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CONTACT INFORMATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Redding Chooses Orcom
Solutions Software to Support Customer
Service and Marketing Strategies in Deregulated Utility Market
New Customer Information
and Billing System Addresses Need for Enhanced Customer Service and
Year 2000 Compliance
BEND, OR., December 1, 1998 - Orcom Solutions, a
software company specializing in the energy industry, announced
today that the City of Redding, California, has selected the Orcom
customer Information and billing system for the City’s five
utilities from among 14 systems considered. Orcom’s Enterprise
Customer Information System (E-CIS) is designed toenable municipalities
and energy companies tomeet the demands of deregulation and provide
improved customer service. . Orcom Solutions, a software company
specializing in the energy industry, announced today that the City
of Redding, California, has selected the Orcom customer Information
and billing system for the City’s five utilities from among
14 systems considered. Orcom’s Enterprise Customer Information
System (E-CIS) is designed toenable municipalities and energy companies
tomeet the demands of deregulation and provide improved customer
service. . Orcom Solutions, a software company specializing in the
energy industry, announced today that the City of Redding, California,
has selected the Orcom customer Information and billing system for
the City’s five utilities from among 14 systems considered.
Orcom’s Enterprise Customer Information System (E-CIS) is designed
toenable municipalities and energy companies tomeet the demands
of deregulation and provide improved customer service.
Orcom’s experience in serving multiple-service utilities and
the flexibility and functionality of its E-CIS, including Year 2000
compliance, were key factors in the selection process. The Orcom
E-CIS specifically addressed Redding’s need for a system that
could meet the demands of California’s deregulated utility
environment. Those demands include a mandate for open access to
energy suppliers of choice, more sophisticated billing capabilities,
and customer expectations for more personalized service. The Orcom
E-CIS will replace a 20-year old system that would have required
major and expensive modifications to accommodate Year 2000 requirements.
In addition, the City will be better positioned to compete for
customers and offer value-added services, two elements it considers
essential to Customer retention and satisfaction in a competitive
market.
Rita Vokal, City of Redding Customer Service Manager, said, "The
Orcom E-CIS product offered the most flexible AS/400 solution toenable
Redding to compete in a deregulated electric environment, and tomeet
the customer information and billing needs of our four other utilities."
The Orcom E-CIS provides an effective response to Customer surveys
that indicated customers want tochoose the date they are billed,
make payment arrangements in advance, receive a bill that is easier
toread, see a record of the last 12 months usage, and separate the
electric portion of the bill from other City services. Commercial
customers requested a consolidated bill for all locations and accounts,
notification when usage is higher or lower than their defined parameters,
details about when peak demand occurs, and a bill that shows the
bottom-line cost per kWh.
The City operates five utilities including electric, water, wastewater,
storm drainage and refuse, serves approximately 40,000 customers,
and collects revenues in excess of $95 million per year.
About Orcom Solutions
Orcom Solutions, headquartered in Bend, Oregon provides solutions
for nearly 200 utilities and energy providers around the world.
Over the past two decades, Orcom has experienced steady growth and
continued innovation and currently has more than 450 employees.
Orcom has received the IBM Mark of Quality Award for four consecutive
years. In 1998, Orcom received IBM’s highest level of recognition
with a Gold Level award, a distinction held by only a few of IBM’s
Business Partners. Orcom Solutions is a wholly owned subsidiary
of en.able, LLC, headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado.
About en.able
en.able is the leading provider of customer acquisition and retention
solutions. As the Energy Parts Superstore, en.able offers utilities
a bundled package of home-oriented, communications and entertainment
products and services under the SimpleChoice™ brand available
in one convenient package, invoiced on one bill and serviced through
one customer service number. en.able, is a limited liability partnership
between KN Energy and PacifiCorp.
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