Press Release

PUC: Most Electric, Natural Gas Customers Satisfied with Utility Customer Service in 2008

Published on 8/19/2009

Filed under: Electric Gas

HARRISBURG – The majority of electric and natural gas customers were satisfied with the way customer service representatives handled their calls in 2008, according to an annual report released today by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC).

The 2008 Customer Service Performance Report measures the customer-service performance of the state’s major electric and natural gas companies.  The report summarizes data from 2006, 2007 and 2008.  It allows customers to see how well companies are responding to their questions and enables utilities to see how their level of service compares to other companies.  The full report is available at the PUC website.

The data falls into two categories: company-reported performance information and customer survey results.  The company-reported data measures telephone access to the companies, such as the percentage of calls that were answered within 30 seconds, abandoned by customers or received a busy signal.  Calls in the “busy-out rate” represent those attempted calls that received a busy signal or message.  The report also measures how often companies failed to read meters, issue bills and promptly respond to customer disputes.

The customer surveys measure customer perception of access to the company; employee courtesy and knowledge; promptness and timeliness of a response or visit; and satisfaction with the handling of the interaction.  All of the utilities contracted with a common market- research firm to conduct the surveys of their customers.

Company-reported highlights include:

• Access statistics improved for three electric distribution companies (EDCs) but declined for two others.  Allegheny Power Co. and PPL Electric Utilities Inc. reported a decline in percentage of calls answered within 30 seconds.  Allegheny Power went from 88 percent in 2007 to 58 percent in 2008 while PPL went from 83 percent in 2007 to 76 percent in 2008.
• Although UGI Electric Co. reported the biggest improvement in this measure, that improvement is tempered by the decline in the other two measures that complete the access picture. For the last three years, UGI showed the worst busy-out rate for EDCs. Its busy-out rate of 12 percent for 2008 is double the rate reported for 2007.
• PGW again reported the poorest telephone access performance among the major natural gas distribution companies (NGDCs); however, it is the only NGDC that clearly improved its overall telephone access by increasing the percent of calls answered within 30 seconds (42 percent in 2007 to 55 percent in 2008), maintaining its zero percent busy-out rate, and reducing its call-abandonment rate (15 percent in 2007 to 11 percent in 2008).
• Three of the EDCs and two NGDCs reported improved statistics regarding the number of residential disputes that did not receive a response within 30 days:  Duquesne decreased from 137 in 2007 to 27 in 2008 while Allegheny Power decreased from 18 in 2007 to 15 in 2008; Dominion Peoples reported a significant reduction from 2,229 in 2007 to 28 in 2008; Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania decreased from 109 in 2006 to 36 in 2007; Equitable Gas Co. decreased from 1 in 2007 to zero in 2008. One NGDC reported a significantly higher number of disputes not responded to within 30 days – PGW increased from 323 in 2007 to 2,085 in 2008.

Customer survey result highlights include:

• On average, 89 percent of EDC consumers reported they were either somewhat or very satisfied with the overall quality of service they received from their EDCs in 2008, slightly higher than the 88 percent in 2007.
• Although Allegheny Power reported answering only 58 percent of its calls within 30 seconds, a significant decline from the 88 percent it reported for 2007, the survey reveals only a small decrease in satisfaction with the ease of reaching the company, from 87 percent in 2007 to 85 percent in 2008. 
• On average, 82 percent of NGDC consumers reported they were either somewhat or very satisfied with the overall quality of service they received from their NGDCs last year, which is a slight improvement from 81 percent in 2007.
• PGW and Dominion Peoples reported the worst access statistics.  Survey findings show PGW and Dominion Peoples customers were the least satisfied with the ease of reaching their company.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities to ensure safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protect the public interest; educate consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; further economic development; and foster new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.

For recent news releases, audio of select Commission proceedings or more information about the PUC, visit our website at www.puc.state.pa.us.

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