march 2012

Texas WaTer UTiliTies

JOURNAL VOLUME 22 MARCH 2012 NUMBER 3

TEXASWATERUTILITIESJOURNAL3

TEXAS WATER UTILITIES JOURNAL TEXASWATERUTILITIESJOURNAL(ISSN1051-709X)ispublishedmonthlybytheTexasWaterUtilitiesAssociation,locatedat1106ClaytonLane,Suite112West,Austin,Texas78723-1093,forengineers,operators,managers,laboratorytechnicians,customerservicepersonnel,andotherprofessionalsemployedin,orinterestedin,thewaterand/orwastewaterindustry.FivedollarsofeachannualmembershipduespaymenttotheTexasWaterUtilitiesAssociationpaysforasubscription.Non-Membersubscriptionprice:USA$50peryear;$4.20persinglecopy;$60peryearoutsideUSA.PeriodicalsPostagePaidatAustin,TX.TheTexasWaterUtilitiesAssociationiswhollyindependent,andisnotaffiliatedwiththeAmericanWaterWorksAssociation,theWaterEnvironmentFederation,oranyotherNationalorganization.POSTMASTER:Sendaddresschangesto:TEXASWATERUTILITIESJOURNAL,1106ClaytonLane,Suite112W.,Austin,TX78723-1093.TEXASWATERUTILITIESJOURNALisnotresponsibleforfactsand/oropinionsexpressedbycontributorsorinadvertisementsherein.EditorialsandcommentsdonotnecessarilyrepresenttheofficialpolicyoftheTexasWaterUtilitiesAssociation.Allinquiriesshouldbedirectedto:TexasWaterUtilitiesAssociation,1106ClaytonLane,Suite112W,Austin,TX78723-1093,phone512/459-3124.Anymaterialacceptedforpublicationissubjecttorevisionandeditingatthediscretionofthepublisher.AlladvertisingintheTEXASWATERUTILITIESJOURNALissubjecttoapprovalofthepublisher. LearnmoreaboutT.W.U.A.atourWebsite:www.twua.org

ARTICLESSTRAININGLISTINGSSEMPLOYMENT

Articles:

President's Perspective..................................................................6 by,CeCeWhite,TWUAPresident

TWUA Executive Director News: ...................................................8 by,RussellHamilton,ED

Economic News: Utility Bill Audit: Can They Reduce COsts for Your Facility............7 by,PatriciaCrow,ClientLiaison,TriStem,Ltd

PES News: Purpose of The Pretreatment Programs......................................10 by,AlphonseNewton,CityofFortWorth

Laboratory Analysts News: The Environmental Laboratory Advisory Schedule.......................16by,JasonWells,LaboratoryAnalystChairman

Safety News: Employer's Cell Phone Liability.....................................................18

Customer Service News: Delivering Customer Service Training That Stick.........................22 by,JuiloQuintana,CustomerServiceCoach

Advertisers:

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Training: TWUACentralWestTxRegionalSchoolRegistrationInformation.....................19 TWUANorthCentralTxRegionalSchoolRegistrationInformation...................20 TWUAPanhandleRegionalSchoolRegistrationInformation..............................5 TWUATrainingSchedule................................................................................14 TEEXTrainingSchedule..................................................................................27 AWWATexasWater2012Information.............................................................25 WEATLaboratoryConference..........................................................................24

CityofEdinburgWaterTower

Photographer:Antonio"Tony"Leal,WaterPlantSuperintendent

March 2012 Front Cover

Inside

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4TEXASWATERUTILITIESJOURNALwww.twua.org March2012

March2012 TEXASWATERUTILITIESJOURNALwww.twua.org

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TWUA PRESIDENT: It Was an Honor CeCe White, President

As I write this article my year as President is rapidly coming to a close. In just a few weeks I will be conduct-ing our final board meeting of the year at annual school and turning the gavel over to our President-Elect, Norma Clark.

