I have a wealth of blog content from the past 11 years on my previous employer’s website. To make it easier to find, I’ve created an index by topic below. Click on a section heading and the section will expand to show all of the blog posts relating to that topic, from the most recent to the oldest.
Accounting
Adjustments
Bill Printing
Carrot or Stick? – October 12, 2021
Can Outsourcing Pay for Itself…? – September 14, 2021
Can we save money by printing our own bills? – March 12, 2019
Mitigating the cost of printing full-page bills – February 12, 2019
What are these barcodes on my bills? – October 6, 2015
How good is your mailing address quality? – November 12, 2013
What day are your bills delivered to your customers? – March 5, 2013
Are you familiar with 2-4-1…? – February 5, 2013
Are you offering paperless billing…? – October 16, 2012
Intelligent Mail barcodes – are you ready…? – July 24, 2012
5 ways to make your utility bill clear as mud – June 26, 2012
Are you still printing your own bills in-house? – June 28, 2011
Can Outsourcing Pay for Itself…? – September 14, 2021
Can we save money by printing our own bills? – March 12, 2019
Mitigating the cost of printing full-page bills – February 12, 2019
What are these barcodes on my bills? – October 6, 2015
How good is your mailing address quality? – November 12, 2013
What day are your bills delivered to your customers? – March 5, 2013
Are you familiar with 2-4-1…? – February 5, 2013
Are you offering paperless billing…? – October 16, 2012
Intelligent Mail barcodes – are you ready…? – July 24, 2012
5 ways to make your utility bill clear as mud – June 26, 2012
Are you still printing your own bills in-house? – June 28, 2011
Billing
Are You Using the Proper Endorsement…? – August 17, 2021
Are You Doing Your Utility a Disservice? – October 6, 2020
How Do You Assess Your Base Charge? – July 14, 2020
Billing Frequency Trends – June 30, 2020
How to avoid billing “spikes” – September 17, 2019
An interesting rate application… – June 26, 2018
Do you separate your base charge…? – April 10, 2018
What’s a compound meter? – October 17, 2017
Do you or don’t you…? – September 26, 2017
How do you handle temporarily inactive accounts? – June 6, 2017
Do you bill yourself? – April 25, 2017
ZIP+4 and DPC explained – February 7, 2017
Revisiting days of exposure – November 17, 2015
When is your real due date…? – September 23, 2014
How do you bill for multiple units? – October 29, 2013
Cycle billing – do you have too many cycles…? – October 1, 2013
Cycle billing – should we or shouldn’t we…? – September 17, 2013
Are you considering offering budget billing? – August 6, 2013
How frequently do you bill? – May 28, 2013
Do you offer a round-up program? – March 19, 2013
One compelling reason to change to billing in gallons – November 29, 2011
Does it make a difference what units we bill in…? – November 15, 2011
Summer sewer adjustment policies – May 24, 2011
Are You Doing Your Utility a Disservice? – October 6, 2020
How Do You Assess Your Base Charge? – July 14, 2020
Billing Frequency Trends – June 30, 2020
How to avoid billing “spikes” – September 17, 2019
An interesting rate application… – June 26, 2018
Do you separate your base charge…? – April 10, 2018
What’s a compound meter? – October 17, 2017
Do you or don’t you…? – September 26, 2017
How do you handle temporarily inactive accounts? – June 6, 2017
Do you bill yourself? – April 25, 2017
ZIP+4 and DPC explained – February 7, 2017
Revisiting days of exposure – November 17, 2015
When is your real due date…? – September 23, 2014
How do you bill for multiple units? – October 29, 2013
Cycle billing – do you have too many cycles…? – October 1, 2013
Cycle billing – should we or shouldn’t we…? – September 17, 2013
Are you considering offering budget billing? – August 6, 2013
How frequently do you bill? – May 28, 2013
Do you offer a round-up program? – March 19, 2013
One compelling reason to change to billing in gallons – November 29, 2011
Does it make a difference what units we bill in…? – November 15, 2011
Summer sewer adjustment policies – May 24, 2011
Business Reviews
Corporate Culture
COVID-19
Will Your Office be Reopening to the Public? – March 23, 2021
How Are You Responding Post-Moratorium? – August 25, 2020
COVID-19 – How Do You Keep Your Customers Paying? – May 5, 2020
COVID-19 – repayment plan options – April 21, 2020
COVID-19 – What Will the Financial Impact Be? – April 7, 2020
