Join over 100 of your utility peers to help select topics for the WEI Customer + Corporate Symposium. As a member of the Program Development Team (PDT), you will get a chance to work with other energy companies and learn what they are doing to tackle the issues facing our industry. You will work with 10-12 other energy professionals over the course of 6 months to develop topics and session content for the Symposium. This is an excellent professional development opportunity and a chance to make connections with other WEI members across the US and Canada. This program is only open to WEI members.
General Details
Program Chair(s)
Wilhelmina Proby, Customer Contact Center Manager, NW Natural
Lori Nice, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Acting, Bonneville Power Administration
Program Location
Virtual Event
No travel required. All agenda times are in Pacific time. Instructions to access the virtual event will be provided to the attendee before the program.
Who Should Attend
Directors, Supervisors, Senior Managers and Leaders in the following areas:
• Customer Service, Customer Contact, or Customer Insights
• Billing, Credit or Collections
• Human Resources
• Talent and Leadership Development
• Community Relations, Customer Engagement or Customer Communication
• Information or Technology Services
• Data and Market Analysis
• Innovation + Change Management
• Risk Management
• Program and Product Managers
• Shared Services or Continuous Improvement
• Service Company Providers
Time and Travel Commitment
• Participate in the Customer + Corporate Symposium Kickoff Meeting in August 2022.
• Participate in monthly planning calls and work between calls to coordinate with speakers and other team members from September 2022 – February 2023.
• Attend the Customer + Corporate Symposium on March 1 – 3, 2023 in Portland, Oregon.
Registration Options
Registration is free for WEI members.
Registration includes access to all agenda items and digital program materials.
General Cancellation Policy
To best serve WEI members and program participants during the COVID-19 pandemic, WEI will be waiving its standard cancellation policy for this virtual program. Registrants can receive a full refund should they need to cancel their registration up to the day before the program begins.
Participation Policy
Western Energy Institute programs and events are open to energy companies (including gas production and electric generation, gas and electric transmission and gas and electric distribution utilities). Select programs and events are open to energy industry product and service suppliers. Programs and events are closed to all media representatives and to the general public. Recording is not permitted for any portion of the event.
For more information contact Amy Nye, Director of Programs, at (971) 303-2119.
Agenda
Virtual Meeting Schedule
Each track will meet separately to kick off the planning for the 2023 Customer + Corporate Symposium. The Customer Connections Tracks will meet on Tuesday, August 16 from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Pacific). The Corporate Services Tracks will meet on Thursday, August 18 from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Pacific). Amy Nye will contact you with the virtual meeting room link and planning materials for your designated track.
Tracks
CORPORATE SERVICES TRACKS
Breakthrough Innovation
Description: How can utilities be more proactive and effective in embracing a path towards innovation and transformation? This track will focus on new and exciting advancements in technology, digitalization, process improvement, data-driven insights, and how to implement practices that foster innovation and collaboration across all levels of the organization.
Target Audience: Professionals responsible for Innovation; Information Technology; Data Strategy + Analytics; Data Visualization; Robotic Process Automation; Artificial Intelligence; or Digital Transformation.
Corporate Resilience
Description: Utilities find themselves facing a wide variety of challenges and risks – from disaster recovery, supply chain disruptions, economic instability, cyber threats and attacks, and climate change. What makes a company resilient is its ability to adapt and respond to these threats while maintaining a successful business model. This track will focus on how utilities measure the likelihood, impact, and velocity of emerging risks across business units, and how to build and sustain corporate resiliency to prepare for the future.
Target Audience: Professionals responsible for Risk Management; Risk Mitigation; Cybersecurity; Compliance; Asset Management; Supply Chain; Data Security + Privacy; or Financial Planning + Strategy.
Tools to Enhance Operational Performance
Description: This track will explore how companies are using tools, processes, and communication to influence operational performance, measure success, and navigate change. Learn how investing in new systems and approaches can boost internal communication, workflows, productivity, efficiency, and ultimately improve the bottom line.
Target Audience: Professionals responsible for Corporate Performance Management; Business Continuity; Business Intelligence; Process Improvement; Business Development; Systems Integration; or Change Management.
Our People, Our Culture
Description: As an industry, we have an opportunity to shift our culture and change the way we view our daily work. This track focuses on how company culture has a direct impact on employee engagement and will explore the advantages and disadvantages of a remote or hybrid-work environment, creating a culture of inclusion, attracting a new generation of workers, and what it truly means to be an employer of choice.
Target Audience: Professionals responsible for Talent Acquisition + Management; Employee Resource Groups; Human Resources; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Onboarding; Organizational + Workforce Development; or Benefits + Compensation.
CUSTOMER CONNECTIONS TRACKS
Affordability + Payment Support
Description: While customers continue to face financial impacts from the pandemic and rising inflation, connecting customers to the right resources is more important than ever. This track will explore best practices in payments and billing, affordable service and cost-saving programs, understanding and supporting low-income customers, crisis communication and assistance, and implementing programs and services that reflect the needs of the community.
Target Audience: Professionals responsible for Billing + Payment Centers; High Bills + Payment Plans; Credit Operations; Low Income Programs + Service Offerings; Community Outreach; or External Partnerships.
Customer Contact Workforce
Description: It’s time to reimagine the future of work and redefine the employee experience. With a focus on contact center management and customer-facing frontline employees, this track will explore how utilities are supporting and preparing their current and future customer workforce with new policies and approaches that address employee fatigue, engagement, retention, and the connection between employee experience and customer experience.
Target Audience: Professionals responsible for Customer Contact Centers; Customer Care; Customer Quality Assurance; Customer Workforce Training + Development; Field Customer Services; or Customer Operations.
Digital Strategies + Customer Analytics
Description: Customer analytics allow utilities to better understand their customers’ preferences, improve the customer experience, and optimize systems and operations within customer business units. This track will focus on how utilities are managing channels and using data to proactively engage with their customers, anticipate needs, inform business decisions, and improve customer interactions.
Target Audience: Professionals responsible for Customer Analytics; Digital Strategy + Transformation; Customer Data; Market Research + Analysis; Application Development; Service + Product Development; or Customer Solutions.
ESG Communication + Decarbonization
Description: Companies are facing rising pressure to invest time and resources into environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting practices and to find new ways to communicate their decarbonization efforts while balancing the needs of their diverse stakeholders. This track will explore how companies are simplifying a complex message and telling their story through a variety of customer touchpoints and taking a customer-first approach to building strategic partnerships that leave a positive social impact.
Target Audience: Professionals responsible for Public Relations; Public Affairs; Energy Policy + Regulation; Sustainability; External Communications; Digital Content + Marketing; Customer + Stakeholder Relations; or Community Engagement + Education.