As we approach the New Year, I want to wish you a very Happy New Year!
This past year has certainly been an interesting one! After finding myself unexpectedly without a job in April, I was provided the opportunity to focus what I love and know best. I became a freelance consultant, helping utilities improve their business office operations and better serve their customers.
As a consultant, my specialty is business reviews – spending time onsite in the business office, observing and asking questions, to learn how a utility operates. From this, I make recommendations as to how the office could operate more efficiently or follow best practices.
If you are interested in exploring the benefits of a business review for your office, please give me a call at 919-673-4050, or email me at gary@utilityinformationpipeline.com.
Thirteenth year!
2023 will mark the thirteenth year of publishing the Utility Information Pipeline. This all began with a conversation with a co-worker about a popular sales email newsletter, and wondering if a similar concept would be worthwhile for utility business offices.
That conversation led to the first issue on January 4, 2011. That inaugural newsletter, announcing what I was planning to do and inviting readers to subscribe, was emailed to about two hundred customers. From that group, 76 people responded and became charter subscribers. Of those original 76, 12 are still subscribers today – 282 issues later!
If all goes well, sometime this fall will mark the 300th Utility Information Pipeline. Thirteen years ago, never in my wildest dreams could I ever have imagined writing 300 of these newsletters. Thank you for subscribing and reading them, no matter how long you’ve been a subscriber!
Utility Fee Survey
2023 is an odd-numbered year, so that means it’s time for the Utility Fee Survey again. You can see the results of previous Utility Fee Surveys on my website. Keep an eye out for the 2023 Utility Fee Survey invitation in an upcoming newsletter.
Speaking engagements
I’m going to continue speaking at utility conferences and trade shows in 2023. You can always find my current speaking schedule in the sidebar of each Utility Information Pipeline newsletter or on the Speaking page of my website.
If you represent a utility trade association or serve on a selection panel responsible for selecting speakers for an event, please reach out to me.
New year’s resolutions and goals
Again, Happy New Year 2023!
If one of your goals for the new year is to improve your utility business office operation, please give me a call at 919-673-4050, or email me at gary@utilityinformationpipeline.com to find out how a business review could help you.
Controlling expenses webinar
I will be leading the fourth, and final, webinar in a series for MuniBilling on Thursday, January 5 at 11:00 am, entitled Controlling Expenses in the Customer Cycle. This webinar will focus on areas in the process of billing and collecting for utilities where costs can be reduced. If you are interested in attending, you can register for the webinar by clicking here.
© 2022 Gary Sanders