COVID-19 – how are you responding? – March 24, 2020
How Are You Responding Post-Moratorium? – August 25, 2020
COVID-19 – How Do You Keep Your Customers Paying? – May 5, 2020
COVID-19 – repayment plan options – April 21, 2020
COVID-19 – What Will the Financial Impact Be? – April 7, 2020
COVID-19 – how are you responding? – March 24, 2020
Customer Service
Establishing a Customer Assistance Program – January 12, 2021
Is It Possible…? – September 8, 2020
How do you deal with public rumors? – June 12, 2018
Is this really poor customer service…? – October 31, 2017
What should your customer service policy include? – January 3, 2017
Why don’t you have a formal customer service policy? – December 20, 2016
Are you still filing paper documents…? – January 12, 2016
Do you document customer interactions? – December 15, 2015
How do you handle bankruptcies? – September 22, 2015
How do you handle payment plans…? – January 14, 2014
Why is customer service important? – July 2, 2013
Is your utility this innovative? – June 18, 2013
Is It Possible…? – September 8, 2020
How do you deal with public rumors? – June 12, 2018
Is this really poor customer service…? – October 31, 2017
What should your customer service policy include? – January 3, 2017
Why don’t you have a formal customer service policy? – December 20, 2016
Are you still filing paper documents…? – January 12, 2016
Do you document customer interactions? – December 15, 2015
How do you handle bankruptcies? – September 22, 2015
How do you handle payment plans…? – January 14, 2014
Why is customer service important? – July 2, 2013
Is your utility this innovative? – June 18, 2013
Days of Exposure
Delinquent Accounts
Too Important to Overlook… – June 1, 2021
Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick – September 22, 2020
Why argue with your customers? – February 11, 2020
How much should your cut-off fee be? – January 28, 2020
A look at cut-off fee trends – January 14, 2020
What are your repayment plan policies? – May 16, 2017
3 ways to assist customers who can’t pay on time – September 27, 2016
What do you call your cut-off fee? – March 8, 2016
When do you charge your cut-off fee? – February 23, 2016
Do you honor postmarks for late payments…? – November 3, 2015
No surprises here… – December 30, 2014
How do you notify cut-off accounts? – December 9, 2014
Have you heard about this in the news? – July 29, 2014
Late fees – what’s better, percentage or flat amount? – June 17, 2014
Surprising poll results – April 29, 2014
How long before you close a cut-off account? – April 15, 2014
Do you reconnect after hours? – February 11, 2014
How do you compare? – January 8, 2013
Do you offer third party notification…? – October 30, 2012
Is your due date inconvenient for senior citizens? – October 2, 2012
Is it important to complete the cut-off process before billing again? – March 6, 2012
Top 5 reasons not to give your customers more time to pay – February 21, 2012
Are you still sending second notices? – September 20, 2011
How much is your late fee? – July 26, 2011
A look at cut-off policies – February 1, 2011
Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick – September 22, 2020
Why argue with your customers? – February 11, 2020
How much should your cut-off fee be? – January 28, 2020
A look at cut-off fee trends – January 14, 2020
What are your repayment plan policies? – May 16, 2017
3 ways to assist customers who can’t pay on time – September 27, 2016
What do you call your cut-off fee? – March 8, 2016
When do you charge your cut-off fee? – February 23, 2016
Do you honor postmarks for late payments…? – November 3, 2015
No surprises here… – December 30, 2014
How do you notify cut-off accounts? – December 9, 2014
Have you heard about this in the news? – July 29, 2014
Late fees – what’s better, percentage or flat amount? – June 17, 2014
Surprising poll results – April 29, 2014
How long before you close a cut-off account? – April 15, 2014
Do you reconnect after hours? – February 11, 2014
How do you compare? – January 8, 2013
Do you offer third party notification…? – October 30, 2012
Is your due date inconvenient for senior citizens? – October 2, 2012
Is it important to complete the cut-off process before billing again? – March 6, 2012
Top 5 reasons not to give your customers more time to pay – February 21, 2012
Are you still sending second notices? – September 20, 2011
How much is your late fee? – July 26, 2011
A look at cut-off policies – February 1, 2011
