Customer Service
Our Customer Service programme concentrates on the principal challenges for today’s customer operations department. These include in-depth analysis of credit and collections strategy and development, the effectiveness of self-service outlets, the speed of resolution of customer issues, the impact of outsourcing, as well as patterns of fraud and energy theft. Analysis of customer contact centre methodologies, account management approaches, applications of a new technology (such as an automated meter read), billing processes, payment procedures, first contact resolution, customer contact, consumer affairs, field services and energy efficiency initiatives are also included. The programme delivers value through high quality performance data and the sharing of best business practices across these core functional areas.
Visit the Customer Service Polaris member page if you are a 2012 participant.
Transmission & Distribution
The Polaris Transmission & Distribution programme includes a focus on financial performance, reliability, safety, operations dispatch, contracting, reliability and outage management and the supporting processes of vegetation management, fleet, materials, and staffing. The programme helps participants understand where best practice implementation can improve performance in each of the areas covered including emergency response, engineering and design, field construction, system availability, field maintenance and work management processes. Multi-dimensional reporting (for example, O&M spend in relation to resulting reliability) shows the participant where improvement opportunities exist and what actions can be taken to create better performance. Participants benefit from process area best practice maturity charts, process costing models, FERC cost data and industry and NERC-TADS metrics.
Visit the T&D Polaris member page if you are a 2012 participant.
Polaris Programme characteristics
Tailored to the industry: The most comprehensive, objective and useful benchmarking study available in the utility industry.
Unique characteristics: The programme measures such as lines of business and service area density to ensure tailored feedback and benchmarking.
Highly participatory: We hold meetings in partnership with our clients to co-operate on planning, validate data and analyse results.
Level of detail: The programme affords insight into service quality measures, business practice assessment models and cost comparisons that in turn allow for detailed best practice review.
Cost-effectiveness: Participants realise substantial financial benefits to their company each year through implementing improvement strategies that are achieved with PA assistance.
Performance improvement: Each Polaris programme participant benefits from PA insight into performance improvement initiatives which can result in both cost reduction and increased levels of customer satisfaction.
Programme inclusions
Planning meetings: Participants determine subject areas, establish questions, clarify definitions.
Participant data gathering: Participants complete questionnaires and review with PA.
Meetings to validate data: Verify data accuracy, confirm interpretation of questions, opportunities for data revision.
Detailed reports: PA completes a series of draft scorecards, detailed reports and best practice assessments and analysis throughout the programme.
Results conference: PA communication of main findings, presentations from best performers,and an exchange of ideas.
On-site seminars: On-site seminar for management involving a summary of critical results and discussion of key opportunities.
To learn more about our Polaris programme, contact us now.