Page 215 - City of Bedford FY20 Approved Budget

City of Bedford
Program Summary
FY 2019-2020

Fund: Water & Sewer
Department: Administrative Services Division: Customer Service

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

To better assist the needs of the visitors who come to the City, the Customer Service Division is often regarded as the Ambassadors for
the Bedford Community. Customer Service staff assists customers with helpful information regarding utilities, solid waste, recycling,
storm drainage, hazardous waste vouchers and contacts for other governmental services. This Division is responsible for managing the
utility billing for services including: water, sewer, solid waste, recycling, and storm drainage. Customer Service edits and manages the
meter reading process and oversees the printing and mailing of water utility bills to residential, apartment and commercial customers.
In addition, this Division informs the public of local areas of interest, various services and programs provided by City Departments, and
emergency notifications that could temporarily hinder current service levels.

FY 2018-2019 HIGHLIGHTS

∗ Established a pass-through volume rate increase from the Trinity River Authority (TRA) effective 01/01/2019.
∗ Held Town Hall Meetings in collaboration with Public Works to educate the public on the new "Eye on Water" meter reading
application and Badger meter software.
∗ The new smart meters and the www.eyeonwater.com application have greatly reduced the number of work order requests for
meter re-reads by account holders, since consumption and usage can now be viewed on-line.
∗ The AMI/AMR [Automated Meter Reading] project was completed in April 2019.
∗ Although we relinquished our vital records to Tarrant County Clerk September 1st, 2018, our Vital Statistics team earned the City's
20th and final 5-Star Award from the Texas Department of Health for excellence in vital registration.

FY 2019-2020 DIVISIONAL GOALS
(AS RELATED TO COUNCIL STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS)

Organizational Excellence
∗ The Customer Service team responds to all inquiries and concerns, handling calls and emails in an efficient and timely manner.
∗ The team is courteous and respectful and will go "the extra mile" to assist citizens in understanding their water bills, provide
hazardous waste vouchers and offer any needed assistance with their on-line and "Eye on Water " accounts.

Communicate & Engage with Citizens
∗ The Customer Service team coordinates with Public Works to better educate the residents on watering restrictions and
conservation methods.
∗ Customer Service emails Republic Waste Services to pick up any missed trash and/or recycling, ensuring neighborhoods are kept
neat and clean.
∗ The team encourages all residents to sign up for the new Badger software to view their consumption, check for any potential
leaks and to set up leak alerts for notification purposes. We often show customers their usage in the "Eye on Water" program
installed on a non-cash counter computer. Seeing their actual usage usually prompts the customer to sign up for this free
program.

188