The past year has gone by so quickly I can hardly

believe it is almost over. I am happy to report that I have reached at least one of my goals as President: to visit every regional school and get to know members from each one.

There are so many members out there who spend many long hours and work very hard to organize and prepare for the regional schools each year. I don’t think they really get the credit they deserve – please consider this a standing ovation for all you that do.

I joined TWUA about 16 years ago and shortly thereafter, I accepted the position as Secretary-Treasurer for the local Utility Relations-Customer Service Chapter for my area. From there I moved “up the line” to President, not once but twice and then began to serve on a regional and state level. The more I did, the more I learned, and then, to my sur-prise, I found myself capable of doing things I wouldn’t have dreamed of doing earlier in my life.

Each new thing I tried, brought bigger responsibilities and challenges – and amazingly enough, I was able to shoulder the responsibility and face the challenge. Sometimes I was very successful meeting the challenge – sometimes not so much. But each time I came out the other side a stronger, hopefully better, person.

As I look back, I know I did not do it alone. There were those who held offices before me who mentored me both directly with words and actions and indirectly simply by example. There were family, friends, co-workers, and supervisors who listened, advised, and supported me as I muddled my way through.

There were the other members I met throughout the state who were so dedicated to this organization that just talking with them inspired me to do better. Then there are the Cen-

tral Office people, who are always there for all members with answers to your questions and encouragement and help to get the job done.

I recently came across a quote from Theodore Roosevelt:

We cannot do great things unless we are willing to do the things that make up the sum of great-ness.

TWUA will soon be having its 94th Annual School. The districts, chapters, regional and annual schools are all dedicated to providing training that will help operators bet-ter serve their communities. This is all possible because for more than 94 years people have been willing to do the things necessary to make this training happen. And most of this work has been done by dedicated volunteers.

TWUA would not exist without all the people who were and are willing to do the things that make up the sum of the organization.

As I leave the office of President, I would like to issue a challenge to all the members – find a way to serve – a way to help TWUA grow into the future. Take a district office, help out on a committee, give a program at a district meeting – spend a little time giving back what this organization has given to you.

There are districts and chapters that are struggling for lead-ership. With a membership of over 9,000 we should be able to divide the labor and responsibility and find leadership for the present and the future. I know how hard it is to find time to take on “one more thing.” We all have commitments to family, job, home, and church.

But I promise you that, if you take up my challenge, you will find it a satisfying and rewarding experience, both for your-self and for others.S

Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory.

-General George S Patton

While water districts and municipal water departments are familiar with all aspects of the bills sent to your customers every month, should you consider having an experienced auditor take a closer look at the utility bills you receive every month? It takes a large amount of electricity to run water facilities. Much attention is given during pricing/rate negotia-tions; should more attention be given to your electric pro-vider’s billing process?

TriStem, Ltd. has spent over thirty years examining the bills commercial utility consumers receive. It would seem like common sense that the bills utility companies send out are accurate. Unfortunately, that is not the case. In over thirty years of reviewing electric bills, we find that 60% of commer-cial electric users are being overcharged in hidden ways.

WHAT IS A UTILITY BILL AUDIT?

A utility bill audit is a forensic analysis of past history of the bills you paid to your utility providers. Many errors are not easily detectible by looking just at the bill. A forensic analysis focuses on contracts, fees and charges, tariffs, rates, meter readings and usage to make sure the billing is accurately re-flected. An in-depth audit can take between 6 and 12 months when performed by a professional. Everything that goes into making up the bill is scrutinized. Sometimes the interpreta-tion of a rule or fee can benefit a consumer, and all charges are not equally applicable among commercial users.

Routine audits are common in many industries. Those audits usually make sure the bills are paid accurately. A utility bill audit ensures the accuracy of the bill itself. Mistakes hap-pen, and a good auditing service knows where to look, how to interpret the information, and how to negotiate a refund if an error is found.

WHAT DOES A UTILITY BILL AUDIT NOT INCLUDE?

