Atmos Energy 2000 Annual Report Download - page 14

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improving our efficiency. In 2000, we continued
to develop new ways to utilize the customer infor-
mation system that was implemented in 1999.
The customer information system integrates our
Customer Support Center with other technology
used in the field, including automated dispatching
and the automated transmission of service orders
to in-truck terminals and electronic meter
reading devices.
Atmos’ commitment to customer service is
important because customers are being presented
with more choices and have come to expect high
quality service from all types of businesses, including
natural gas utilities.To make it easy for customers
to do business with Atmos, the Customer Support
Center, now in its second full year of operation,
handles customer calls from all five utility business
units 24 hours a day, seven days a week.The
Customer Support Center now handles an average
of 7,000 calls each day.
In addition, a network of nearly 300 payment
centers, located in convenient retail locations, offers
extended hours to customers. A new bill format
provides more information to our customers while
also making more information available at the finger-
tips of our customer support associates to enable
them to handle customer inquiries more efficiently.
In the near future, we plan to expand the Atmos
website and enable our customers to access
account information and schedule service online.
Customer Additions
In 2000, Atmos added new meters through
internal growth, with the greatest increases occur-
ring in its Kansas City, Western Colorado, and
Middle and East Tennessee service areas. Atmos has
aggressive programs to make natural gas the fuel
of choice for residential and commercial new con-
struction, to convert existing customers from other
sources of energy and to market other products
and appliances such as gas logs and gas lights to
residential customers and builders. During the past
year, our marketing team successfully promoted the
use of new natural gas applications such as gas-
powered chilling technology for cooling large com-
mercial buildings and dehumidification technology
that reduces humidity and improves indoor air
quality. Atmos added a total of almost 60,000 new
meters to its operations in fiscal 2000, including the
acquisition of Associated Natural Gas.
Earning Our Allowed
Rates of Return
Atmos has confronted the challenge of warmer
weather by successfully executing a regulatory
strategy that includes filing for additional revenue
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Running Our Utilities Exceptionally Well