1 year ago
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BWW bidding for consultant to help organization transition out manual meter reading to automation
Birmingham Water Works launches #BillBetter plan to regain customers trust
BWW bidding for consultant to help organization transition out manual meter reading to automation
I’M SHERI FALK. I’M GUY RAWLINGS. WE BEGIN OUR COVERAGE THIS AFTERNOON WITH SOMETHING BIRMINGHAM RESIDENTS WILL ESPECIALLY WANT TO LISTEN TO. YEAH, THE BIRMINGHAM WATERWORKS BOARD ANNOUNCING SOME CHANGES TO ITS BILLING THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT. WVTM 13. MAGDALA LOUISSAINT IS JOINING US NOW ON MAGDALA. WHAT’S CHANGING AND HOW IS IT GOING TO AFFECT THOSE AT HOME? SHERRY GUY WELL, PEOPLE SHOULD BE SEEING SOME OF THESE CHANGES NOW. THE FORMAT OF YOUR WATER BILL SHOULD LOOK VERY DIFFERENT. OTHER THINGS LIKE GETTING RID OF MANUAL METER READINGS WILL TAKE A LITTLE WHILE. BIRMINGHAM WATER WORKS BELIEVES A NEW BILL BETTER INITIATIVE WILL ANSWER THE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS CUSTOMERS HAVE ALL WHILE BUILDING YOUR TRUST BACK. WE’RE ACTING ON THOSE THINGS THAT WE KNOW WE NEED TO IMPROVE ON. IN THE PAST, THE ORGANIZATION HAS HAD ISSUES WITH BILLING CUSTOMERS PROPERLY. GENERAL MANAGER MICHAEL JOHNSON SAYS THEY’RE TACKLING THIS IN THREE DIFFERENT WAYS. FIRST, TRANSPARENCY. THIS MEANS RIGHT NOW CUSTOMERS WATER BILLS SHOULD BE CLEAR AND UNDERSTANDABLE. A PREVIOUS BILL KIND OF LUMPED CHARGES TOGETHER. SO IT’S JUST LIKE YOUR CREDIT CARD BILL. IF YOU LOOK AT IT, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU BOUGHT, WHERE YOU BOUGHT IT, HOW MUCH IT WAS. IF YOU RETURN SOMETHING, THERE’S A CREDIT ON YOUR BILL. YOU KNOW, IT’S THAT SAME CONCEPT. NEXT IS INVESTMENT. THE ORGANIZATION IS SCOUTING FOR A CONSULTANT TO HELP IT TRANSITION THE 200,000M IT CONTROLS IN FIVE COUNTIES FROM MANUAL READING TO AUTOMATED. RIGHT NOW, WE’RE ON TRACK TO POTENTIALLY NOW AGAIN, BUT POTENTIALLY START IN THE NEXT YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF, IMPLEMENTING AUTOMATED METER READING, EDUCATING CUSTOMERS IS ALSO ON THE LIST HAS ADDED FOUR ADDITIONAL STAFF MEMBERS TO HELP ANSWER CUSTOMERS QUESTIONS IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHEN WE RESPOND TO CUSTOMERS ABOUT LEAKS AND WE START TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT THAT, THEY UNDERSTAND THAT, HEY, IF I REPLACE MY FLAPPER, IF I GO OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT TOILETS ARE NOT RUNNING AND THEN IT WILL HELP US, HELP THEM BE ABLE TO CONTROL THEIR THEIR CONSUMPTION, IT’S COSTING $96,000 TO IMPLEMENT THIS NEW PLAN. THEY’RE STILL TAKING FEEDBACK FROM CUSTOMERS AND HAVE A LIVE SURVEY UP. SO IF YOU STILL HAVE ISSUES AND WANT TO SEE CHANGE, WE’LL HAVE
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Birmingham Water Works launches #BillBetter plan to regain customers trust
BWW bidding for consultant to help organization transition out manual meter reading to automation
Birmingham Water Works believes a new #BillBetter initiative will answer the questions and concerns customers have, all while building your trust back.“We're acting on those things we know we need to improve on,” Michael Johnson, general manager, said.In the past, the organization has had issues with billing customers properly. The general manager Michael Johnson says they're tackling this in three different ways. First transparency, this means right now, customers' water bills should be clear and understandable.“Our previous bill kind of lumped charges together. It's kind of like a credit card bill. If you look at it, you know exactly what you bought when you bought it. How much it was if you returned something, there's a credit on your bill. It's that same concept,” Johnson said.Next is investment. The organization is scouting for a consultant to help it transition the 200,000 meters, it controls in five counties, from manual reading to automated.“Right now, we're on track to potentially start in the next year, year and a half implementing automated meter readers,” Johnson said.Educating customers is also on the list. BWW has added four additional staff members to help answer customers' questions. "When we respond to customers about leaks and we start to talk to them about that, they understand that if I replace my flapper, if I go out and make sure toilets are not running, this will help them control their consumption,” Johnson said.It's costing BWW $96,000 to implement this new plan. They're still wanting feedback from customers and have a live survey up. If you still have issues and want to see change, take the survey click here.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —
Birmingham Water Works believes a new #BillBetter initiative will answer the questions and concerns customers have, all while building your trust back.
“We're acting on those things we know we need to improve on,” Michael Johnson, general manager, said.
In the past, the organization has had issues with billing customers properly. The general manager Michael Johnson says they're tackling this in three different ways. First transparency, this means right now, customers' water bills should be clear and understandable.
“Our previous bill kind of lumped charges together. It's kind of like a credit card bill. If you look at it, you know exactly what you bought when you bought it. How much it was if you returned something, there's a credit on your bill. It's that same concept,” Johnson said.
Next is investment. The organization is scouting for a consultant to help it transition the 200,000 meters, it controls in five counties, from manual reading to automated.
“Right now, we're on track to potentially start in the next year, year and a half implementing automated meter readers,” Johnson said.
Educating customers is also on the list. BWW has added four additional staff members to help answer customers' questions.
"When we respond to customers about leaks and we start to talk to them about that, they understand that if I replace my flapper, if I go out and make sure toilets are not running, this will help them control their consumption,” Johnson said.
It's costing BWW $96,000 to implement this new plan. They're still wanting feedback from customers and have a live survey up. If you still have issues and want to see change, take the survey click here.
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