Chartwell's Best Practices Awards recognize excellence among electric and/or gas utilities with respect to projects, programs and/or service initiatives. Chartwell will honor two utilities' initiatives aimed at improving the customer experience, communications and/or awareness during EMACS 2008, The Customer Experience Conference, held Oct. 13-15 in Austin, TX. One deserving utility will receive the 2008 Chartwell Best Practices Award for Marketing, and the other will be recognized with the 2008 Chartwell Best Practices Award for Customer Service. The awards ceremony is part of EMACS 2008 kickoff session on Oct. 13. Winners also will be asked to make a presentation of their award-winning program at a later point in the conference.
Entries in the Marketing Award category exemplify programs, products or services, or communications campaigns aimed at improving utility image and awareness, promoting products and services, or other efforts to promote customer-facing initiatives, or communicating with customers. Entries will be judged on the following criteria:
· Innovation and originality,
· Implementation and execution,
· Appeal or attractiveness of campaign or program materials, and
· Effectiveness - measured results in some or all of the above-noted areas.
Customer Service Award entries demonstrate programs or initiatives in the areas of customer satisfaction improvement, billing and payment, call center and customer contact, Web-based customer services, customer service improvements in the field, or other utility customer service improvement initiatives. Entries will be judged on the following criteria:
· Improved service through innovation and/or technology,
· Quality of the effort,
· Operational efficiency, and
· Measured results in customer satisfaction, efficiency gains or savings.
Award entries should include the following:
1. A completed entry form. (If an entry is submitted by a vendor or consultant, it must be with the utility’s permission and list a contact at the utility.)
Fill out the entry form here.
2. A description of the project, program or effort (1,800 words maximum) detailing the following information as applicable:
- A history of the project/program or effort.
- Details about the effort including significant dates, major participants and target audience. (Note: Some or all of the effort should have been undertaken between January 2007 and August 2008.)
- The goals and results of the project/program or effort, including how results were measured.
- The facts and features making the project innovative and/or unique.
- How the project meets the criteria for the respective award, as outlined above.
- The reason it should win the Best Practices Award.
3. All components of a mixed media campaign, including printed pieces, audio/video files, DVDs, audio CDs, etc. Any visuals (Web pages, advertisements, direct mail pieces, letters, other collateral material) should be mounted on black foam core or matt board. The preferred medium for video is DVD and the only format accepted for audio is CD. (Only if applicable to entry)
Award entries will become the property of Chartwell Inc. and will be displayed during EMACS 2008, Oct 13-15, 2008. The award winners will be announced Oct. 13, 2008 during an Awards Ceremony and will be recognized in later presentations at EMACS and featured articles in Chartwell’s Best Practices for Utilities & Energy Companies newsletter. There is no fee to enter.
Please limit entries to two in each category per utility. To enter, complete the entry form online and e-mail supporting attachments to dsmith@chartwellinc.com.
Entries as well as additional components noted in Item #3 above may be mailed or shipped to:
Dennis Smith
Chartwell Inc.
2970 Peachtree Rd. NW, Suite 250
Atlanta, GA 30305
Past Award Winners recognized during the EMACS Conference include:
Marketing Award
2007 – PECO Energy
2006 – Kansas City Power & Light
2005* – BC Hydro
2004* – Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Customer Service Award
2007 – LCEC
2006 – We Energies
2005* – Otter Tail Power
2004* – Duke Power
*Awards presented in conjunction with Electric Light & Power magazine.
For more information, contact Dennis Smith at dsmith@chartwellinc.com or 404-237-9099 Ext. 31.
