ATLANTA, March 21, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Some of the most influential names and companies in the utility industry will highlight this year's Chartwell Best Practices Summit on Fostering Relationships with Mid-Size Businesses, May 11-12 in Phoenix, Arizona.
This year's keynote speakers will be Jeff Conklin, Senior Director of the Utility & Telecommunications Practice at J.D. Power & Associates, and Wendy Nelson, Marketing Manager with E O.N U.S. Conklin will present results from J.D. Power's Business Customer Satisfaction Survey, including methodologies and ensuring valid results. Nelson, who has more than 23 years' experience in the utility industry supporting, managing and developing business plans and systems, will discuss the drivers of customer satisfaction, keeping market research dynamic and turning market research into actionable information.
Among the utilities that will share best practices are:
-- Salt River Project -- With a mid-size business customer
satisfaction rating of 111, SRP has been at the top on the J.D. Power
business survey.
-- Portland General Electric -- Will address the rationale behind,
and the pros, cons, strengths, weaknesses, and results of
their account management strategy.
-- Pacific Gas & Electric -- Increased five points in its J.D. Power
score between 2004 and 2005. Participants will hear from Don
Hall, who manages corporate accounts and mid-market delivery
channels.
-- MidAmerican Energy -- Business call center reps help customers
identify areas for energy efficiency improvement and outline a
process for achieving goals. Participation builds relationships and
improves satisfaction levels.
-- We Energies -- Launched Business Account Online (BAO) to reach
business customers via the Internet and to make it easier for
them to manage energy use and costs.
-- Many others.
The Chartwell Best Practices Summit on Fostering Relationships with
Mid-Size Businesses will address topics such as:
-- Determining drivers of mid-size business customer satisfaction
and best practices in improving satisfaction;
-- Call centers and account management strategies;
-- Marketing and communication;
-- Developing future strategies for serving mid-size businesses;
-- Using the Internet/email to communicate with business customers;
-- Addressing the issue of rising energy prices;
-- And more.
Chartwell Summits are designed to bring together thought-leaders in specific areas of utility management to share their expertise and experiences in an interactive environment that strips away barriers between "speaker" and "attendee" and allows participants to discover solutions, actionable approaches and inspiration. Through interactive panels, teaching presentations, small group discussions, and intimate networking opportunities, participants will be totally immersed in the issues that face them and a very targeted group of their peers in similar positions at other utilities. Business account managers and directors, marketing executives, call center leaders and others will not want to miss The Chartwell Best Practices Summit on Fostering Relationships with Mid-Size Businesses presented by Atlanta-based Chartwell Inc., the leading publisher of utility best practices case studies, reports and analysis.
More information on the Summit is available at www.chartwellinc.com/midsize.cfm or by calling Kisha Gresham at 404-237-9099.