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Automated Meter Reading (AMR). Meter readers have long been a familiar sight in neighborhoods. But improvements in technology have made automated meter reading a virtual necessity for fiscally responsible utilities. Throughout 2006 and into 2007, NW Natural has been converting customer meters so they can be read by a vehicle traveling through the streets. A single vehicle can accurately read up to 9,000 meters per day - about a tenfold increase over even the most efficient meter reader.
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| Overall, NW Natural is converting 240,000 meters by investing around $15 million over two years. Once the upgrades are in place, the company expects to save about $2.7 million annually and further increase meter reading accuracy and timeliness. Here, a technician calibrates a new automated meter before installation. |
Online Billing & Payment. NW Natural has become a leader in billing and payment services - rated in 2006 as the best energy utility, gas or electric, in the nation by J.D. Power & Associates. Customer surveys showed that a large number of consumers generally are moving to paperless billing and payment. Among gas utilities nationwide, NW Natural has the fourth highest percentage of customers paying bills online - nearly 16 percent, compared to the industry average of 10 percent.
¿Habla Español? NW Natural has also developed a program to use its internal resources to better serve Spanish-speaking customers. For years, the company used an outside vendor to translate during service calls with non-English-speaking customers. But many call center employees now are fluent in Spanish. By formalizing the training needed and creating special positions, customer service is now able to provide Spanish language service without the need for a third-party translator.
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