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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 1/2/2018 - Memorandum From Lisa Rosintoski Re: Update: Elimination Of Easy Pay Bill Payment OptionUtilities electric  stormwater  wastewater  water 222 Laporte Ave. PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 970.212.2900 V/TDD: 711 utilities@fcgov.com fcgov.com/utilities MEMORANDUM DATE: December 27, 2017 TO: Mayor Troxell and Councilmembers FROM: Lisa Rosintoski, Customer Connections Manager THROUGH: Darin Atteberry, City Manager Kevin R. Gertig, Utilities Executive Director RE: Update: Elimination of “Easy Pay” Bill Payment Option Bottom Line: Between February and December 2017, Fort Collins Utilities managed the transition to eliminate the Easy Pay program. This program began prior to 2000, and is no longer an optimal payment solution based on privacy and processing costs. The following reasons illustrate specifically:  More convenient and secure payment options (online and phone) have been introduced in recent years.  These updated payment options encourage customers to receive paperless bills, reduce printing and postage costs, provide bill pay convenience and minimize human error.  Easy Pay requires significant manual processing by staff to maintain data on hundreds of banks and accounts for thousands of customers.  Utilities’ online payment portal links to ‘Monitor My Use’ to support customers’ awareness on tracking their usage as well as paying their utility bill. A final letter will be sent the week of January 8, 2018, advising customers of the transition (letter attached). A quality assurance process has been implemented to prevent service disconnection due to payment confusion. History of the Easy Pay Program: The Easy Pay program was initiated before other electronic utility bill payment options were available and the completion of the Automated Metering Infrastructure system. Originally, Easy Pay customers were required to have an account with the City’s financial institution (First National Bank) in order to participate. In January 2017, Utilities managed payments from customers who bank with more than 800 financial institutions, which required approximately 23 hours per month of staff time to manage, totaling over 343 hours per year. DocuSign Envelope ID: B611249A-25C7-4972-8A91-C52E694887C2 12/28/2017 12/28/2017 12/28/2017 Utilities electric  stormwater  wastewater  water 222 Laporte Ave. PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 970.212.2900 V/TDD: 711 utilities@fcgov.com fcgov.com/utilities Summary of 2017 Work: Over the course of 2017, Easy Pay customers were contacted numerous times via USPS letters, e-mails, and telephone calls to notify them of the upcoming change, provide them with the seven other payment options, and give them pertinent contact information. The first letter was mailed at the beginning of February and the final communications will be mailed the week of January 8, 2018 after the final group of customers is removed from the program. In addition to letters and e-mails, the Customer Care and Technology team also hosted three in- person help sessions at 222 Laporte for customers. These sessions were held on December 4, 15 and 18, and provided one-on-one help to any customer with an active e-mail address. These sessions were successful and received positive customer feedback from approximately 40 attendees. Enrollment in the Easy Pay program has gradually decreased between January and December. Those customers who remain on the Easy Pay program now will be removed and notified by letter that they must select a new payment method by the time their January 2018 bill is due. For further clarification on the process or next steps, please contact Lisa Rosintoski at lrosintoski@fcgov.com or call 416-2432. CC: Lori Clements, Customer Care and Technology Manager Tracy Brann, Billing Supervisor DocuSign Envelope ID: B611249A-25C7-4972-8A91-C52E694887C2 Auxiliary aids and services are available for persons with disabilities. Esta información puede ser traducida, sin costo para usted, 970-212-2900. Utilities electric  stormwater  wastewater  water 222 Laporte Ave. PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522-0580 970.212.2900 V/TDD: 711 utilities@fcgov.com fcgov.com/utilities RE: Final Notice: Change to Your Utility Bill Payment Method Easy Pay Dear Valued Customer: The Fort Collins Utilities Easy Pay program was eliminated as of (insert date). We have attempted to contact you and transition your account to other payment options. The program is being transitioned to improve processing costs, but more importantly the security of customer data. For your January 2018 utility bill, you must select an alternate payment option from the list below or your bill will go unpaid. Utility bill payment options:  Manage your utility bills electronically through e-Bill, our easy-to-use, online payment system. This option provides a higher level of security and the same level of convenience as Easy Pay. o To sign up, go to fcgov.com/utilities and click on Account Login, then New User. o Instructions to set up recurring payments can be found at fcgov.com/recurring-payments.  Pay by phone at 970-212-2900 through our 24/7 automated system or via a customer service representative during business hours.  Mail your payment in the envelope enclosed with your bill.  Pay in person during business hours or drop your payment in the secure drop box at 222 Laporte Ave.  Enroll in automatic bill pay through your financial institution. Thank you for your assistance during this transition. Please contact us if you have questions or need further assistance. Sincerely, Lori Clements Customer Care and Technology Manager Fort Collins Utilities Utilities_CSD@fcgov.com 970-212-2900 V/TDD 711 DocuSign Envelope ID: B611249A-25C7-4972-8A91-C52E694887C2