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Take Fast-Track To Creating A Strategic Plan That Works
Learn More: Take Fast-Track To Creating A Strategic Plan That WorksLike your public power peers, you must map out your utility’s future through a rocky terrain. But you don’t have much time or the budget to commit to an elaborate endeavor. That’s why Hometown Connections has perfected a simple technique for evaluating your operations and determining your priorities and goals for the next five years.…
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Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research: Both Should Drive Strategic Action
Learn More: Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research: Both Should Drive Strategic ActionJust like in sports, it never hurts to review the fundamentals of market research. We toss around the terms quantitative and qualitative like our younger brothers after watching an episode of WWE, but what exactly is the difference?
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Digital Engagement Boosts Financial Performance Of Municipal Utilities
Learn More: Digital Engagement Boosts Financial Performance Of Municipal UtilitiesMunicipal utilities that engage digitally with their customers throughout the year boost customer satisfaction and financial results, explained Apogee Interactive’s Chief Financial Officer, Jim Malcom, and Ellen Richardson, formerly of ElectriCities of Georgia, during a recent industry conference. In a presentation for the American Public Power Association’s 2020 Business and Financial Virtual Conference, Malcom and…
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Give Your Board or City Council Primer on Public Power Governance
Learn More: Give Your Board or City Council Primer on Public Power GovernanceTo provide an easy-to-read manual for municipal utility governing officials and managers, the American Public Power Association published the Policymakers Handbook: A Nuts and Bolts Guide to Governance for Public Power. Written by Steve VanderMeer of Hometown Connections, Inc., this overview explains governance duties and responsibilities, strategies for effective oversight and planning, and the benefits of being a public power…
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Increase Productivity & Positivity in the Workplace
Learn More: Increase Productivity & Positivity in the WorkplaceWith continuous change in our industry, there’s a lot for everyone to do, and success depends on each member of the team working together like a well-oiled machine. Sometimes personality differences and interpersonal dynamics can derail projects and productivity. With Totally Responsible Person® (TRP®) training from Hometown Connections, Inc., each of your team members will learn…
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SAGE Development Authority Seeking Crowdfunding for New 235-Megawatt Wind Farm to Benefit the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
Learn More: SAGE Development Authority Seeking Crowdfunding for New 235-Megawatt Wind Farm to Benefit the Standing Rock Sioux TribeSAGE Development Authority, the first public power authority owned by a single Native nation in the United States, announced the launch of a new crowdfunding initiative — www.anpetuwi.com — marking the next phase of development for its 235-megawatt wind farm named Anpetu Wi. The wind farm will be located on the Standing Rock Reservation, outside…
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Microgrids 101: Give Your Customers And Community A Reliable Source of Power
Learn More: Microgrids 101: Give Your Customers And Community A Reliable Source of PowerPower outages are intolerable. Paying peak period energy prices is painful. Microgrids offer an attractive solution to both of these challenges. Today’s innovative microgrid electric systems deliver standby power generation to commercial/industrial accounts, entire neighborhoods, and even the utility itself. Choosing to deploy microgrids can give your utility customers the reliable, resilient, and cost-effective electric…
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Utilities Get Good Marks for COVID-19 Response
Learn More: Utilities Get Good Marks for COVID-19 ResponseWhen the pandemic first emerged, Apogee Interactive conducted a survey asking their utility clients to identify their biggest challenges. The most common answer was communicating with their customers, followed by the need to assist customers financially. In response, Apogee offered its personalized video messaging service AT NO COST to any clients that would like to…
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Public Power 101 Webinar Series Covers Benefits and Challenges of Community-owned Utilities
Learn More: Public Power 101 Webinar Series Covers Benefits and Challenges of Community-owned UtilitiesJoin this two-part series by the American Public Power Association to learn about the unique benefits and challenges facing the public power business model, and discuss strategies for the future. Learn what gives public power communities an edge and how we can continue to thrive and serve our communities well amid multiple disruptive trends. Led…
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Use Research to Better Serve Utility Customers and Employees During Challenging Times
Learn More: Use Research to Better Serve Utility Customers and Employees During Challenging TimesCOVID-19 has been tough for everyone, and GreatBlue Research wants to help. Now more than ever, it is critical to stay in contact with your utility customers, both internal and external. By conducting customer satisfaction studies, employee assessments, and operational efficiency studies, you will obtain a better understanding of your customers and employees in order…
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Cybersecurity Is Easier Than You Think
Learn More: Cybersecurity Is Easier Than You ThinkYou don’t need to be an expert in IT or have a huge consulting budget to champion your utility’s cybersecurity program. First and foremost, you must recognize that every city employee, utility employee, and governing official plays a key role in maintaining a cyber defense that protects business operations.
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The Holy Grail of Energy Modeling
Learn More: The Holy Grail of Energy ModelingResidential customers and utilities benefit from varying rate plans. Still, the truth is, many customers don’t understand how their utility rates work or what rate would be best for their lifestyle. In a recent survey conducted by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative, 47% of customers didn’t know what their current rate plan was. In the…