A true utility bill audit focuses only on the billing. Operational savings may be noted by the auditors and appropriate steps can be taken by the client, but the focus is not energy sav-ings as much as it is cost savings. It can be an essential first step in making an energy savings plan. If the billing is not accurate, the savings may not be reflected even if you are minimizing usage.

WHO NEEDS A UTILITY BILL AUDIT?

If utility bills are a significant part of your budget, it’s worth a look to see if there are any savings available to you. If no er-rors are found, you have confidence that your utility provider is accurately billing your facility. Some clients may already

be performing some audit functions internally. However, there is a level of experience and knowledge in knowing what is applicable on each type of account that only a pro-fessional utility bill audit firm can provide.

HOW IS A UTILITY BILL AUDIT PERFORMED?

A few basic documents are needed from the client. His-torical billing and usage data is requested from the utility providers. The documents are analyzed to look for irregu-larities, investigated through contact with the facility or utility company, and reviewed on-site when needed. The client’s level of involvement is determined by the client.

WHAT UTILITIES CAN BE AUDITED?

Electricity, street lights, telephone, and gas utilities can all be audited.

WHAT RESULTS CAN BE EXPECTED?

Results can vary widely. Contrary to popular belief, small facilities can receive large refunds, and large facilities receive small refunds. Of course, there are no guarantees that everyone will get a refund. Negotiation of the refund is just as important as finding an error, and often following up and knowing what laws apply to refunds are essential in recovering funds.

WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR IN AN AUDITOR?

Look for a company that only charges if errors are found, with no upfront fees. When errors are found and corrected, there can be significant future savings. Some auditing companies will invoice clients for a part of those savings for several years, while others won’t. Some auditing com-panies perform audits as the means to sell energy man-agement services and may not dig as deeply to produce results through past billings. Traditionally, auditors will work independently with little disruption to your staff and won’t interfere with your current energy contracts.S

For more information, please contact Patricia Crow, Client Liaison, at TriStem, Ltd. 1-800-234-7937 or [email protected]


ECONOMIC NEWS: Utility Bill Audit: Can They Reduce Costs for Your Facility By, Patricia Crow, Client Liaison, TriStem, Ltd

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NEWS: Russell Hamilton, TWUA ED


Hope this finds everyone doing well. The Austin area was blessed by some much needed rainfall and while we are grateful, most of the heavy rain fell outside the water shed for Buchanan and Travis. Both lakes are still sitting at about 37% capacity and it is scary to think about heading into another summer with area lakes this low. I know the people in the Panhandle and West Texas Regions areas have been experienc-ing these conditions a lot longer than the Austin area, so please continue to keep our state in your prayers.

Things around Central Office are definitely busy. We have participated in the Far West Texas Regional School in Fort Stockton. We have prepared for all the things associated with Annual School and will be in Corpus when this journal hits the mail. We will be going to Amarillo March 19th to participate and sup-port the Panhandle Regional School – then things get really busy. As you know, the last week of April (24th) is the Beaumont Regional School, the 2nd week of May (8th) will be the Abilene Regional School, and the following week (May 14th) will be the North Texas Regional School in Arlington.

This gets to be a busy time, but for me it’s a good busy. I truly enjoy interacting with the various re-gional boards. Re-establishing friendships with the operators and visiting with the vendors. All the TWUA training events would be much more expensive and less dynamic if were not for the vendors. I ask you to take the time and opportunity to visit with the vendors when they are displaying and supporting training events. Let these individuals know you appreciate their efforts.

We attempt to keep an open dialog going with the vendors and one of the comments that we hear is “things are getting tight, and we need numbers and contacts to justify our participation.” We attempt to encourage this interaction by placing refreshments in the display area. We include one hour of class time as “touring exhibits.” What we truly need is for partici-pants to stop and talk to vendors. You may not have a current need for the various products, but you never know when a vendor might have a product or service that could really get you out of a bind at some point.

For the past year at various times I have written about changing databases and getting TWUA Central Office to more of an electronic function. January 2012 we

made the switch and, while we continue to find conflicts we are working to correct the inconsistencies and make the processes more functional.

