How This Seminar Works
	1. This live seminar consists of a high quality conference call combined with your choice of printed or Internet-posted slides. 2. The day before the seminar, you will be emailed a toll-free telephone number to access the audio portion of the live seminar session. The seminar's slides will be attached to the email as a PDF file, and a Website link will be provided so you can view the slides on the Internet if you prefer. Phone calls originating from outside of the USA and Canada will be a toll call billed to you by your telephone service provider. 3. A few minutes before the seminar is to begin, you will call the toll-free phone number to access the audio portion of the seminar. You can follow the visual portion of the presentation by using the printed PDF files or by viewing the Internet-posted slides on your computer screen. 4. A professional moderator will manage the seminar teleconference and there will be ample opportunity to ask questions. All participants will hear both the question and the instructor's response. After the seminar is over, further questions can be directed to the instructor via email.

In this interactive web seminar, we explore automated notifications as one innovative solution that utilities are using to increase the quality and result of customer communications, while at the same time automating processes, increasing efficiency, and reducing cost.  

What You Will Learn

You will learn first hand how automated notifications offer a highly effective solution for improving debt collection at a fraction of the cost of manual contact. This session will be moderated by Utilipoint International director of utility and energy technology, Ethan Cohen, who will share his extensive expertise on the state of the market, Progress Energy’s Charles Hall, who will be detailing his company’s use of automated notifications for collections and EnvoyWorldWide’s Matt Heller, highlighting features and best practices of notification services. Additionally you will see: The status and future direction of the collection market in the utility industry. How automated communications can help meet your collections goals and enhance your collections process. Details and return on investment statistics on a three month outbound calling pilot conducted by Progress Energy using EnvoyWorldWide notification services. Best practices in notification services and a variety of features available to make the most from an automated notification implementation. Many companies in a variety of industries have achieved visible results with automated notifications that include: An increase in live RPC of 33% A reduction in the cost per collected dollar to $0.20 or less; ROI achieved in only 4 months A 21% increase in payment rate A reduction in costs per contact from $1.00 per minute to $0.14 per contact A 22% decrease in the average number of days to payment A savings of $270,000 in person hours and increased reach by 400% In this event, you'll discover how your organization can realize similar results by automating a portion of your collections process.

Your Instructors

Ethan L. Cohen
UtiliPoint^® International

Mr. Cohen leads the Utility and Energy Technology Practice and provides custom management consulting, marketing consulting, and energy and utilities industry analysis. Mr. Cohen's current research focuses on the nexus between IT and business process improvement and optimization. Mr. Cohen has recently been engaged in utility information technology and business prudence audits and is working with a select number of companies on business process outsourcing projects and asset management projects. Prior to joining UtiliPoint International, Mr. Cohen was a manager at Blue Ridge Partners, Research Director of Energy and Communications at Aberdeen Group, and a Senior Analyst with The Yankee Group, where he built the first energy technology focused market research and advisory practice. Mr. Cohen holds an A.B. with subject honors from Vassar College and an M.A. from Brandeis University.

Charles Hall
Progress Energy

Mr. Hall is Supervisor of the Large Commercial, Industrial, and Governmental Services group for Progress Energy. Charles led PE’s project team that piloted the outbound collection call initiative. Charles has over 27 year’s utility experience, serving in supervisory as well as project management roles in the Customer & Market Services Department. He has led various initiatives including cost reduction, bill redesign, and internet applications for Progress Energy. Charles is a graduate of UNC – Wilmington, with a B.S. in Business Management.

Kerry Powell
Progress Energy

Mr. Powell is Manager, Performance Support for Progress Energy, a group that manages projects related to call center activities. He was an active member of the Progress Energy Outbound Call Pilot Team when he supervised Credit and Collections in the Customer & Market Services Department for Progress Energy. Kerry has past experience in plant operations, account management, customer service and regulatory affairs. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with a B.S. in Systems Engineering, served seven years in the Surface Navy and began his career in the utility industry in 1991.

Matt Heller
EnvoyWorldWide, Inc.

Matt Heller is the Utilities Practice Manager at EnvoyWorldWide and overseas account management, business development and strategic alliances for Utility companies and Energy solutions providers. Mr. Heller has spearheaded EnvoyWW's efforts in the Utility industry since 2001 and has been a leading proponent of the use of automated notification services by utilities for demand response notification, late payment notification and general utility customer care initiatives. Prior to joining EnvoyWorldWide, Mr. Heller was a Vice President at Zacks Investment Research, Inc. in Chicago where he was responsible for sales of all Internet-based portfolio management solutions. He is a graduate of Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts with a B.S. in Finance.  

Who Should Attend this Seminar

Collections professionals in the utility industry who are interested in learning how automated notifications can be an innovative solution to the challenges you face to:

• reduce write-offs and disconnects,
• boost live right-party contacts,
• reduce costs per contact,
• increase payments, and
• improve operational productivity.

Why Choose PGS?

Save time and travel expenses while you increase your knowledge. PGS seminars are known for their clear explanations and in-depth content. Over 3,000 energy and financial professionals have already attended PGS Energy Training's proven courses

Prerequisites

This fundamental level, group live seminar has no prerequisites. No advance preparation is required before the seminar.

Free Seminar

EnvoyWorldWide is pleased to host this seminar at no cost to attendees.