Fees
Early Moratorium Results From the 2021 Utility Fee Survey – February 23, 2021
Preliminary Results From the 2021 Utility Fee Survey – February 9, 2021
Why aren’t you charging an application fee? – February 25, 2020
More preliminary results – April 14, 2015
Interesting early results – March 24, 2015
Are you missing out on revenue from returned checks? – November 26, 2013
Do you charge a meter reread fee? – September 4, 2012
Preliminary Results From the 2021 Utility Fee Survey – February 9, 2021
Why aren’t you charging an application fee? – February 25, 2020
More preliminary results – April 14, 2015
Interesting early results – March 24, 2015
Are you missing out on revenue from returned checks? – November 26, 2013
Do you charge a meter reread fee? – September 4, 2012
Final Bills and Bad Debt
Looking Back
Happy New Year 2021! – December 29, 2020
Happy New Year 2020! – December 31, 2019
Happy New Year 2019! – January 2, 2019
Looking back on 2017 and ahead to 2018 – December 27, 2017
Happy fifth anniversary! – December 29, 2015
Looking back, looking ahead… – December 31, 2013
Looking back at 2012 – December 31, 2012
Reflecting on the first year and holiday wishes – December 21, 2011
Happy New Year 2020! – December 31, 2019
Happy New Year 2019! – January 2, 2019
Looking back on 2017 and ahead to 2018 – December 27, 2017
Happy fifth anniversary! – December 29, 2015
Looking back, looking ahead… – December 31, 2013
Looking back at 2012 – December 31, 2012
Reflecting on the first year and holiday wishes – December 21, 2011
Meter Reading
Timing Is Everything – December 1, 2020
Meter Replacement Tips – January 22, 2019
What’s it going to be…? – November 6, 2018
What are the potential downsides to an automated meter reading system? – August 14, 2018
How do you justify an automated meter reading system? – July 31, 2018
The case for proactive leak detection – July 17, 2018
Estimated meter reading survey results – March 14, 2017
What is an acceptable percentage of estimated readings? – February 28, 2017
Spring forward, fall back – March 22, 2016
Poll results and vacant accounts – December 1, 2015
5 things to consider as you move forward – September 8, 2015
Should you hire a contractor to upgrade your meters? – June 23, 2015
Could this happen to your utility…? – August 12, 2014
Is it time to consider an automated meter reading system…? – April 17, 2012
Are you creating your meter reading file at the right time…? – January 24, 2012
Are you considering estimating readings every other month…? – December 27, 2011
Are you following these meter reading best practices? – October 4, 2011
Meter Replacement Tips – January 22, 2019
What’s it going to be…? – November 6, 2018
What are the potential downsides to an automated meter reading system? – August 14, 2018
How do you justify an automated meter reading system? – July 31, 2018
The case for proactive leak detection – July 17, 2018
Estimated meter reading survey results – March 14, 2017
What is an acceptable percentage of estimated readings? – February 28, 2017
Spring forward, fall back – March 22, 2016
Poll results and vacant accounts – December 1, 2015
5 things to consider as you move forward – September 8, 2015
Should you hire a contractor to upgrade your meters? – June 23, 2015
Could this happen to your utility…? – August 12, 2014
Is it time to consider an automated meter reading system…? – April 17, 2012
Are you creating your meter reading file at the right time…? – January 24, 2012
Are you considering estimating readings every other month…? – December 27, 2011
Are you following these meter reading best practices? – October 4, 2011
Payments
Meeting Senior Citizens’ Payment Needs – December 21, 2021
2021 Expectations & Experiences: Consumer Payments – November 16, 2021
Time is Money – September 28, 2021
Suspending Convenience Fees, Revisited – July 13, 2021
How to Get More Customers to Pay Online – June 15, 2021
Credit Card Trends – May 18, 2021
The Effect of Suspending Convenience Fees – August 11, 2020
Is this something you should be concerned about? – September 3, 2019
Is that really the case…? – August 6, 2019
Consumer Expectations & Experiences 2019 – July 23, 2019
Is There a Payment Generation Gap…? – July 9, 2019
Have you considered offering an incentive…? – June 4, 2019
What are you missing with third party online bill pay? – August 28, 2018
Consumer Expectations & Experiences – January 9, 2018
Should you accept echecks…? – December 12, 2017
