POWERGRAMS

PG_July_August_September 2021

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At Alabama Power, our customers are at the center of all we do. By listening to their input, directly or through surveys, and monitoring customer trends, the company is able to better understand customer needs and how they want to interact with their energy provider. Technology continues to shape customer preferences, as an increasing number desire digital self-service and proactive communications. During severe weather and outages, receiving detailed, personalized information is even more important. According to Chartwell, 62% of customers prefer to receive text messages of outage information from their utility; 56% prefer email updates. As a result, Alabama Power has introduced new methods of communicating with customers, including an interactive outage map and personalized alerts. These tools give customers the information they need – how and when they want it. By enhancing communication tools, Alabama Power is working to strengthen the customer experience. Effective communication tools help manage customer expectations during outages, enabling them to make plans for themselves and their families. These tools help maintain and improve perception of the company's power quality and reliability, with the goal of increased customer satisfaction. "We are committed to providing reliable service and timely, accurate communication to our customers," said Jonathan Porter, senior vice president of Customer Operations. "We understand our customers look to us to restore service as quickly and safely as possible when severe weather strikes. These tools allow customers to track restoration progress through their preferred method of communication." Tools to keep customers informed before, during and after severe weather include: • OUTAGE MAP: See outages in your area at OutageMap.AlabamaPower. com. • Search by county, ZIP code, city or municipality, and use our live weather radar feature. • OUTAGE ALERTS: Get real-time updates by phone or computer – for free. • Get personalized updates about when your power will be restored. • Sign up by texting "Enroll" to APCOUT (272688) using a cellphone registered to your Alabama Power account or visit AlabamaPower.com/ Alerts. • Once enrolled, text "Out" to APCOUT (272688) to report an outage or text "Status" to check repair status. • Save APCOUT (272688) to your contacts for faster reporting in the future. • ALABAMAPOWER.COM/STORM: Find out why your power goes out and the steps we take to get it back on safely and quickly. "Let the safety and well-being of loved ones be top of mind this storm season," said Porter. "Update your emergency preparedness kit and sign up for outage alert notifications to receive real-time outage information for your home." By Katie Bolton and Whitney Massey Enhanced outage communications provide personal customer updates It's easy to sign up at alabamapower.com/alerts. New system lets customers report outage, see where others are and be updated about restoration times. INNOVATION 5 Get • Learn pointers on preparing for storms and staying safe around electricity. These tips protect the ones you love most and could save your life. • ALABAMA POWER MOBILE APP: Get ahead of the storm by downloading the Alabama Power mobile app to your Apple or Android device. • Report outages instantly through the app.

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