After 15 years of auditing, I've learned that having good relationships with utility billing departments makes everything easier. They're more responsive, willing to explain complex tariff provisions, and generally cooperative when disputes arise. What strategies do others use for building these professional relationships?
Building relationships with utility billing staff
Margaret - I always try to position myself as a partner rather than an adversary. When I find errors, I frame it as "helping improve billing accuracy" rather than "catching mistakes". Also make sure to acknowledge when their billing is correct and compliment them on well-organized tariffs or helpful customer service.
Personal touches help too. I keep notes about the staff I work with regularly - their preferences for communication, busy times to avoid calling, etc. Small things like remembering they prefer email over phone calls goes a long way. Also send thank you notes when they go above and beyond.
Attending utility rate case hearings and industry conferences helps put faces to names. Had several utility reps recognize me at conferences and it led to much better working relationships on subsequent audits. They see you as a professional colleague rather than just another complainer.
Never burn bridges even when they're being difficult. I had one utility rep who was consistently uncooperative for 2 years, then she got promoted to supervisor and became very helpful. You never know how relationships will evolve. Kill them with kindness and professionalism even when frustrated.