The Distributed Utility of the (Near) Future By Warren B. Causey, Sierra Energy The next 10 to 15 years will see major changes – what future historians might even call upheavals – in the way electricity is distributed to businesses and households throughout the United States. The exact nature of these changes and their long-term effect on the security and economic well-being of this country are difficult to predict. However, a consensus already exists among those working within the industry – as well as with politicians and regulators, economists, environmentalists and (increasingly) the general public – that these fundamental changes are inevitable.

Tomorrow’s Bill Payment Solutions for Today’s Businesses Providing consumers with innovative services for more than 150 years, Western Union is an established leader in electronic and cash bill-payment solutions. We introduced our first consumer- to-consumer money transfer service in 1871 and began offering consumer-to-business bill payment services in 1989 with the introduction of the Western Union Quick Collect® service, providing consumers in the United States with convenient walk-in agent network locations where they can pay bills in cash.

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Tomorrow’s Bill Payment Solutions for Today’s Businesses

Opportunity Ahead: The Aging Workforce
Jack Dugan, LogicaCMG

Bill Pay and Presentment Solutions for Utility Companies   Recognizing that not all customers view and pay bills in the same way, Check- Free helps you deliver a complete range of billing and payment options – from the traditional methods of receiving and paying bills by mail, in person and over the phone to complete paperless online billing and payment using either a bank or your website. CheckFree offers solutions that help you meet market demands.

Utility Realizes 57 Percent Increase in E-Bill Adoption with Comprehensive ‘Green’ Marketing Campaign
Consolidated Edison Co. of New York (Con Edison) is a regulated utility serving 3.2 million electric customers in New York City and Westchester County. The company recognized that it could realize significant cost savings if more customers would adopt electronic billing, where bills are delivered electronically without a paper version. Eliminating the printing, postage, labor and equipment costs associated with paper billing can result in significant cost savings.

Building a Vision for the Future
The United States and the world are facing two preeminent energy challenges: the rising cost of energy and the impact of increasing energy use on the environment. As a regulated public utility and one of the largest energy delivery companies in the Mid-Atlantic region, Pepco Holdings Inc. (PHI) recognized that it was uniquely positioned to play a leadership role in helping meet both of these challenges.

Cutting-Edge Communication: Streamlining Customer Contact With Automated Messaging   Improving cash flow, reducing costs, freeing up agents, experiencing an immediate return on investment: These are what it’s all about, right? Since 1992, TeleVox has been at the forefront of customer communication, offering best-ofbreed communication technology. More than 14,000 clients rely on TeleVox each and every day to efficiently and effectively contact their customers. Why? Because the subscription-based HouseCalls automated messaging system has proven to meet all their objectives for only pennies per call.

Management and Strategy
Operations
Technology

Benefits Realization
Transforming a company – especially one that is heavily regulated – needs a plan that spreads the responsibility to all managers and executives.Here’s a checklist.
The Utilities ProjectVolume 5, 5/23/2005