Avangrid reports significant improvements in customer service metrics across all utilities Page 1

Avangrid's Vice President of Customer Service with Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra. (From left to right: Tracey Pelella, Linda Ball, Pedro Azagra and Christine Alexander) (Photo: Business Wire)

“We are significantly improving our customer experience and our customers are taking notice,” said Pedro Azagra, CEO of Avangrid. “Over the past few years, we have increased our staff and expanded the ways our customers can interact with us by placing a greater emphasis on digital tools. We remain committed to innovation and excellence and look forward to the future. By listening to our customers and adapting to their needs, we aim to build stronger and more meaningful relationships. This is just the beginning of our journey to set new standards in customer satisfaction.”

In Maine, Central Maine Power (CMP) recently filed its first Service Quality Index (SQI) report card with the Maine Public Utilities Commission. The report card describes how CMP exceeded MPUC's performance standards in 2023, which took into account service performance data collected outside of major weather events such as Hurricane Lee and the December 18 storm. It has three components: customer service performance, electric service reliability, and environment and community. Among the achievements described are that CMP exceeded Maine PUC's service standards in 2023 by correctly issuing 99.9% of bills within 10 days of the scheduled billing date and 99.3% of bills were based on actual meter readings. More than 85% of calls were answered in 30 seconds or less. This success continues today. So far in 2024, CMP has sent 4.6 million invoices on time and correctly, representing 99.9% of the invoices the company has sent this year.

In New York, New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) and Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E) have reduced their call center wait times for customers, recently reporting that both companies significantly exceeded the Public Service Commission's (PSC) goal of 70% of calls answered within 30 seconds during the last six months of 2023. At NYSEG, 85.2% of customer calls were answered within 30 seconds during the last six months of 2023, and at RG&E, 86.5% of customer calls were answered within 30 seconds during the same period. This increased efficiency through improved customer service has led to improved overall satisfaction scores – NYSEG and RG&E achieved contact satisfaction rates of 88% and 85%, respectively, at the end of 2023. The increased efficiency in the call centers is the result of significant investments in staff and technology to better serve our customers.