I’ve written previously about how bank drafts are the easiest way to collect payments. They are also generally less expensive to process than credit card payments. As a result, many utilities offer incentives to get customers to sign up for […]
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Today’s blog post draws from my popular Improving Revenue Collections for Utilities presentation. Let’s examine some best practices when taking an application for service. Require a copy of rental agreement or closing documents Requiring applicants for service to provide a […]
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How does your utility handle accounts for customers who have passed away? The best practice is to close the account in the name of the deceased customer and open a new account in the name of the executor or family […]
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Several years ago, a customer of a municipal utility in Florida made the news for paying her $493 water bill all in pennies. This was, in her words, a “peaceful protest” of her high water bill, for which the utility […]
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Today we’re going to look at the three Rs – not the old standby Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic. Instead, we’ll examine three actual Rs – Roles, Responsibilities, and Rights. These three Rs impact both your utility and your customers. Which […]
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Following up on the last issue dealing with fraud prevention, this issue looks at void payments and another important, but easy to implement, internal control. As with the last issue, today’s example can easily be implemented by monitoring existing reports. […]
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Recently, I’ve been giving some thought to a new presentation dealing with fraud prevention. The working title is Safeguarding your Business Office Against Fraud. It will draw upon my experiences with the handful of fraud cases I either worked with […]
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A recent listserv post started me thinking about policies and policy manuals, in particular. The question on the listserv asked about charging a returned check fee for a failed ACH payment. This seems like an easy answer – or is […]
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Recently, during the Q&A session following a speaking engagement, an attendee asked how other utilities handle online applications for service. Specifically, the question was about verifying photo ID, which led to a discussion of the Red Flags Rule. I was […]
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