Leaving No Stone Unturned Three Practical Approaches To Finding The Unserved 2014 National Energy and Utility Affordability Conference Kansas City, MO – June 17-20, 2014 (Next year in Baltimore, hon!) David Conn Energy Assistance Program Manager, BGE 110 W. Fayette St. Baltimore MD 21201 410.470.8988 [email protected] www.bge.com 2 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 3 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Program 1: Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach How do we find the customers who aren’t already getting assistance? 3 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Many thousands still go without help in Maryland Energy Assistance: Households served vs. households eligible 335,000 350,000 300,000 200,000 250,000 200,000 150,000 120,000 56,000 100,000 50,000 0 BGE Households served Statewide Estimated households eligible 4 4 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 The Problem The Good News: We know a lot about our customers: Where they live How much energy they use Their credit score (when they first apply) How often and how much they pay us 5 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 The Problem The Bad News: We don’t know that much about our customers: How much they earn How many are in their households What their expenses are How old they are (except rarely) 6 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 The Solution Ask an expert! 7 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Consumer Database Companies 8 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 The Process: Customer Identification and Mailing October Vendors returned a total of 70,000-85,000 “likely eligible customers” (out of 1.1 million residential customers) November Polish the letter and filter the names through mail house to reduce bad addresses December - February Mail outreach letter to customers – in “waves,” so as not to overwhelm local assistance agencies Don’t forget to warn your Call Center May Measure the results 12 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 The Results: Grant Funds Millions Total Grants 2012-2014 $3.5 $3.0 $2.5 $2.0 $1.5 $1.0 $0.5 $0.0 2012 2013 2014 10 Arrearage EUSP MEAP Only MEAP/USPP $108,219 $131,970 $520,726 $521,129 $674,092 $1,549,166 $148,112 $456,410 $611,814 $300,710 $571,502 $762,806 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Total unduplicated $1,078,170 $1,833,974 $3,444,512 The Results: Customers Served Customers Served 2012-2014 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 2012 2013 2014 18 Arrearage EUSP MEAP Only MEAP/USPP 108 125 630 1875 2427 4341 646 1146 1314 1420 1527 1673 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Total unduplicated 2254 4937 4948 Lessons learned Do: Don’t: • Include an addressed reply envelope • Include your address anywhere in the letter • Keep close track of the customers and account numbers at each phase • Assume that your system will make it easy to track customer responses • Notify your call center and local assistance agencies before you mail the letters. • Underestimate how long it will take to get from initial contact with a vendor to dropping letters in the mail. 19 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Program 2: “Micro Targeting” Program Why do more people in some neighborhoods get help paying their utility bills than in others? 1.Where? 2.Why? 3.Who? 13 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Baltimore City census tracts with households <$25,000 in household income 14 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Census tracts with relative percentages of low-income households participating in energy assistance. 15 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Barriers to participation Client perceptions and attitudes (mistrust, frustration, lack of desire to follow-through process): • Distrust of the government in general • Distrust of agencies in maintaining confidentiality of documents • Undocumented families (fear of being discovered) 16 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Barriers to participation Customer issues/challenges (i.e., literacy, apathy, financial): • • • • • • • • • • 17 Lack of understanding of the energy assistance process Customers wait until crisis before contacting BGE High bill customers beyond reach of financial assistance Customers with literacy challenges (embarrassed to seek assistance) Pride (embarrassed to seek assistance for fear of being discovered as in need) Matching funds issue (inability for customers to come up with their share of funds) Misunderstanding of budget billing (false sense of fixed monthly payments regardless of balances) Customer’s failure to follow through on receiving assistance Inability to understand forms/applications Multiple complex issues that impact families (social, economic, family burdens which overwhelm families) Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Barriers to participation Application process complexities: • Too many hoops (process steps) • Document retention (information lost by agency) • Customer frustration with application process after approval (process takes too long) • Customer service issues (office staff issues, customers do not feel welcome) 18 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Barriers to participation General or miscellaneous issues: • Mobility, highly transient areas • Customers “behaviors” (some know how to “work” the system) • Customers in zip codes who will never apply for assistance given utilities are paid by landlord • Customers who navigate through system via use of children’s SSN’s to seek assistance • Poor housing stock (landlords who are unwilling to invest in rehabilitating properties) • Inconsistencies in utility collection practices 19 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Barriers to participation: Customers’ perspective Top Five Findings: 1. Cumbersome/inefficient energy assistance application process • Lots of interest in applying online instead of in-person visits • Need to resubmit most documents seen as burdensome • Unwillingness to mail in apps and vital records – security concern • Concern about wait times at energy offices 2. Assistance dollars capped for customers in need 3. Misunderstanding of application process/deadlines/eligibility • Belief that income limits were much lower than they are • Not aware of required documents • Belief that turnoff notice is required 4. Insufficient information/misinformation about sources of available assistance 5. Customer service or attitudes of assistance agency service providers 20 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Next: Working with United Way - 211 21 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Program 3: “The Power of Home” How can we help non-customers become customers? 22 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Program 3: “The Power of Home” The Problem: Sometimes individuals and families trying to move from homelessness to supportive housing can’t move in when they have a past-due utility bill that prevents them from starting new service. The Solution: Pay off their debt. 23 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Program 3: “The Power of Home” Step One: Find a friendly local foundation to pitch in: • i.e., the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation ($20,000) Step Two: Persuade your city’s homelessness campaign to pitch in as well ($5,000) Step Three: Persuade your company to add to the pot ($20,000) Step Four: Hold a press conference Step Five: Coordinate, coordinate, coordinate…. 24 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Housing agency refers new client to City Homeless Office Client visits local energy office, gets eligible state grant(s) BGE provides bill credits as needed 25 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Homeless office contacts local energy office, BGE and Fuel Fund of Md Fuel Fund of Maryland divides up the money from each pot Customer moves in to new home Content Slide “I am so grateful for your kindness and effort on my behalf and will not forget what BGE did to help me.” 20 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Thank you…. Questions? 21 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Appendix 22 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 About BGE 1. We’re old .... nearly 200 years old (1816). First gas utility in the U.S. 2. We’re new .... newest addition to the Exelon family The nation’s leading competitive energy provider, with approximately $33 billion in annual revenues. Utility subsidiaries include ComED (Chicago), PECO (Philadelphia) 3. We serve ... >1.2 million electric customers and >650,000 gas customers 4. We employ ... about 3,400 people 5. We maintain … about 25,000 circuit miles of distribution lines, almost 1,300 circuit miles of transmission lines; a more than 7,100mile natural gas pipeline network 23 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 24 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Year three letter (2013) – part 1 25 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Year two letter (2012) – part 2 26 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014 Year two (2012) – outer envelope 27 Targeted Energy Assistance Outreach, June 19, 2014
© Copyright 2024 ExpyDoc
