Policy 12: Customer Relations

Policy Objective: 

The Rochester Public Utilities Board objective is to ensure that its decisions, as well as the decisions of the management team and employees, reflect the vision of the utility to “set the standard for service”. To achieve this, the Board will review policies and foster a culture that enriches the lives of RPU customers and delivers world-class service to its customers. All employees are expected to take ownership and responsibility to ensure the core values are first in mind in all interactions with the public.

Policy Statement:

1. The Board will be proactive, responsive and dependable in creating partnerships with customers by listening and anticipating how the Board and employees may best meet customer expectations. The management team will employ and develop people who are passionate about customer service and ensure employees have the core competencies to maximize the quality and consistency of the customer experience.
2. The utility will employ an empowered workforce that acts in the best interest of its customers and the community. Employee actions will demonstrate honesty, respect, and good faith, which will result in RPU being held in high esteem by its stakeholders.
3. The utility will have the systems, processes, and training to continue building a knowledgeable, empowered, and customer-focused workforce that demonstrates honesty, respect and good faith in all dealings with customers.
4. Employees of RPU will receive the training and have the tools available to provide complete, courteous and equitable treatment of all customers at all times.
5. In the conduct of business, all customers will be treated as owners of RPU.
6. Customer relations will be guided by documented management policies and procedures which are understood and consistently used by appropriate employees.
7. Using training and other opportunities for staff development, the management team
   will foster and sustain a culture of compassion in alignment with the City of Rochester’s resolution adopted September 18, 2017, which states: “The city will infuse and reflect compassion within its policies, procedures and programming...”

Responsibilities:

1. The general manager will implement a customer interaction strategy that delivers an improved customer experience that includes using communication strategies representing the ways that customers want to interact with the utility. This includes monitoring trends in communication and other aspects, such as making investments in technologies to improve the customer experience, enhancing the dependability of RPU infrastructure and assuring excellence in service delivery.
2. The general manager will ensure that employees have access to training in order to develop the skills in their own and others’ abilities and knowledge to provide the expected level of customer service expectations set forth in this policy.
3. The general manager will support all employees of the utility in their efforts to take ownership and responsibility to ensure the core values are first in mind in all interactions with the public.
4. The general manager will monitor and/or periodically survey and report to the Board, the level of customer engagement and customer satisfaction across all demographics of the City of Rochester with a goal of a 90% rate of satisfaction.
5. The Board will serve as the body of appeal for those customers whose complaints or requests have not been handled to their satisfaction by management. However, nothing is to preclude a customer following the process of complaining directly to the Public Utilities Commission.

Policy Information

Effective Date of Policy: April 30, 2019
Last Reviewed: April 30, 2019
Last Approved: April 30, 2019
Signed By: Brian Morgan, Board President
Relevant Legal Authority:
City of Rochester Home Rule Charter Section 15.03
City Resolution in Support of a City of Compassion Adopted September 18, 2017