Anyone else finding it harder to build relationships with utility staff during the pandemic? LG&E here in Lexington has had a lot of turnover in their commercial billing department, and with everyone working remote, I'm struggling to get past the generic customer service scripts. Used to be able to walk into their office and sit down with someone who knew what they were talking about. Now it's all phone tag and email chains with people who seem brand new. How are you all adapting your approach?
Building rapport with new utility contacts during COVID
Oz, I've been having the exact same issue with MidAmerican Energy here in Des Moines. What's worked for me is being extra patient and educational in emails. Instead of just asking for information, I explain why I need it and what I'm trying to accomplish for the client. Seems to help the newer folks understand the context better.
PPL here in Harrisburg actually got better during COVID. They set up dedicated email addresses for auditors and consultants, and responses are faster than they used to be. I think the key is being very specific in your subject lines - "Rate Schedule GS verification for Account #12345" gets better results than "Billing Question."
Entergy New Orleans has been hit or miss. Some of their newer people are actually more tech-savvy and better at explaining things over video calls. But I miss being able to bring donuts to the office and chat informally - that's where you really learned about upcoming rate changes and policy shifts.
Juan, yes! The informal conversations were so valuable. Rosa, good point about being educational. I've started including relevant tariff sections in my emails to help guide them to the right information.
Grace, that's brilliant. Alabama Power should do something like that. The relationship building aspect is just as important as the technical education.
I've found LinkedIn to be surprisingly useful during this time. Connected with several MLGW staff and TVA folks after phone calls. Not for official business, but it helps put faces to names and sometimes they'll share insights about upcoming changes or process improvements they're working on.
Randy makes a good point about LinkedIn. Alabama Power has been pretty responsive to connection requests. I think they appreciate that we're trying to build professional relationships rather than just bombard them with billing questions.
RG&E here in Rochester started doing monthly "auditor office hours" over Zoom during COVID. Thirty-minute slots where you can discuss complex accounts or upcoming tariff changes. It's been incredibly helpful and they've kept it going even as things opened back up.
Tom B, that sounds amazing! I'm going to suggest something similar to LG&E. Having scheduled time where they expect technical questions would be so much better than the current random call approach.
SDG&E here in San Diego has been doing virtual "lunch and learns" where they walk through new programs or rate changes. As consultants, we get invited along with large customers. Great way to stay current and build relationships with both utility staff and potential clients.