Balancing Collection Performance and Service Ratings

Fiscal health and customer satisfaction are the dominant performance indicators for public utility companies. However, customers view some fiscal policies that may be positive for a utility's fiscal health, such as securing deposits, as negative in relation to their satisfaction with the water utility.

This book describes the impacts of credit and collections policies on revenues and customer satisfaction ratings at municipal utilities. Utility managers and financial officers will find much helpful information for formulating utility policies that will maximize both revenue and customer satisfaction.

Table of Contents
  1. Prioritizing Collections
  2. Prioritizing Service
  3. Inactive Timeline
  4. Application for Service
  5. Application Fees and Deposits
  6. Certificates of Deposit
  7. Credit Scoring
  8. Credit Databases
  9. Billing Frequency
10. Multiple Active Timelines
11. Bad Checks
12. Payment Extensions and Arrangements
13. Late Fees
14. Automatic Phone Dialer Contacts
15. Field Collections
16. Disconnection/Shut-off
17. Technologies for Disconnection/Reconnection
18. Deconstructing Bad Debts
19. In-house Versus Outsourcing Collections
20. Collections Agency Request for Proposal
21. Collections Contract Terms
22. Bankruptcy Processing
23. Sweep Accounts
24. Selling Debts
25. Tracking Accounts Receivable, Collections, and Write-offs

Appendix A: 45 Credit and Collection Policies
Appendix B: Collections Agency Request for Proposal