One of the big changes is related to membership re-newal. We have the ability now to send the membership renewal notice electronically and we started this process in January of this year. We plan to continue to send a notice in the mail. This notice will be more of a postcard type notice and we expect that in the future we can scale back on the mail notifications and possibly send these only to those who have not provided an email address, but we will leave this open and let members dictate what’s best for them.

This electronic renewal notification does not necessar-ily have to be sent to the actual TWUA member. If you have a supervisor, secretary, accounts payable person, or someone within your organization responsible for ap-proval and payment of items such as memberships, we can easily send this notice to that person.

If you have multiple staff members to renew, Central Of-fice also has the ability to grant designated user access that allows a person to see and review all staff members associated with a specific entity and with the click of a mouse payments can be renewed at one time.

We encourage you to contact Central Office and update your contact information. We understand that not every TWUA member has computer access or the ability to check work related email on a regular basis and for these valued members we will always provide a means to renew memberships in a more traditional method.

On a different note, An elderly man lived with his loving wife on a farm. Over the years this old man took great pride in planting a garden each year and enjoying the fruits of the harvest. Time and arthritis had taken its toll on the man and it now took great effort just to walk and do the necessities of life.

The loving couple had one son who would gladly help with preparing the soil for the garden except for one thing. The son made some bad choices and was now serving time in prison.

The old man wrote his son a letter and the father wished his son well. Encouraged him not to loose focus and to let him know he had a home and parents who would

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NEWS: Russell Hamilton, TWUA ED


welcome him when he completed serving his time. The father was attempting to keep his son connected with the outside world; he told the son it was time to prepare the soil for the garden. He went on to say, "As you know this is very hard work. There has been little rain and the ground is really hard. I am not sure I will be able to plant your mother the garden and I am concerned because as you know it brings her so much pleasure." The old man went on to say “If only you were here, our troubles would be over, but do not worry my son, mom and I will figure out something.”

A very short time later the dad received a special deliv-ery letter from the son. The letter said “For Heaven’s sake, Dad, whatever you do don’t dig in the garden area! That is where I buried the guns and money from the heist.”

At 5:00 am the next morning, dozens of FBI agents and local Sheriff’s officers showed up with a search warrant, shovels, and electronic x-ray equipment. For most of

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the day they dug and searched the area identified as the “garden spot” without finding any guns or money.

Confused, the old man wrote another letter to his son describing what had happened and asked the son what to do next.

The son’s reply was “As you know Dad, big brother watches me closely. Now go ahead and plant your garden and I hope it does well and makes Mom happy. This was the best I could do for you, from here.”

Moral: No matter where you are in your life or in the world, if you have decided to do something deep from within your heart, you can do it. It is the thought that matters, not where you are or where the person is.S -Author unknown

Remember – We do not need all the operators in Texas to be a member of TWUA – JUST YOU ! ! !

PES NEWS: Purpose of the Pretreatment Programs By, Alphonse Newton, City of Fort Worth

Publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) collect wastewater from homes, commercial buildings, and industrial facilities and transport it via a series of pipes, known as a collection system, to the treat-ment plant(s). Collection systems can flow entirely by gravity or can include lift stations, which pump the wastewater via a force main to a higher elevation from which the wastewater can then continue by gravity. Ultimately, the collection system delivers this sewage to the treatment plant. The treatment plant then removes harmful organ-isms and other contaminants from the sewage so the wastewater can be discharged safely into a receiving stream. Without treat-ment, sewage creates bad odors; contaminates rivers, lakes, and water supplies; and spreads disease.

There are more than 16,000 sewage treatment plants in the United States treating more than 32 billion gallons per day of wastewa-ter. There are approximately 1,600 POTWs that have approved pretreatment programs and there are 20,630 significant industrial users (SIU) discharging to those POTWs. Many of the POTWs manage more than one sewage treatment plant. Some states and EPA Regions oversee indirect discharging SIUs that EPA and states oversee directly is 2,197. Therefore, a total of 22,827 SIUs are discharging to sewage treatment plants in the United States.

