OREANDA-NEWS. On 18 June 2008 was announced, that IDGC of Centre, JSC acted as the  partner of the conference Electric power industry to consumers, which was organizer by  JSC "RAO UES of Russia" with the help of the Federal Energy Agency together with the  magazine Energorynok and Da-Strategiya Corporate Development Agency.

The Chairman of the Management Board of JSC "RAO UES of Russia" Anatoly Chubais, Head of the Management for nonfinancial risks management and reporting of JSC "RAO UES of Russia" Marina Liborakina, General Director of IDGC of Centre, JSC Evgeny Makarov, Co-Chairman of the Union of Consumers Anatoly Golov, Vice-President of  Support of Russia Aleksey Kozhevnikov, and Chairman of the Management Board of the Non-Commercial Partnership of Providers of Last Resort and Power Sales Companies Vasily Kiselyov took part at the plenary meeting Customer-oriented policy in electric power industry. Heads of federal and regional public authorities, heads of power companies and self-regulating organisations, representatives of business associations, organisations on protection of the consumers' rights, and independent analytical centres participated in the conference. The organisers of the meeting aimed to perform analysis of practice of work with consumers and also to discuss problems of the customer-oriented policy of the industry in 2008-2011.

The Chairman of the Management Board of JSC "RAO UES of Russia" told about what had been done and what they had managed to achieve in their work with consumers. "The main problem of threat of wide-scale switching-off of consumers has been solved by a strategic way," said Anatoly Chubais. "However, many consumers are not satisfied with the way the relations between sales and network business, order and technical connection payment are built."  In this connection Anatoly Chubais informed that he had signed two documents connected with payment for technological connection. The first document is a standard that contains obligatory requirements for information disclosure on all stages of technological connection, and also a program that should accompany performance of the standard, with samples of four typical contracts for different categories of citizens. Besides, the central document for network companies - the action program in the post-reform period was drawn up. The Chairman also spoke about  privatisation of network companies. "It will not be possible to privatise distribution networks within nearest three or four years," said  Anatoly Chubais. "It will become possible when the industry is reformed and tariff regulation is put in order".

General Director of IDGC of Centre, JSC made the report Relations between consumers and power companies in the retail market at the plenary meeting. Evgeny Makarov  drew the attention of the audience to the fact that today the interregional distribution grid companies of the country work under changing conditions. "If we compare the position the consumer before the reform when he/she was assigned to "energo" joint-stock companies and his position now, it becomes clear that to it is a very difficult one. We should make everything to improve his position. The electric power retail market, relations between the companies themselves have not been formed yet. The retail market model should equally treat interests of all market entities. Our task now is to learn how to build civilised relations and prepare for tomorrow. IDGC of Centre Center is doing its best for it."

Evgeny Makarov  noted that the Customer Service Centre of IDGC of Centre, JSC is just the tip of the iceberg - a visible part of the built-in  infrastructure that makes possible solution of  consumers’ questions in CSC. This infrastructure comprises several levels and includes support systems (mySAP CRM and Symposium call-centre), corporate information systems (SAP R/3 and its various modules), technological systems (Automated information and measuring energy metering system (AIMEMS), Automated Dispatch and Technological Management System, (ADTMS), SCADA), IT and information and communication (IC) infrastructure and electric networks.

ERP system was installed  on the basis of  R/3 product; it unites various industrial resolutions. Use of the uniform Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system became the basis for organisation of accurately coordinated activity of the representatives of  various companies-founders. By means of CRM module of  SAP R/3 system power companies form the customer database that keeps the history of relations with each consumer.

Evgeny Fyodorovich drew attention of the participants to the fact that formation and development of customer service systems should be formed and developed not by an administrative way, but of the volition of shareholders and the companies' management and should reflect the development strategy.

Besides, representatives of the company made reports in all sections of the conference:

Section 1: Best experts of work with consumers in the electric power companies

Head of the Customer Service Organiation Department, IDGC of Centre, JSC Anna Korneichuk presented the report Experience of IDGC of Centre in  customer service organisation. Anna Vladimirovna spoke about the best practices of IDGC of Centre - forms of work with customers, regulatory and legal framework, about the results of work for the last two years, plans in 2008. "Now off-site CSCs are very popular. They travel to new housing construction sites in different districts. They render services there, and customers value it highly." The statistics of appeals (complaints) of customers in the company was also considered. "Complaints that the company receives, help us to organise better the service system. With the help of these appeals we can see and  improve our "bottlenecks",  said Anna Korneichuk .

Director for information technologies of "Belgorodenergo", an IDGC of Centre, JSC subsidiary, presented the report IT solutions of IDGC of Centre: advantages for customers.

Section 2: Changes in the systems of companies' management for realisation of the customer-oriented policy

Director for  information policy, Head of the office of General Director of IDGC of Centre, JSC  Andrey Karbukov told the conference participants about the policy of information availability of IDGC of Centre. He noted that IDGC of Centre, JSC had made the choice in favour of information openness and focus on customers. Cutomer-orientd strategy is fixed in the company's mission and development strategy as the main one. To achieve the main company's strategic goal, the company  should be informationally transparent, accessible and clear to customers. Work with the internal customers of the company  (the personnel) and  external customers is conducted for this purpose. To date on the territory of IDGC of Centre, JSC's footprint there are already 27 centres of internal servicing and the uniform direct free telephone line 8 800 50 50 115. Virtual receptions are functioning on the web site of each subsidiary which provides the whole regulatory and legal framework and where you may direct an application for technological connection or a complaint.

Section 3: Development of the electric power retail markets and protection of the consumers' rights

Deputy General Director of IDGC of Centre, JSC for grid services  Vadim Fyodorov presented the report  The retail market: a developed system of relations. Vadim Nikolaevich told about the interests of participants of the retail market: consumers, sales and network companies. He also spoke about interaction of the market entities for technological connection, "cauldron" principle of tariff design, commercial accounting in the retail market,  and relations between operating companies  and blocks of flats.

Section 4: Connection to distribution electric networks of  small-business enterprises

Head of IDGC of Centre, JSC Department of Technological Connection Ravil' Aliskarov spoke about "the established practice and problems of technological connection". Ravil' Barievich showed a scheme of technological connection that was applied earlier and at the present time. He spoke about the dynamics of the attached capacity by groups of customers in 2006-2008, explained IDGC of Centre, JSC policy on  organisation of technological connection and stated problems and ways of their solution.