Customer Service – Going beyond poles and wires to put People First!
Maria is in a fight to keep the home she’s lived in for more than 30 years. During a visit to help her with a high energy bill, Priscilla and Sandy of CPS Energy’s Customer Response Unit (CRU) listened intently to her heartbreaking story. The 92-year-old customer said she was at risk of losing her home due to a fraud scheme. In addition, she was left to pay high utility bills.
Although Priscilla Robledo and Sandy Maudet, Community Field Service representatives, were not able to help her with the legal battle, they were able to lift some of the financial burdens off her shoulders. The team connected Maria to resources with Bexar County and the Department of Human Services to pay the outstanding balance on her water and energy bills. They also helped her fill out applications for our assistance programs.
“It’s a difficult situation for my mother and we are still fighting,” said Maria’s son, Thomas. “But we were so grateful to get the help and support from CPS Energy and other agencies. We can’t thank them enough.”
Caring for customers like Maria is at the heart of what our various teams with Community & Key Accounts Engagement do on a daily basis. As we commemorate Customer Service Week, we want to recognize and thank the team members who go above and beyond to serve our customers.
CRU is a specialized team that works directly with City Council to identify customers in our community who need our help. The seven team members of the mobile unit travel throughout our service territory to meet one-on-one with customers to troubleshoot bill issues, help them enroll in assistance programs, and connect them to other community resources that can improve their quality of life. They also take part in various events to educate customers about energy efficiency and safety.
Amanda Canales, a member of the CRU team, recently helped a family that had difficulty paying for basic needs. The family, which had applied for our Casa Verde weatherization program, was struggling to live off a Social Security check of $731. During her visit, they shared with her that they only had one rotisserie chicken in the refrigerator to last them the entire week. Amanda quickly went to work and got them signed up for various programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
“I feel what we do is of big importance to the community and it’s not just about utilities,” said Laura Jacobs, CRU manager. “People come to us with the expectation we’re going to help them with their billing, but whenever they get connected with this group they receive much more than that.”
While CRU is serving customers out in the community, their fellow team members at Northside Customer Service Center also are working hard to provide customers with top-notch service. Linda Brumskine, an Energy Advisor with the Customer Solutions team, connects with customers online through our social media channels and on the phone. With every call and interaction, Linda strives to make sure each customer’s needs are met.
“Customers want to know they’ve been heard and acknowledged,” said Linda. “I strive to make sure the customer understands that I’ve heard and worked toward getting all their questions or concerns answered.”
Meanwhile, our Key Accounts managers make sure our commercial customers have safe, reliable power flowing to their businesses around the clock.
“I love being able to assist customers with their needs,” said Saira Muniz, Key Accounts Manager. It’s vital to make sure we keep their gas and electric service on 24/7. They rely on us to continue their business. Helping them out gives me a sense of purpose and accomplishment every day.”
Our highly skilled team members are always on the lookout to help our residential and commercial customers. The service they provide goes beyond the poles, wires and gas lines that connect all of us to the basic utility services we all depend on. It’s about a passion and commitment to keeping People First!
