Tacoma Public Utilities customers can expect something much different when they open their next utility bill: clarity. The utility launched a completely revamped billing statement, and it will start showing up in customers’ mailboxes this week.
The new design is easier to read, clearly outlines the services customers are paying for, and includes new features that customers expect, like the average cost per day and tax information for each service.
“We know no one looks forward to receiving a utility bill,” said Tacoma Public Utilities Director Bill Gaines. “We can’t change that, but we can make the bill easy for our customers to understand.”
Two things prompted the redesign of Tacoma Public Utilities’ bill: outdated software and customer expectations.
In 2003, the City of Tacoma purchased software to translate information from the SAP system to customers’ bills. That software is now outdated and is no longer supported by SAP. As part of the bill redesign project, the utility purchased SAP-supported software to ensure longevity.
To help understand customer opinions about the old bill and expectations for the new one, the utility conducted surveys and focus groups. The new bill redesign received overwhelmingly positive feedback from both business and residential customers.
To help define potential future changes to the bill design, Tacoma Public Utilities wants feedback from customers. People who want to share their thoughts can do so at MyTPU.org/billsurvey.
On the web:
– Tacoma Public Utilities
