oracle Utilities

Chesapeake Utilities Corp’s Beth W. Cooper and Stacie L. Roberts co-presented the final Power Up series webinar, Be Extraordinary Everyday by Demonstrating Diversity. They shared statistics gathered from the 2019 Morgan Stanley MSCI World Index Survey that showed industry representation of women in various roles: utilities, management, executives and on boards. They identified little-known findings about gender diversity. Several examples prove up the merits: in corporate boardrooms, gender diversity has a positive linkage to stock value; it boosts innovation; it reduces risk; and it positively impacts financial performance. Revisit their presentation and hear their professional journey stories.

Thank you, Women in Utilities Co-Sponsors!

EMPOWERINGWOMEN...

“#1 - How you react, #2 - How you think about those situations and #3 - How you respond are absolutely your responsibility.

How you perceive what happens to you occurs because of your thoughts, and those thoughts cause your actions which drive your results.”

1+ 1

2

1 1/2 + 1 1/2 = 3

14 / CS WEEK NEWSLINE CSWEEK.ORG

Venue Exec and Graduates Sing Its Praises

What better way to educate and engage others than with personal testimonies!

LeadNext hosted its first open webinar to launch 2020 VIRTUAL TOUCH. Venue Executive Vic Hatridge opened by describing the Program’s 2016 origins, its core curriculum and the important role played by retired coaches assigned to each participant. He discussed the monthly webinar schedule and highlighted every class’s favorite part – host utility site visits - this year to Citizens Energy Group in Indianapolis in September 2019 and Duke Energy’s Charlotte headquarters in February. Then, graduates Tena Royal and Andrew Lee took turns sharing personal reflections on their own LeadNext journeys.

Vic Hatridge, Venue Exec, LeadNext, CS Week

Tena Royal, Sr Mgmt Analyst, City of Fort Worth

Andrew Lee, Mgr, Customer & Community Services, East Bay

Municipal Utility District

“It really lit a fire in me… Education has always been something very important to me, to grow in my role and my contribution. LeadNext provided a huge springboard… I am starting my MBA studies in the fall of this year.” – Tena Royal

“My manager wanted me to get a crash course on the meter-to-cash process. I came from a background of architecture, engineering and development…This experience has helped me form my vision of customer service and how to bring value to our customers… My initial investment with LeadNext is still paying dividends.” – Andrew Lee

With its twelve-month curriculum, the 2020-21 LeadNext class and coaches are meeting virtually each month. Thanks to its small size, this class is using web cams for full-group visual calls and enjoying more time for casual discussion and getting to know each other better. Plans for the fall host site visit are pending.

To learn more about LeadNext, including the upcoming nomination/application season and process for the 2021-22 class, visit our website or contact Lisa Collins.

Introducing our 2020-21 Participants & Coaches

Utility Participants:Courtney Brown, Eversource

Adrian Ginyard, Fort Worth WaterSara Norris, Austin EnergyJon Simonson, NW NaturalJason Wallace, First Energy

Coaches:Kathy Grove, APS (retired)

Tony Simas, Eversource (retired)Dave Tomlinson, Duke Energy (retired)

1 + Summer Agenda

SUMMER 2020 / 15 VIRTUAL TOUCH SPECIAL EDITION

The Executive Summit’s Advisory Panel has set dates for a shortened, virtual-only 2020 event. Mark your calendars for Wednesday and Thursday, October 14 and 15; times to be announced. In consideration of travel bans still in place and concerns for face-to-face gathering, the Panel is condensing rich and trendsetting content from 2020’s original agenda into two half-day sessions. This being a by-invitation-only venue, executives will receive targeted emails with specific links and instructions. CS Week is pleased to offer 2020 Executive Summit VIRTUAL TOUCH with no registration fee.

Adaptability Plus: Execs Plan Value-Oriented Virtual Summit

Plans are coming together, and presentation commitments are being secured, including:

• A keynote from Oncor execs mirroring their original Thursday General Session theme, “It’s All Connected: The Modern Culture of Customer Engagement;”

• Supporter Sessions, like those presented during VIRTUAL TOUCH, to be offered on these October dates and extend into November; and

• Topical COVID-19 content relevant to utility experiences in response to the pandemic and going forward.

Execs, watch your inbox for a registration announcement with times, topic titles, speaker names and industry representation.

CS WEEK 2021 | CONFERENCE 45

Submit Your Abstract Today!

CS Week’s Call for Presentations is Open.

Interested in presenting in a CS Week 2021 Synergy Group or a

Conference 45 Workshop? Make sure to submit your abstract

by Wednesday, August 19, 2020!

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April 26 - 30, 2021Tampa Convention Center | Tampa, FL

CS Week 2021It’s a New Dawn for Utilities

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2020 VIRTUAL TOUCH continues through November!Watch for monthly VT Guides, eNews and targeted emails, along with csweek.org updates.

We appreciate the collective YOU! Kudos and heartfelt thanks to YOU, our loyal attendees, resourceful venue/program planning groups, steadfast sponsors and dedicated industry partners, all of whom participated to make

2020 VIRTUAL TOUCH a reality!