Sawnee EMC, Electronic Work Request Notification System Called “Signature” released

Date:  9/08/00

Contact:  Melisa Watson, Director Marketing

In today’s complex and busy world, getting the simplest of things done sometimes takes a tremendous amount of effort. Often times we seem to spend as much time following up on activities as we do actually doing new things. “We have a large number of people moving into our service area and we want that move to be as painless as possible,” states Michael Goodroe, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Sawnee EMC. “We know how busy everyone is when they are trying to move into their new home, and checking on the electric service is not something we want them to be concerned about.” Sawnee EMC has mixed the speed of the internet and the need for additional information about the over 50,000 requests for service and other activities it receives each year to create a new electronic messaging program called “Signature”. The program, when subscribed to by a member of Sawnee EMC, will provide the consumer with regular updates as their request works its way through the various steps of the process. “This idea was promoted to allow our members to receive timely information and assistance as we processed their request”, states Billy Ussery, Sawnee’s Chief Operating Officer.

A person calling Sawnee EMC requesting specific types of activities, from needing a new service to asking for assistance with an “on-site” visit to aid in energy efficiency, will be kept up to date by a series of tailored messages describing what stage their request is at and who to call if they have questions. “We know that an increasing number of our members have internet access and would prefer an email message over a regular letter or voice mail, and with this system we can provide them regular and timely information about their request,” states Brenda Jeffers, Coordinator of Sawnee’s Customer Service Center. “We know that our members need more information to be effective and we are going to make sure that we provide them this data as soon as we know it,”, she adds.

Sawnee’s new “Signature” program was developed by the staff of Sawnee EMC to address the complex and ever-changing needs of its members / owners. This new communication tool will provide up to the minute information about work requests without the consumer having to call to inquire and can be read at a time that is convenient. “We are striving to be the world class company that our members need and deserve,” says Michael Goodroe. “To meet this goal, we must exceed our members’ expectations from us, and this system is one way we are doing this,” he adds.

Sawnee “Signature” became available on August 18^th and members can subscribe by calling the Sawnee Customer Service Center at (770) 887-2363. At Sawnee EMC, “we’re more than electricity, we’re service”.

Sawnee EMC is an electric distribution utility headquartered in Cumming, Georgia, serving over 100,000 customers in Forsyth, Fulton, Cherokee, Gwinnett, Dawson, Lumpkin and Hall Counties in Northern Georgia. Sawnee EMC has a network of over 7,049 miles of distribution facilities and physical plant in excess of $260 million. Incorporated in 1938, Sawnee EMC is the 4^th largest electric membership cooperative in Georgia and one of the fastest growing cooperatives nationwide.

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