Atmos Energy 1998 Annual Report Download - page 26

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SHARED SERVICES
Atmos continues to achieve efficiencies in its day-to-day operations by providing
administrative and support services to its business units through a central group called
“shared services.” The Company gains significant economies of scale, efficiency and
consistency in work practices by having one unit performing support functions rather
than duplicating them in each business unit. This structure also enables the Company
to integrate the operations of acquired companies quickly and efficiently.
Atmos’ shared services include accounting, customer billing, bill payment processing,
treasury, purchasing, legal, human resources, information technology, investor relations
and corporate communications, gas supply, and internal audit.
Atmos added an important new function to shared services during 1998: the
Customer Support Center. The Company opened the central Customer Support
Center in Amarillo, Texas, to provide response to customer calls 24 hours a day, seven
days a week. Previously, the Company had staffed business offices in locations
throughout its service areas to handle customer inquiries and requests for service. The
Atmos Customer Support Center demonstrates the Company’s shared services philoso-
phy: providing service to the business units from a central location that is responsive,
efficient, economical and expandable to serve new customers added by internal
growth and through acquisitions.
Atmos has been a pioneer in operating with a shared services structure. The
Company regularly reviews its support functions to ensure that they are located where
it makes the most sense for efficiency, customer service or strategic reasons.
Atmos provides call support 24
hours a day, seven days
a week to its utility customers
from a central Customer
Support Center and is
implementing a state-of-the-art
information system.The
Company achieves significant
economies of scale
and efficiency by having one unit
performing support functions
rather than duplicating them in
each business unit.
22
Shared
services
offers significant
economies
of scale and
efficiency.
Shared Services Officers
David L. Bickerstaff
Vice President, Controller
Donald P. Burman
Treasurer
Lee A. Everett
Vice President, Price Policy and Administration
Cleaburne H. Fritz
Vice President, Information Technology
Tom S. Hawkins, Jr.
Vice President, Budget and Planning
Lynn L. Hord
Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate
Communications
J. Patrick Reddy
Vice President, Corporate Development
Gordon J. Roy
Vice President, Gas Supply
Mark G.Thessin
Vice President, Regulatory Affairs