A team of 抖奶视频 employees is using innovative approaches to help low-income customers find financial support and more closely manage their utility bills.
抖奶视频鈥檚 low-income task force, which includes employees from multiple departments, started meeting a little more than a year ago. Although 抖奶视频 has long offered discounts and other programs to help low-income customers, employees sought to do more.
鈥淭he pandemic highlighted that we needed even more coordination and creative ideas to help our most vulnerable customers,鈥� said Denise Richerson, Director of Customer Services and Programs.
抖奶视频鈥檚 major forms of assistance for low-income customers include:
- monthly bill discounts available through our Lifeline program
- 蹿谤别别听home weatherization assistance
- partnerships with local agencies to offer emergency bill payment assistance to customers through the federal聽and the statewide Home Energy Assistance Fund, administered by聽.聽Bill payment assistance is provided from government funding as well as contributions from 抖奶视频 and our customers.
The task force has worked to inform local agencies about 抖奶视频’s assistance efforts residents while communicating with customers directly about available support.
For example, 抖奶视频 added home energy efficiency kits to up to 14,000 food boxes distributed this year by local food banks. Each kit includes a low-flow showerhead, kitchen and bathroom faucet aerators, a night light, LED lightbulbs and information about 抖奶视频鈥檚 energy efficiency programs 鈥� all of which help customers conserve energy and save money. They also include contact information for local agencies that offer direct financial assistance.
The task force also works with the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) to provide $36 million in federal funding to help eligible renters pay their overdue natural gas and electric bills. Customers can聽visit 抖奶视频鈥檚 website or call 抖奶视频鈥檚 Customer Care team at 520-623-7711 to find out if they qualify for federal assistance.
Other low-income outreach efforts include:
- Bill inserts and social media posts promoting 抖奶视频鈥檚 payment plans, due-date extensions and low-income programs, as well as rental assistance funding available from DES. A member of 抖奶视频鈥檚 Customer Care team also recorded an informational video in and about 抖奶视频鈥檚 Lifeline bill discount program.
- Adding low-income assistance information to food boxes distributed in July by the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. More than 180 new applications for assistance came in that month, attributed in large part to this outreach.
- Educating local houses of worship about 抖奶视频鈥檚 low-income programs and partnerships.
- Joining with other Arizona utilities to promote the Safety Net program, in which customers can designate family members or friends to help them remember when electric bills are due.
Our Customer Care representatives take extra time helping those who need assistance applying for discounts, signing up for 抖奶视频 programs and seeking financial assistance from local government and nonprofit agencies.
鈥淪ome of our customers have a hard time walking through the red tape, so we try to help them with that. A customer who needs help with their utility bills might also need help with rental assistance or food security, so we鈥檒l reach out to agencies to say, 鈥榃e have a customer who needs help. Is there a way we can work with you?鈥欌�� Richerson said. 鈥淥ur employees are passionate about helping others.鈥�
This outreach has significantly increased the assistance provided to our customers. By Sept. 15, our customers had secured about $6.8 million in bill payment assistance this year, more than doubling the annual average.
