September 8, 2020
Along with planned enhancements in service reliability, Starkville Utilities is launching an initiative aimed at strengthening relationships with customers.
Known as the Renew Principle, the new venture seeks to improve customer service through better communications, more personalized services and new technologies that will make it easier and more convenient to do business with Starkville Utilities.
“Being focused on customers is nothing new,” said Terry Kemp, general manager for Starkville Utilities. “Our continued commitment to providing the best possible service has paved the way toward even broader avenues for responding to customer needs, now and in the future.”
Kemp said a number of factors underscore the need for a renewed focus on service, including changing customer expectations, advancements in technology and aging infrastructure issues — all of which play a critical role in providing reliable, affordable utilities to serve Starkville’s growing needs.
“Our vision is to be the utility of the future, and that means providing services and technologies to better serve all customers,” Kemp said. “By launching the Renew Principle, we are being proactive about service improvements and laying the groundwork for a successful future.”
Customers already benefit from quick response to storms and other natural disasters, improved products and programs, enhanced outage communications, and upgrades that contribute to fewer and shorter outages.
Building on those successes, the Renew Principle features five focus areas – from creating meaningful customer experiences to pursuing operational excellence – all aimed at delivering exceptional service in every customer interaction.
New steps include expanding technology to give customers more control over their utility services and billing options along with more timely and accurate updates when outages occur.
The Renew Principle also focuses on more rigorous workforce development, solving customer issues the first time and reducing outages.
“We want the work we do every day to make a difference in our customers’ lives,” Kemp said. “We want to provide the right answer, the right action and the right solution every single time, and the Renew Principle is part of our effort to create the best experiences and outcomes imaginable for our customers.”
Starkville Utilities is a public utility serving 14,000 residences, businesses and industries in Starkville, Mississippi as well as Mississippi State University. Its mission is to supply safe, reliable, and cost-effective electric and water service of superior quality and value that improves the lives of its customers.