5 easy ways to get more bank draft customers – July 5, 2017
Have you considered a third party convenience fee? – January 24, 2017
What is your policy regarding loose coins? – September 13, 2016
Save time processing bill pay checks – August 30, 2016
How to make your customers happier – August 16, 2016
Do you track this? – April 19, 2016
Cost of doing business or charge a fee? – April 5, 2016
Are you staying abreast of the latest trends…? – May 12, 2015
5 ways to get more customers to pay the easy way! – October 28, 2014
Should you stop accepting cash…? – October 7, 2014
How well are you doing collecting final bills…? – January 28, 2014
Are you paying too much in credit card fees? – October 15, 2013
How can I reduce my office workload? – September 3, 2013
How can I reduce walk-in payments in my office? – August 20, 2013
Do you offer your customers choices? – April 16, 2013
Checkout fees – what does it mean for your utility? – February 19, 2013
Are you using vouchers…? – November 27, 2012
What’s up with partial payments…? – November 13, 2012
Is this a metric you should be tracking…? – May 15, 2012
Can we charge a convenience fee for credit card payments…? – November 1, 2011
Are you missing out on the easiest way to collect payments? – September 6, 2011
How do you process mail payments? – August 9, 2011
Advantages of a fully integrated on-line bill pay system – June 14, 2011
Automating phone credit card payments – March 29, 2011
Are you still not accepting credit cards? – February 15, 2011
On-line banking checks – Is there a better way? – January 18, 2011
2021 Expectations & Experiences: Consumer Payments – November 16, 2021
Time is Money – September 28, 2021
Suspending Convenience Fees, Revisited – July 13, 2021
How to Get More Customers to Pay Online – June 15, 2021
Credit Card Trends – May 18, 2021
The Effect of Suspending Convenience Fees – August 11, 2020
Is this something you should be concerned about? – September 3, 2019
Is that really the case…? – August 6, 2019
Consumer Expectations & Experiences 2019 – July 23, 2019
Is There a Payment Generation Gap…? – July 9, 2019
Have you considered offering an incentive…? – June 4, 2019
What are you missing with third party online bill pay? – August 28, 2018
Consumer Expectations & Experiences – January 9, 2018
Should you accept echecks…? – December 12, 2017
5 easy ways to get more bank draft customers – July 5, 2017
Have you considered a third party convenience fee? – January 24, 2017
What is your policy regarding loose coins? – September 13, 2016
Save time processing bill pay checks – August 30, 2016
How to make your customers happier – August 16, 2016
Do you track this? – April 19, 2016
Cost of doing business or charge a fee? – April 5, 2016
Are you staying abreast of the latest trends…? – May 12, 2015
5 ways to get more customers to pay the easy way! – October 28, 2014
Should you stop accepting cash…? – October 7, 2014
How well are you doing collecting final bills…? – January 28, 2014
Are you paying too much in credit card fees? – October 15, 2013
How can I reduce my office workload? – September 3, 2013
How can I reduce walk-in payments in my office? – August 20, 2013
Do you offer your customers choices? – April 16, 2013
Checkout fees – what does it mean for your utility? – February 19, 2013
Are you using vouchers…? – November 27, 2012
What’s up with partial payments…? – November 13, 2012
Is this a metric you should be tracking…? – May 15, 2012
Can we charge a convenience fee for credit card payments…? – November 1, 2011
Are you missing out on the easiest way to collect payments? – September 6, 2011
How do you process mail payments? – August 9, 2011
Advantages of a fully integrated on-line bill pay system – June 14, 2011
Automating phone credit card payments – March 29, 2011
Are you still not accepting credit cards? – February 15, 2011
On-line banking checks – Is there a better way? – January 18, 2011
Platform
Are All Your Eggs in One Basket? – July 28, 2020
Is your utility losing credibility…? – December 10, 2019
A more efficient way to deal with email – November 28, 2017
Are you taking advantage of mapping? – April 30, 2013
Should your next billing system be a hosted system? – January 10, 2012
Enterprise e-mail – now available to organizations of any size – March 1, 2011
Is your utility losing credibility…? – December 10, 2019
A more efficient way to deal with email – November 28, 2017
