Atmos Energy 1997 Annual Report Download - page 13

Customer Focus
The company has achieved growth in customers served
through programs designed to attract residential customers
in new development and construction areas and by encour-
aging commercial and industrial customers to convert to the
use of natural gas from other energy sources. The company
also promotes the use of efficient new natural gas equipment
for commercial cooling, and residential cooling and heating.
Following are some examples of our success:
➢United Cities is a leader in installations of residential gas
heating and cooling systems, a new technology introduced in
the last five years that provides superior comfort and energy
efficiency. The company has sold 174 of these residential sys-
tems to date, including 45 units in custom and patio homes in a
golf community outside Johnson City, Tennessee. Gas cooling
provides increased gas load during the summer months. United
Cities also has been selected to assist a large theater company
based in Georgia to install commercial natural gas cooling,
which will showcase the new technology.
➢Trans Louisiana Gas also has been a leader in installing
commercial natural gas cooling in Louisiana. Trans La is currently
working with a hospital in Lafayette, Louisiana, in adding a second
natural gas cooling unit and installing dessicant dehumidification
equipment in an ice hockey complex.
➢Energas has successfully promoted the use of on-site natural
gas generators to its large agricultural market in West Texas. The
farmers use the gas-fired generators to produce electricity to
run irrigation pumps at a lower cost than purchasing electricity.
Energas provides natural gas to power engines for 22,000 irri-
gation wells in this agricultural region. Energas also recently
won the bid to serve a proposed electric generating station
in Lubbock, Texas, in a very competitive bidding process.
When completed, the generating facility will be Atmos’
largest customer in terms of throughput.
➢Greeley Gas has significant opportunities for conversion of
residential customers to the use of natural gas from other ener-
gy sources. The company has successfully targeted subdivisions,
such as a 300-home subdivision near Durango, Colorado. The
company is also promoting clean-burning natural gas logs and
other uses of natural gas to preserve air quality in Colorado.
➢Western Kentucky Gas skillfully networks with builders and
key energy decision-makers on the installation of gas in both
residential and commercial new construction. Employees serve
on economic development boards throughout the state, and a
major emphasis is placed on state-wide industrial development
to maintain and further develop our 52 percent throughput to
Kentucky industries.
Customer Service Enhancements
In March 1997, Atmos announced a 12-month plan to enhance
the service it provides to customers and incorporate business
process changes that will make the company even more effi-
cient. The customer service initiative is driven by our goal of
providing the best quality service to our customers while
remaining a low-cost provider, as well as the need to develop
the infrastructure to operate in an increasingly competitive
environment. The investments in technology we have made
Update: Utility Operationsprovided about 95 percent of
Atmos’ total revenues and 86 percent of net income in 1997. Our strategy is to enhance the market position
and profitability of each of our five operating companies. We plan to do this by staying focused on our cus-
tomers, increasing the number of customers served, continuing to provide excellent service, managing our rates
and controlling our costs.
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