More Utilities Taking Advantage Of DocuCorp Outsourcing Efficiencies, Cost Savings; Internet Access Helps Companies Improve Customer Service
Business Wire - April 27, 1999 07:00
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 27, 1999--More than 300,000 utility customers in Kansas, Louisiana and Georgia will begin seeing new, easy-to-read bills next month as DocuCorp International (Nasdaq:DOCC) begins formatting, printing, finishing and mailing statements on behalf of three new clients for its Outsourcing Center in Atlanta.
Dalton Utilities, based in Dalton, Ga.; Midwest Energy, located in Hays, Kan.; and Cleco Corporation, based in Pineville, La., have selected DocuCorp's Outsourcing Center to handle their billing needs.
"Because of utility deregulation, utility companies are realizing they need to present a customer-friendly, easy-to-read bill to their customers," said Phillip J. Hamrick, DocuCorp's senior vice president of sales and marketing. "Through the use of the Internet and our Outsourcing Center, DocuCorp can meet those needs in a very cost-efficient manner."
"We are pleased to have the ability to give our customers a detailed bill so they can track their energy usage," said Don Cope, Dalton Utilities' president and CEO. "In addition, this billing manner allows us to educate our customers on the utility's true cost of delivering services."
The system works with the utility sending its unformatted billing data to DocuCorp via the Internet. DocuCorp then formats the data to the correct billing statements. The result is an informative, attractive, easy-to-read multi-service bill that can include charges from the utility company, as well as charges from the other services the company offers.
DocuCorp's finishing equipment can insert up to eight additional items such as coupons into the bill. The equipment then stuffs the bills in envelopes and they are labeled, presorted, and mailed. By presorting bills into specific ZIP codes, the utility qualifies for the lowest possible postage rates, which is a substantial saving.
Another major advantage that DocuCorp provides the utility companies is its archival capabilities. Once all the data is collected and each bill is created, it is stored electronically. That electronic file is then sent back to the utility via the Internet. Since the electronic file appears on a customer service representative's screen looking exactly like the bill the customer received, it is easier for the service representative to understand what the customer is asking. The result is that customers receive fast, accurate answers.
About Dalton Utilities
Dalton Utilities has operated as a public utility since 1889. Today, Dalton provides potable water, electrical, natural gas and wastewater treatment services to the City of Dalton and portions of Whitfield, Murray, Gordon, Catoosa, and Floyd counties.
About Midwest Energy
Midwest Energy serves nearly 43,000 natural gas customers, 35,000 electric customers and approximately 1,800 propane customers. The company, formed in 1981, employs more than 240 people and has 10 local offices in central and western Kansas.
About Cleco Corporation
Located in Pineville, La., Cleco provides electrical services to homes, business and manufacturing plants in 26 parishes in Louisiana. The company serves 242,000 customers and employs approximately 1,200 people.
About DocuCorp
DocuCorp markets a portfolio of open-architecture, enterprise-wide, document automation software products that enable its customers to create, publish, manage and archive complex, high-volume, individualized documents. The company also provides document automation consulting, application integration, and document processing, printing, and mailing services. DocuCorp has an installed base of more than 800 customers, including many of the largest insurance, utility, financial services, higher education, and telecommunications organizations.
Headquartered in Dallas, DocuCorp has major facilities in Atlanta and Silver Spring, Md. The company also maintains offices in London, Portland, Maine, and Bedford, N.H.
DocuCorp is a Safeguard Scientifics, Inc. (NYSE:SFE) partnership company. For more information, visit DocuCorp's Web site at www.docucorp.com.
Certain information contained in this news release may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this news release are forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which include but are not limited to the risk of competitive pressures, failure to adequately respond to technological developments, loss of significant customers or distributors, and the other risk factors and cautionary statements listed from time to time in the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements included in this news release and all subsequent oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements.
CONTACT: DocuCorp International, Dallas
Elliott Tucker, 214/891-6513
etucker@docucorp.com |