Are you taking advantage of mapping? – April 30, 2013
Should your next billing system be a hosted system? – January 10, 2012
Enterprise e-mail – now available to organizations of any size – March 1, 2011
Policies
Have you considered self-insuring your leak adjustment insurance? – April 9, 2019
GDPR – what is it and do we need to be concerned about it? – May 29, 2018
What should a loose coin policy entail? – March 27, 2018
Could your office avoid a protest like this? – March 6, 2018
Are you tracking non-revenue water? – January 23, 2018
Poll results and formal policies – November 29, 2016
How do you handle deceased customers? – November 15, 2016
How do you handle petty cash purchases? – October 11, 2016
Could this happen in your office…? – March 25, 2014
How effective are your internal controls? – March 11, 2014
Do you have a cash handling policy? – September 18, 2012
Do you have a formal customer service policy? – July 10, 2012
How often do you review your rates and fees…? – December 13, 2011
GDPR – what is it and do we need to be concerned about it? – May 29, 2018
What should a loose coin policy entail? – March 27, 2018
Could your office avoid a protest like this? – March 6, 2018
Are you tracking non-revenue water? – January 23, 2018
Poll results and formal policies – November 29, 2016
How do you handle deceased customers? – November 15, 2016
How do you handle petty cash purchases? – October 11, 2016
Could this happen in your office…? – March 25, 2014
How effective are your internal controls? – March 11, 2014
Do you have a cash handling policy? – September 18, 2012
Do you have a formal customer service policy? – July 10, 2012
How often do you review your rates and fees…? – December 13, 2011
Resources
Security Deposits
Is Your Security Deposit Keeping Pace? – October 20, 2020
Why this isn’t a relevant question… – August 20, 2019
Why isn’t your security deposit enough? – October 9, 2018
Why aren’t deposits included in the Utility Fee Survey? – April 11, 2017
How does your security deposit compare? – June 9, 2015
Did you catch this in the news? – February 25, 2014
Do you return deposits for good credit accounts? – May 14, 2013
Does everyone on your cut-off list have a current deposit? – April 2, 2013
Are you reconciling deposits…? – January 22, 2013
Are you creating extra work for yourself? – December 11, 2012
A novel alternative to security deposits – August 21, 2012
Security deposits – is yours sufficient? – April 26, 2011
Why this isn’t a relevant question… – August 20, 2019
Why isn’t your security deposit enough? – October 9, 2018
Why aren’t deposits included in the Utility Fee Survey? – April 11, 2017
How does your security deposit compare? – June 9, 2015
Did you catch this in the news? – February 25, 2014
Do you return deposits for good credit accounts? – May 14, 2013
Does everyone on your cut-off list have a current deposit? – April 2, 2013
Are you reconciling deposits…? – January 22, 2013
Are you creating extra work for yourself? – December 11, 2012
A novel alternative to security deposits – August 21, 2012
Security deposits – is yours sufficient? – April 26, 2011
Service Applications
Applying for Service Online – March 9, 2021
Online application poll results – July 26, 2016
How can your customers apply for service? – July 12, 2016
Are you doing all you can to protect against fraud? – June 21, 2016
Is your Red Flags Rule policy up-to-date? – June 7, 2016
Are you charging an application fee? – July 1, 2014
Application for service best practices – May 10, 2011
Online application poll results – July 26, 2016
How can your customers apply for service? – July 12, 2016
Are you doing all you can to protect against fraud? – June 21, 2016
Is your Red Flags Rule policy up-to-date? – June 7, 2016
Are you charging an application fee? – July 1, 2014
Application for service best practices – May 10, 2011
Service Orders
Social Media
Staffing
Invitation to Participate in the 2022 Utility Staffing Survey – February 1, 2022
Staffing Survey Trends 2016 – 2020 – June 16, 2020
Early observations from the 2018 Utility Staffing Survey – February 20, 2018
Are you prepared for an aging workforce…? – October 25, 2016
Is your office understaffed? – February 9, 2016
Staffing Survey Trends 2016 – 2020 – June 16, 2020
Early observations from the 2018 Utility Staffing Survey – February 20, 2018
Are you prepared for an aging workforce…? – October 25, 2016
Is your office understaffed? – February 9, 2016
Training