6.1d ERMUSR 08-11-2020UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
TO:FROM:
ERMU CommissionJennie Nelson – Customer Service Manager
MEETING DATE: AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
August 11, 2020 6.1d
SUBJECT:
Staff Update
ACTION REQUESTED:
None
DISCUSSION:
The bill re-design is complete! In the summer of 2019, we rolled out a “soft” re-design
by changing the usage graph to usage circles and started separating ERMU charges from
City of Elk River charges. We have now completed our full re-design and the bills for
cycle 4 on August 5reflect the change. NISC has made many advances to their bill
message and template options. We are now able to tailor specific messages to specific
customers. For example, a trash delay message will now only go to customers who have
a trash service. We are also utilizing the back of the bill for detail information instead of
the information being stagnant from month to month. This allows us to have the
greatest transparency between what ERMU services and what we bill on behalf of
others like the City of Elk River and the City of Dayton. The communications department
and customer service department worked together to create an “Understanding Your
Bill” insert highlighting the design changes. We are looking forward to hearing feedback
from customers. This was a very labor-intensive project and I am incredibly grateful for
our Billing Specialist, Michelle Lee, and the rest of the customer service department’s
insight and help to complete this project.
Customer Service Representative, Rachelle, sent letters to our frequent backflow
preventor testers informing them of our partnership with HydroCorp to manage
backflow prevention. We are scheduling a meeting with the City of Elk River Building
Department to discuss the changes as well.
The City of Otsego was working with our attorney on a draft ordinance to have ERMU
bill franchise fees on their behalf. Communications seem to have halted. I will update
the Commission if they resume.
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