The last issue revisited how the number of days between meter readings and sending bills can adversely contribute to increased days of exposure.
Poll results
That issue included a poll asking how many days pass between reading meters and mailing bills. Twenty utilities responded. If your utility is one that mails bills within two or three days of reading meters, congratulations, you’ve figured out how to do it efficiently!
If your utility falls in the four to seven-day range, this is what I would call normal – there’s room for improvement, but it’s not excessive.
However, if your utility takes eight or more days, as the majority of the responses, I consider this to be excessive. I would encourage you to evaluate why it takes so long and see if you can find room for improvement. If you can’t figure out how to reduce the time between reading and billing on your own, please give me a call to see how a business review could assist you.
Reading inactive meters
While we’re on the topic of meter readings, let’s revisit reading inactive meters for vacant accounts, a topic I touched on briefly while discussing meter reading best practices.
From the best I can tell, in most cases the practice of not reading inactive meters is a symptom of the TTWWADI syndrome
From the best I can tell, in most cases the practice of not reading inactive meters is a symptom of the TTWWADI syndrome, dating back to when most utilities read meters on paper and entered them manually. Not reading inactive meters was thought to be a time saving tactic for both the meter readers and office staff.
With the advent of handhelds and automated meter reading systems, there is no reason not to read inactive meters. Reading inactive meters is your best tool for detecting customers who may have moved into a vacant home without properly initiating service. For water utilities, it’s also the best way to determine if there is a leak at a vacant property.