In the beginning, Industrial Waste Programs were designed to capture revenue from high strength dischargers and to prevent toxic discharges from damaging the collection system. With the emergence of the National Pretreatment Program, distinct goals were established to accomplish these goals on a national basis. Primary Pretreatment Program components consist of 1) Protection of Infrastructure, 2) Protection of POTW personnel, 3) Protection of community from toxic substances, 4) Compliance and Enforce-ment, and 5) Revenue to support the Pretreatment Program.

Protection of infrastructure is still the primary goal of any pretreat-ment program. True, ensuring that the control authority implements the program in a manner to prevent fines, penalties, and sanctions from the state or federal authorities is a reality that is ignored at the peril of each control authority.

Industrial and commercial waste can cause signifi-cant damage to the collec-tion system; oil & grease can cause stoppages, blockages, overflows, and odors. Corrosion can damage pipes, pumps, lift stations, and the treatment plant. Flammable materials can cause explosions, endanger the public and cause extensive damage to the collection system.

Ultimately equipment, facilities, and personnel represent a col-lective and significant public investment and must be protected from abuses from dischargers. Numerous cities’ Industrial Waste Ordinance originated from problematic discharges and included counter measures that were designed to limit obnox-ious discharges. Headwork analysis was the primitive form of establishing discharge criteria. Technical Based Local Limits (TBLL) is more precise and specific to the individual treatment plan. Either way TBLL represents the maximum allowable con-centration that the treatment plant can process without undue harm. This is a significant aid to POTWs.

Figure 1 Grease Stoppage Figure-2 American &Chinese PT Coordinators Speak the Same Language.


Another component of the Pretreatment Program is protec-tion of POTW (Publicly Owned Treatment Works) person-nel. Toxic combinations of discharges can create toxic gases or an explosive atmosphere. Some known human carcinogens include benzene, cadmium, aluminum, vinyl chloride, and ethyl benzene. Pretreatment Programs have personnel and measures for limiting the discharge of such waste into the collection system.

In addition, to protecting POTW personnel, inspectors must have knowledge of industrial chemicals and pro-cesses to properly protect themselves during inspections at industrial or commercial facilities. There is personnel protection equipment (PPE) available and the inspector must have this equipment and know how to properly use it. This could include respirators, SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus), face shields, gas monitors, encap-sulated suits-Level A all the way down to Level D. Knowing and understanding how to operate this equipment may save your life.

Pretreatment programs are increasingly being called upon to protect citizens in their community from toxic and haz-ardous substances. Programs are becoming more active in identifying and resolving problems before they balloon into major problems.

Many cities are calling upon pretreatment program person-nel to assist with such problems. Hydrogen sulfide is a common problem in collection systems. Identifying dis-chargers that contribute to the generation of H2S is a ma-jor accomplishment. Identified discharges must implement measures to modify their discharge, which is expected to minimize and eliminate H2S gas. Many times coordinat-ing with licensed plumbing vendors to identify and correct improperly installed or damaged vent stacks results in elimination of hydrogen sulfide odors.

Another important aspect of the pretreatment program is compliance and enforcement for facilities refusing to coop-erate in curtailing their discharge. Pretreatment programs have tools such ss: Notice of violations, citations, consent orders, compliance schedules, civil and criminal remedies for non-compliance. See the 2012 article in the February TWUA Journal by Yilma Zerihun, which goes into some detail on pretreatment enforcement measures. These methods have been proven effective in bringing facilities into compliance.

After all, many facilities are eager to cooperate in protect-ing the environment and join forces with the POTW in implementing pollution control systems that protect the en-vironment. Be sure to periodically recognize such partners in assisting the POTWs efforts to protect the collection system.

