December 01, 2009 08:30 AM Eastern Time
Contract Callers Partners with Detectent to Up Revenues, Reduce Risk
in Smart Meter Deployments
AUGUSTA, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Contract Callers (www.contractcallers.com), a leading provider of
large scale meter deployments, today announced a strategic alliance with Detectent, Inc. a San Diego,
Ca.-based provider of Customer Intelligence Solutions for utilities. The alliance will allow Contract Callers
to offer their utility customers the option of utilizing Detectent’s data analytics to pre-sweep areas for
metering issues and theft conditions before meters are exchanged in volume.
Prior to Contract Callers deploying its field workers to exchange meters for a designated utility area,
Detectent will use advanced analytical methods to identify cases of suspected theft or incorrect
metering condition prior to a meter exchange and flag those accounts for special handling procedures.
Highly-trained Contract Callers field representatives will then document the meter in its “as found”
condition, recording evidence of tampering, and handling evidence appropriately to ensure the utility
recovers the maximum revenue possible.
“This alliance creates a new level of precautionary measures for utilities. Many utilities are actively
rolling out or planning to roll out smart meters. Now, they can be assured that the safety of field
workers and documentation of any revenue loss prior to deployment are being carefully considered and
avoided,” said Mike Maguire, Director, Business Development, Field Services Division for Contract
Callers. “CCI, with Detectent’s assistance, will bring a value-add to customers within their metering
infrastructure through intelligent and efficient solutions.”
“A meter deployment potentially can shortchange a utility if meter tampering or incorrect settings are
not discovered in time,” said Michael Madrazo, President and CEO of Detectent. “Utilities can benefit
from our pre-sweep by capturing a real-time picture of energy use in an area and not leaving revenues
up for debate. Analytics used in combination with experienced field representatives is a win for
utilities.”
Another prime benefit to identifying under-metered conditions during smart meter deployment is
customer satisfaction and managing customer perception. Failure to notify a customer that a meter was
under-recording energy use can lead to significant customer dissatisfaction. Pacific Gas and Electric
(PG&E) recently halted its smart grid deployment in Bakersfield, Calif., due to a lawsuit brought about by
one of its customers alleging that the new PG&E smart meter is overcharging him. “By Contract Callers
using our Customer Intelligence Systems, we can identify under-metered situations prior to a meter
exchange allowing the utility to deal with potential customer satisfaction issues proactively,” said
Madrazo.
About Contract Callers, Inc.
Contract Callers, Inc. (CCI) (www.contractcallers.com) offers a turn-key field service solution for any
sized project. CCI performs field credit and collection related services, smart meter installations and
AMI, conservation services, meter services, line locating and associated utility services. Integration with
CCI’s call center for dispatch, outbound and inbound support, letter series, and additional resources as
required improve the performance of the field operations.
About Detectent, Inc.
Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., Detectent (www.detectent.com) is the leading provider of cutting
edge Customer Intelligence Solutions that maximize the value of Advanced Metering Infrastructure
(AMI) and traditional metering systems and help North American utilities drive higher customer
satisfaction, greater revenue and more effective customer programs. The company’s solutions help
utilities better understand their customer’s energy end-usage points, ensure accurate billing, curtail
theft and maximize customer program participation and benefit. Detectent’s offerings are scalable to
any size of utility and apply to electricity, gas and water services for residential, commercial and
industrial customers.