Charging Ahead

The response to the pandemic has led to new ways of doing things. For co-ops, they have changed how they meet – especially for annual meetings that often draw hundreds of members.

When asked to use a No. 2 pencil, fill circles completely and make no stray marks on the form, these instructions are likely to bring back memories of school years when scantron technology was used for testing. Merom Generating Station’s Job Safety Observation Team is utilizing scantron technology in a new way.

When an outage occurs, operations crews focus on getting the power back on safely. While they’re doing that, co-op communicators work to keep member-consumers updated with timely information. This requires a collaboration between the communications and operations teams – a relationship Henry County REMC’s Lara Sullivan has been building for several years.

Just days before closing the One Southern Indiana office for the COVID-19 pandemic, President and CEO Wendy Dant Chesser had two challenges facing the economic development and Chamber of Commerce organization — how to not only sustain, but also help the 1,068 business members that would be scared and hurting financially.

Just under a century ago, electric cooperative employees went door to door, explaining the benefits of electricity to prospective members and answering their questions. Since then, co-ops have played a key role in educating members about new electrical technologies, from grain dryers to heat pumps.

For months, people have faced stress and negativity while dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and an uncertain future. Work schedules changed, schools converted to online learning, offices relegated to homes, activities halted, sports events cancelled and visits with family and friends stopped.

Since 2004, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) has provided cooperatives actionable information to help improve member satisfaction and engagement. A recent survey shows that co-op member satisfaction has been on the decline during the past five years. Affecting the downward trend is how younger members view their co-op.

For months, people have faced stress and negativity while dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and an uncertain future. Work schedules changed, schools converted to online learning, offices relegated to homes, activities halted, sports events cancelled and visits with family and friends stopped.