Distribution businesses CitiPower, Powercor and United Energy, have submitted proposals for access to the AER's Customer Service Incentive Scheme (CSIS) to improve their customer service.
The proposals outline that they will meet and improve customer outcomes by increasing performance in areas related to:
- SMS notifications for unplanned outages
- Planned outages
- Telephone answering.
Citipower, Powercor and United Energy have proposed this incentive design following consumer engagement from 2017-2019 to identify the needs, priorities and expectations of their customers.
Interested stakeholder are encouraged to read and provide comment on CitiPower, Powercor and United Energy CSIS applications.
Background
The Customer Service Incentive Scheme encourages Electricity Distribution Network Service Providers (DNSPs) to engage with their customers, identify the customer services they want improved, and then set targets to improve those services. The Scheme rewards DNSPs for improving their customer service, or penalises them if service deteriorates. The CSIS requires that a DNSP engage with their customers to identify their priorities and preferences for customer service, and subsequently develop an incentive design that delivers on those preferences.
We require that the incentives are supported by a DNSPs customers and demonstrated by genuine engagement activities. This includes DNSP engaging in broad consultation processes to cover different classes of customers, including vulnerable household customers, small business, commercial and industrial businesses.
If the proposed incentive design meets the CSIS' objectives, and is accompanied by a proposal that meets the requirements, the AER will apply the design.
Invitation for Submissions
We are seeking submissions from interested stakeholders on CPU’s application by Thursday 19 November 2020. Submissions should be emailed to regulatoryinnovation
aer [dot] gov [dot] au (regulatoryinnovation[at]aer[dot]gov[dot]au).
Alternatively, written submissions can also be sent to:
Mr Arek Gulbenkoglu
General Manager, Consumers and Markets
Australian Energy Regulator
GPO Box 520
Melbourne VIC 3001
We prefer all submissions be publicly available to facilitate an informed, transparent and robust consultation process. Accordingly, submissions will be treated as public documents unless prior arrangements are made with the AER to treat the submission, or portions of it, as confidential. We request parties wishing to submit confidential information to:
- clearly identify the information that is the subject of the confidentiality claim; and
- provide a non-confidential version of the submission.
We will place all non-confidential submissions on our website. For further information on our use and disclosure of information provided to us, see the ACCC/AER Information Policy.