The final component of a pretreatment program is reve-nue. A component of the EPA’s regulatory program is to re-quire companies to pay their fair share of the costs for the

POTW’s Pretreatment Program. POTW’s are required by law to operate a Pretreatment Program. As such POTW’s must recover such cost from permit fees for significant in-dustrial users, categorical industrial users, permitted food service establishments, liquid waste haulers (transporters) and disposal cost associated with the disposal of septage. Moreover, surcharge of high strength waste is another major source of revenue for pretreatment programs. Some cities include a universal tax on utility invoices to support the pretreatment program.

Beyond this, pretreatment program by reducing pollut-ant loads at the POTW result in facilitating the disposal of biosolids. Moreover, low pollutant loads facilitate water reclamation options for POTWs with pretreatment pro-grams that allow further use of treated wastewater. This is a significant development with ramifications for the march toward going green. S


To register for any T.W.U.A. classes – simply complete the registration form and fax to (512)459-7124 or contact T.W.U.A. @ 888-367-8982 for additional details. The name following the address is the scheduled instructor. The contact name, or last name listed after each class, is for information related to directions, training site or questions involving the host city. ***NOTICE: Due To Recent Increases For Training Materials – Class Costs Have Increased. ***Pre-Registration Is Defined To Mean 14 Days Prior To Any Scheduled Event. All registrations received after the pre-registration cutoff date must pay on-site registration fee. We strongly encourage everyone to please pre-register by fax, e-mail, or calling on site registrations are welcome but not preferred.

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TWUA TRAINING SCHEDULE

Date Location Course Address Hours Credit


TWUA TRAINING SCHEDULE20 HOUR CLASSES : (PRE-REGISTRATION) $180 MEMBER $230 NON-MEMBER (ON-SITE ) $230 MEMBER $280 NON-MEMBER

24 HOUR CLASSES: (PRE-REGISTRATION) $240 MEMBER $ 290 NON-MEMBER (ON-SITE) $290 MEMBER $340 NON-MEMBER Youcanregistraron-lineathttp://www.twua.org/training.phpforyournexttrainingclass.

Date Location Course Address Hours Credit

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LAS NEWS: The Environmental Laboratory Advisory Board Meeting Schedule By, Jason Wells, Laboratory Analyst Section Chair

The Environmental Laboratory Advisory Board (ELAB) meeting schedule for 2012 has been announced. There are 10 teleconference meetings and 2 in-person meetings. All meetings are open to the public. The Federal Register notice includes the information on the specific dates and how to join the meetings. ACTION: Notice of teleconference & face-to-face meetings. SUMMARY: The EPA Environmental Laboratory Advisory Board, as previously announced, holds teleconference meetings on the third Wednesday of each month at 1 p.m. Eastern Time, and two face-to-face meetings each calendar year. For 2012, teleconference only meetings will be:

February 15, 2012 1 p.m. Eastern Time March 21, 2012 1 p.m. Eastern Time April 18, 2012 1 p.m. Eastern Time May 16, 2012 1 p.m. Eastern Time June 20, 2012 1 p.m. Eastern Time July 18, 2012 1 p.m. Eastern Time September 19, 2012 1 p.m. Eastern Time October 17, 2012 1 p.m. Eastern Time November 21, 2012 1 p.m. Eastern Time December 19, 2012 1 p.m. Eastern Time

to discuss the ideas and views presented at the previous ELAB meetings, as well as new business. Items to be dis-cussed by ELAB over these coming meetings include: (1) Issues in continuing the expansion of national environmen-tal accreditation, (2) ELAB support to the Agency on issues relating to measurement and monitoring for all programs, and (3) follow-up on some of ELAB’s past recommenda-tions and issues. In addition to these teleconferences, ELAB will be hosting its two face-to-face meetings on Janu-ary 30, 2012 at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota in Sarasota, FL at 8 a.m. Eastern Time and on August 6, 2012 at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in Washington, DC at 9 a.m. Eastern Time. Teleconference lines will also be available for these meetings.

