Something unexpected happened. A commercial account rep at AEP Ohio who I've worked with on several claims started referring clients to me. She told a manufacturing plant owner, "You should get your bills audited — I know a good auditor." I didn't ask for the referral and I don't pay her a commission. She just does it because she's seen my work and knows I find legitimate errors that she then has to correct anyway. She'd rather the errors get caught early than pile up.
Utility rep became a referral source
This is the holy grail of utility relationships. When a utility rep voluntarily refers business to you, it means you've earned their professional respect. It happens when you consistently bring clean, well-documented claims that are easy for them to process. They see you as making their job easier, not harder. This can't be manufactured — it comes from years of professional conduct. Cherish that relationship and never do anything to damage it.
That is incredible. I've been at this 8 years and I've never had a utility rep refer someone to me. Clearly you're doing something right with how you handle claims. Goals.
I think the key is that I never file junk claims. Every claim I submit is backed by tariff citations and clear documentation. She told me that some auditors send claims that are obviously wrong or poorly documented and it wastes her time. She appreciates that mine are always clean.