Communicating Pricing to Residential and Business Customers

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Communicating Pricing to Residential and Business Customers 2006 APPA Customer Connections Conference Kevin Martin Key Accounts Manager Danville Utilities November 6 th , 2006

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Communicating Pricing to Residential and Business Customers. 2006 APPA Customer Connections Conference. Kevin Martin Key Accounts Manager Danville Utilities November 6 th , 2006. Introducing Danville, Virginia. Located in Southside Virginia on the Virginia - North Carolina border - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Transcript of Communicating Pricing to Residential and Business Customers

Page 1: Communicating Pricing to Residential and Business Customers

Communicating Pricing toResidential and Business Customers

2006 APPA

Customer Connections Conference

Kevin MartinKey Accounts Manager

Danville Utilities

November 6th, 2006

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Introducing Danville, Virginia

Located in Southside Virginia on the Virginia - North Carolina border

207 miles from Washington, D.C.

150 miles from Richmond, Va.

67 miles from Raleigh, N.C.

Web Siteshttp://www.danville-va.gov

http://www.discoverdanville.com

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Introducing Danville, Virginia

Population -- City: 46,000 Metropolitan Area: 107,000  Size -- City: 44 sq. mi. Electric Service Area: 500 sq. mi. History -- Founded in 1793 and incorporated in 1830 as a tobacco and textile manufacturing center. Utilities founded in 1880’s.

Government Structure -- Council-Manager  Municipal Employment -- 1,245 full-time and part-time employees

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About Danville Utilities

D anville U tilities O rganizational C hart

D a n v ille U tility C o m m iss ion

F isca lS e rv ices

P o w er & L ig h t W a te r & G asD is trib u tion

W a terT re a tm e nt

C u s to m erS e rv ice

K e yA ccou n ts

A ss is ta n t C ity M a n a g erfo r U tilit ie s

C ity M an a g er

C ity C o u n c il

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About Danville Utilities

187 fulltime employee positions$154 million in expenditures in FY 2007

(over ½ of the City's budget!)

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About Danville Utilities

500 Square Mile Territory

City Served: Danville, VA

3 Counties Served: Pittsylvania, Henry, and Halifax

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About Danville Utilities

Natural Gas

16,500 Customers

29,000 Decatherms/Day

Additional Capacity Available

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About Danville Utilities

Water and Wastewater

16,500 Customers

18 MGD Water Plant

24 MGD Wastewater Plant

Water Source: Dan River

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About Danville Utilities

Telecommunications

nDanville Fiber Optic Network

Gigabit Ethernet

OC-3 Internet Connection

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About Danville Utilities

Electric

45,000 Customers

Size: 240 MW

Generation: 12 MW Hydro, 6 MW Diesel Units

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Situational Background

RATE INCREASES!!!

Fuel Cost Increases

Electric Deregulation

Dysfunctional Wholesale Electric Markets

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Situational Background

Residential Rate per kWh:

From 5 cents to 7.4 cents

Business Rate per kWh:From 3 cents to 6 cents

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Situational Background

Natural Gas

We All Know What Happened There…

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Situational Background

Water and Wastewater Operations

Are Large Power Users

Electric Increases = Water Increases

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3 M’s of Marketing

Market Target

Message

Mode of Delivery

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Market Target

Residential Customers

Businesses

Key Accounts

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Message: Residential Customers

What’s Happening

Why It’s Happening

What You Can Do

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Message:Businesses

What’s Happening

Why It’s Happening

What You Can Do

Technical Information

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Message:Key Accounts

How It Happened

Future Projections

Actions To Be Taken

Detailed Technical Information

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Modes of Delivery:Residential Customers

Web Page Information

Group Meetings

TV, Radio, Newspaper

Bill Stuffers

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Modes of Delivery:Businesses

Web Page Information

Chamber of Commerce

Business Group Meetings

TV, Radio, Newspaper

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Modes of Delivery:Key Accounts

Personalized E-mail

Key Account Group Meetings

Individual Key Account Meetings

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Recommendations

Be Honest

Be Direct

Listen

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Recommendations

Inform In Advance

Give People Time to Prepare

Be Cognizant of Budgeting Schedules

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Recommendations

Educate Internally & Externally

Don’t Assume Understanding

Anticipate Questions

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Recommendations

Chase The Media

Don’t Let The Media Chase You

Tell The Negatives

But Keep The Focus On Strengths

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Resources We Used

US Department of Energy:

Energy Saver Books

Industrial Technology Classes

Industrial Energy Assessments

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Resources We Used

Energy Consultants:

Rate Analysis

Energy Audit Seminars

Informational Business Meetings

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Resources We Used

United Way:

New Utility Assistance Program

Continued Public Education In

Energy Conservation & Household Budgeting

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Results of our efforts

New and Expanded

Local Markets

For

Energy Efficiency Products

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Results of our efforts

Community Trust

&

Strengthened Relationships with Businesses and Key Accounts

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Results of our efforts

Continued Success

In

Economic Development

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Results of our efforts

And… I get to keep my job!

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Thank you

Questions?

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Communicating Pricing toResidential and Business Customers

Kevin MartinKey Accounts Manager

Danville Utilities

November 6th, 2006

E-mail: [email protected]: 434.799.6474C: 434.548.2537