Atmos Energy 1999 Annual Report Download - page 26

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Atmos
Energy
Corporation
22
Shared Services Snapshot: Acentral support group provides
administrative and support services to Atmos’ business
units, including accounting, customer call support,
customer billing, treasury, planning and budgeting,
purchasing, legal, human resources, information
technology, investor relations and corporate commu-
nications, and gas supply.
Achieving Best Practices in Shared Services
Atmos achieves efficiency and consistency in its day-to-day operations and gains significant
economies of scale by having one unit perform primary support functions rather than dupli-
cating them in each business unit. This “shared services” structure also enables the Company
to quickly and efficiently integrate operations of acquired companies.
During 1999, Atmos further enhanced its internal efficiency by establishing new benchmarks
for providing support services. By conducting interviews with over 150 highly regarded
companies in America, Atmos gained new ideas on ways to provide support services at the
optimum cost. Our business unit personnel are partners with shared services personnel,
negotiating the services they want as well as appropriate pricing.
For example, Atmos’ Purchasing group streamlined its operations by initiating and maintain-
ing on-line supply contracts and managing supplier relationships. An electronic ordering
process rests with the business units, while the Company still obtains economies of scale by
negotiating with suppliers based on the total material requirements of the enterprise.
Providing best practices service to the business units at a lesser price creates value for the
Company. By controlling our costs of operations, we create value for our customers and
shareholders.