OREANDA-NEWS. May 21, 2010. At the end of April, the Latvenergo AS Client Card mailing campaign concluded after delivering 539,886 cards to customers – practically everyone who used to use paper receipts for payment. It is envisaged that Client Cards will gradually replace receipt booklets that were widely used up until now, making customers’ lives easier by simplifying their payments, as well as saving paper used until now for printing more receipt booklets.

Client cards have been sent to customers who until now have used payment receipts to pay for electricity. Now, when they make their payments, customers will only have to provide their Client Card and nominate the amount of electricity they wish to pay for. If any customer who pays electricity bills in cash has not received a client card, he or she can order one personally, by calling 80200400.

A telephone survey of customers conducted in March established that they are pleased with the Latvenergo initiative to introduce client cards and find that they are easy to use. Moreover, although a small percentage of respondents claimed that older people might have difficulties switching from payment receipts to the Client Card, older customers have overwhelmingly confirmed that such fears are unfounded.

The introduction of the client card is part of the green policy implemented by Latvenergo AS, as part of which the company is taking care not only to reduce the amount of its harmful emissions into the atmosphere by investing in upgrades to its power production facilities, but also to protect the environment as much as possible: by avoiding widespread use of paper, it saves thousands of trees from being cut down.

Like any new product, the Client Card started off with a few misunderstandings when it was first introduced, leading to confusion at some post offices as to how people should now pay for electricity: that is, whether clerks should perhaps accept only receipts, or only client cards. Luckily, this confusion was quickly dispelled, and organisations that accept payments were again reminded that the transition to the Latvenergo Client Card will be gradual, with both receipts and Client Cards accepted for payment until the end of 2010 at the very least.

Importantly, the introduction of customer cards has led to customers updating their data in the Latvenergo database, facilitating the company’s customer service process. For instance, in cases where an agreement has been concluded by the previous electricity user, recipients of client cards with the names of previous contractual party actively responded in line with their desire to set their affairs with Latvenergo in order.