The Power of Connections

payments via credit card and the ability to set up recurring payments as a credit card or bank draft so members didn’t have to call in each month to make a payment or stick one in the mail,” says Consumer Accounts Supervisor Tammy Nolan. “Now, members can also pay through the co-op’s web portal or smartphone app.” The goal is to provide members with a wide range of options so they can choose the method that is most convenient and comfortable to them—whether participating in the Auto-Pay automatic payment plan and Budget Billing or paying in cash at the drive-up kiosk. Helping Members Solve Billing Mysteries When members have questions about specific charges on their monthly bills, the member services department is available to help them understand the factors that

may have contributed to those costs. Often, elevated charges can be attributed to seasonal periods of extreme temperatures. But sometimes, it can be much trickier to identify the cause. “The detective work is the fun part of my job,” claims AMI Coordinator Neal Harrell, who gets to put his sleuthing skills to use alongside his colleagues from the member services department. Throughout his eighteen-year career with Cuivre River Electric, Harrell has discovered some not-so-obvious culprits—from a well pump that’s running constantly to an outdoor electric outlet that gets filled with mud during a flood and continues drawing power. “I’m always learning something new,” he says. “If I can’t figure something out immediately, I always ask the member to call me back if they solve the mystery themselves, so I can learn and help the next person better.”

Neal Harrell, AMI coordinator, helps members understand

Harrell is also skilled in advising members on how to reduce their electricity use through practical energy-saving strategies. “They’re usually pretty simple ideas, but the member may not have thought about them before,” he explains. “It’s about finding a balance between keeping someone comfortable and helping them save money at the same time.”

their energy use and how they can be more energy HI²FLHQW LQ WKHLU KRPHV RU businesses. Photo from Lyle Whitworth Photography

“It’s about finding a balance between keeping someone comfortable and helping them save money at the same time.” —Neal Harrell

38 Cuivre River Electric Cooperative