Press Release

PUC: Most Electric, Natural Gas Customers Satisfied with Utility Customer Service in 2010

Published on 9/14/2011

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 2010, according to an annual report released today by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC).

The 2010 Customer Service Performance Report measures the customer-service performance of the state’s major electric and natural gas companies.  This year’s report summarizes data from 2008, 2009 and 2010.  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 two of the electric distribution companies (EDCs) and declined for four.  UGI Utilities Inc. – Electric reported a decline in all three measures; the average call abandonment rate rose one percentage point and the percent of calls answered within 30 seconds went from 80 percent in 2009 to 78 percent in 2010.  PPL Electric Utilities reported an improvement in telephone access performance from the previous year in its busy-out rate (1 percent to 0 percent), but reported a decline in its percent of calls answered within 30 seconds (81 percent to 79 percent).  Although showing the biggest improvement in call access among the EDCs, going from 60 percent in 2009 to 66 percent in 2010, West Penn Power, known as Allegheny Power at the time of the report, again offered the poorest access to its call center. 
• Two of the seven natural gas distribution companies (NGDCs) reported improved telephone access performance for 2010.  UGI-Gas and UGI Penn Natural Gas reported the poorest telephone access performance among the major NGDCs.
• Besides reporting the second highest percentage of calls answered in 30 seconds, Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) showed the biggest improvement in percent of calls answered within 30 seconds, increasing it from 60 percent in 2009 to 83 percent in 2010.  The other company to report improvement in percent of calls answered in 30 seconds is Peoples Natural Gas.  In 2010, Peoples reported 79 percent of calls answered within 30 seconds, up from 73 percent in 2009.  Of the NGDCs that reported a decline in this measure, none reported more than a decline of 2 percentage points.
• Six of the NGDCs and only two of the EDCs reported improved statistics regarding the number of residential disputes that did not receive a response within 30 days. One of the NGDCs – PGW – reported a significant decrease (around 98 percent) in the number of disputes with a response beyond 30 days.  The electric company data shows that PPL again reported the highest number of disputes not responded to within 30 days,
• The average percentage of calls answered within 30 seconds for the electric companies in 2010 is 76 percent, the same as in 2009. The average percentage of calls answered within 30 seconds for the gas companies in 2010 is 81 percent, an improvement from 78 percent in 2009 and 72 percent 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 2010, the same as in 2009.
• On average, 85 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 an increase from 80 percent in 2009.
• West Penn Power reported the worst access statistics.  Survey findings show West Penn Power customers were the least satisfied with the ease of reaching their electric 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.

# # #

Contact:

• Press Secretary
  717-787-5722