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Look for Your Outage Reporting Postcard in the Mail
10/24/2011 5:20:43 PM
Pioneer Electric members will soon be receiving a postcard with an attached magnet in their mail. Please look for the postcard and keep the magnet that will be attached to the back of the postcard.
Pioneer Electric members will soon be receiving a postcard with an attached magnet in their mail. Please look for the postcard and keep the magnet that will be attached to the back of the postcard.
Each member will receive a customized magnet that will be a handy resource to use in outage situations. As our members’ names and addresses are printed on the postcard, their corresponding account number will be printed on the magnet. Should a member need to report an outage, the magnet will have everything they need on it - the outage reporting telephone number and their account number.
No matter what time of day or night the power goes out, Pioneer Electric has a 24-hour dispatch service to answer our members’ calls. During the Cooperative’s normal weekday business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., an employee at Pioneer Electric will answer the phone. We ask our members to call the same phone number afterhours, 888 551-4140, to report an outage. However, instead of speaking to a Pioneer Electric employee, you will reach an employee of Basin Electric Power Cooperative’s Security and Response Services department in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Pioneer Electric chose Security and Response Services for their ability to handle a large volume of calls and dispatch line crews efficiently. For many years, we had a local answering service that handled our after-hours calls. However, due to increased call volume, it became difficult for our members’ calls to be answered during wide- spread outages.
Basin Electric has provided a dispatch service since 1992, which Pioneer Electric will begin using November 1. The Basin Electric system is designed to respond quickly to outage reports, repair reports, emergencies, or vandalism. When you place a call after-hours, it will be answered by the dispatch service. You will hear the message, “Thank you for calling Pioneer Electric. Your call may be recorded or monitored for quality assurance.”
You will then hear the following menu:
• If you’re calling to report an electrical
outage, press 1.
• If you have a billing question, press 2.
• For all other calls, press 0.
If you pressed 1 to report an electrical outage:
A dispatcher will answer if available. If all the customer service representatives are busy assisting other callers, an automated outage system will assist you. You will be asked to press 1 to report the outage by using your telephone number or 2 to report the outage by meter number or 3 to report the outage by account number. To report down lines or poles or if you have critical information regarding the cause of an outage, press 4. Regardless of the option you choose, you will be asked to leave the 10-digit telephone number associated with the account without power, in the event we need to call you back. You may be asked if you are completely out of power and if your neighbors have power. You may also be asked if you have checked your outside breakers. Once you have completely answered the questions, you will receive a message confirming that your outage has been reported and that line crews have or will be dispatched.
If you pressed 2 for a billing question:
A recorded message will give you Pioneer Electric’s office hours and ask that you please call back during normal business hours.
If you pressed 0 for all other calls:
The next available dispatch person will answer the call. If you are put on hold, please stay on the line, your call will be answered in the order it was received. To answer questions in any menu, callers will be asked to press 1 for “yes,” 2 for “no” and 3 for “do not know.” When the call is complete, the dispatcher or recording will thank the member for calling Pioneer Electric.
To report power problems day or night, please call Pioneer Electric at 888 551-4140. If all dispatchers are busy, please use the automated system to record your outage. If you experience difficulties, please let us know during regular business hours. We want to hear from you!
Pioneer Electric Cooperative is committed to serving our members. “Don’t be left in the dark” if you experience an outage. Be certain that our line crews are just a phone call away.
