I've got a potential client served by Ames Municipal Electric here in Iowa. It's a smaller operation compared to MidAmerican Energy, but the potential savings could be significant for this manufacturing plant. Question is whether it's worth investing time building relationships with municipal utility staff when I might only have one or two clients there. Do the smaller utilities tend to be more or less cooperative than the big investor-owned companies? Any thoughts from folks who work with munis regularly?
Is it worth cultivating relationships at smaller municipal utilities?
Tom, in my experience municipal utilities can be goldmines for relationship building. MLGW here in Memphis is obviously huge, but I've worked with smaller munis in Tennessee and they're often more willing to sit down and walk through complex billing issues. Less bureaucracy, more personal service. The staff usually wear multiple hats so once you connect with someone, they can help with everything from billing questions to future rate discussions.
Reggie's absolutely right. I've worked with several smaller Louisiana municipal utilities and they're generally much more accessible than Entergy. The downside is less sophisticated billing systems and sometimes inconsistent policies. But if you can build a good relationship with their key staff, they'll often go above and beyond to help resolve issues. Plus, word travels fast in smaller communities - one satisfied client can lead to several referrals.