Blakely, Georgia Launching Prepay Pilot with MyUsage®
Dallas, Texas – March 23, 2016 – The City of Blakely, Georgia, has joined a growing number of utility service providers that have selected Exceleron’s MyUsage Prepay to offer prepay accounts for electric, water, natural gas, and sewer services.
Municipalities, investor owned utilities (IOUs), and rural electric cooperatives across the country are switching to a prepayment model in which customers pay for electricity before they use it. MyUsage gives customers the tools to manage their energy usage without feeling confused or overwhelmed.
The City of Blakely has partnered with Dallas-based Exceleron Software, the leading software developer of prepay solutions for the utility sector. Exceleron has been integrating its MyUsage platform with the City’s existing systems, including its advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), customer information system (CIS), and payment processors.
By the end of March, the City of Blakely will launch a 60-day pilot program before offering prepay accounts to all its residential customers later the spring. Customers with a prepay account have access to detailed information about their consumption history and can choose the amount and frequency of payments, obtaining greater control over their utility service consumption and budgeting practices.
“The City of Blakely has enthusiastically embraced prepay offerings as a way to continue to provide exceptional services to customers,” said Jeff Severs, COO of Exceleron. “We have a strong presence in Georgia, where 20 utility service providers have selected MyUsage, and the City of Blakely is helping us bring the benefits of prepay to even more Georgians.”
MyUsage offers full functionality for launching and managing prepay accounts without any need for the utility to purchase additional hardware or in-home devices. This minimizes the risk and expense of launching a prepay program, allowing utilities to pass the savings on to their customers. Prepay customers can access their account balance and usage history via the MyUsage mobile app, the myusage.com web portal, telephone, email, and text messaging. They can add funds to their prepay account through a variety of convenient payment options.
About Exceleron Software
Exceleron Software is the preeminent provider of prepayment and financial technology solutions for North American utilities, having served more than 100 utility customers and 500,000 prepay consumers. Electric, water, and gas utilities are using Exceleron’s MyUsage solution to recover more than $20 million in bad debt and process more than $500 million in payments while helping consumers practice energy conservation and avoid nearly $1 billion in service connection and late fees. Consumers have more access to detailed consumption information and greater control over the amount, frequency, and method of payments. This increases customer choice, improves customer satisfaction, and significantly lowers financial risk for utilities. For more information about MyUsage, visit www.exceleron.com.
About the City of Blakely, Georgia
The City of Blakely in southwestern Georgia is a member of the MEAG Power System. The Electric Department is proactive in providing customers with the most modern and up-to-date power delivery in the state, and the Gas Department maintains gas lines within the city limits. The Water and Sewer Department is responsible for the maintenance and repair of water and sewer lines throughout the city. The City is committed to providing service with minimal interruption or inconvenience to citizens. For more information, visit http://cityofblakely.net.
Exceleron Software, LLC
Bob Finley
Director of Sales
972.852.2711
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