Written comments on laboratory accreditation issues and/or environmental monitoring, or measurement issues are encouraged. These comments should be sent to Ms. Lara P. Autry, Designated Federal Officer, US EPA, Mail Code E243-05, 109 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle

Park, NC 27709, or email her at [email protected]. Members of the public are invited to listen to the tele-conference calls, and time permitting, will be allowed to comment on issues discussed during the ELAB meet-ings.

Those persons interested in attending should call Lara P. Autry on (919) 541-5544 to obtain teleconference information. For information on access or services for individuals with disabilities or to request accommoda-tion of a disability, please contact Lara P. Autry at the number above, preferably at least 10 days prior to the meeting to give the Agency as much time as possible to process your request. Paul T. Anastas, EPA Science Advisor. [FR Doc. 2011-33155 Filed 12-23-11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


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SAFETY NEWS: Employer's Cell Phone Liability By, OSHA

Many drivers have experienced what it is like to be behind someone who is talking on their cell phone. Because the driver is multi-tasking they have trouble placing a concentrated focus on the actual subject of driving. Their speed can fluctuate and they may drift into other lanes or make very abrupt stops. In some ways it can appear as if you are following someone who’s had too much to drink. Sometimes these drivers are the cause of accidents.

Business owners are finding themselves in a precarious situation.

If their employees who must drive also use a cell phone and that employee is the cause of an accident while talking on their cell phone, it may be the busi-ness owner who may be found liable.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) passed along a story in a re-cent newsletter that documents a true story. The results speak for themselves.

Clients anticipated the arrival of Ms. Walker who used her car as a mobile office most days. It didn’t take Ms. Walker long to discover she could get more work accomplished if she used her cell phone while she drove from one client’s location to the next.

Walker entered the onramp of the regional Interstate and set her cruise while using the company supplied cell phone to make an appointment with a client. She didn’t notice the traffic snarl until it was too late. Walker hit the vehicle in front of her causing it to overturn. The driver’s arm was lodged between the door and the pavement. In the end this victim, a single mother of four, lost her arm to amputation.

You can probably tell what direction this story takes next, and you’d be right. The victim sued both Walker and her company due to what she perceived as an unreasonable hazard associated with the cell phone use. Millions of dollars in damages were asked for and millions of dollars were given to the victim.

You may think this is an isolated case, but employers across the US are finding themselves liable for accidents involving employees who use company supplied cell phones while driving.

Consider the following.

Case # 1 – A jury in Arkansas settled a case involving cell phone use and an employee behind the wheel. The expense to the employer? $16 million.

Case # 2 – An accidental death case resulted in another $16 million settlement against a separate employer.

Case # 3 – An attorney using a cell phone while driving struck and killed a 15 year-old girl. The attorney faced felony charges and her firm settled for an undisclosed sum.

Case # 4 – An employer settled a case for $20 million where cell phone use by an employee led to an accident.

We’ve talked about these collisions in light of using a cell phone provided by an employer, but a similar scenario is true if the employee is using their personal cell phone for business pur-poses. In other words, it may be fiscally responsible to develop a proactive plan to deal with employees and their use of cell phones for business purposes.

The Braun Consulting Group offers two primary motivations that businesses

should consider when it comes to cell phone liability:

1. An employee could be injured or killed in an ac-cident in part because of cell phone usage while driving. It is an unsafe activity and increases the risk of injury or death.

2. If the employee is engaged in company business while on the phone and involved in an accident then the employer may be liable, and face signifi-cant financial repercussions.

Does your company have a policy related to cell phone use?

More and more governing boards as well as judicial courts are finding in favor of victims in cases where an employee is using a cell phone for business purposes while driving. A company policy may limit or even negate your potential liability is such cases. Ignoring this problem could result in the loss of millions in company revenue and potential loss of innocent life. S


CUSTOMER SERVICE NEWS: Delivering Customer Service Training That Sticks By, Julio Quintana, Customer Service Coach


“Societyisalwaystakenbysurpriseatanynewexampleof common sense.” Teaching customer service should be easy. After all, it is common sense to treat customers as we would want to be treated. Developing or delivering a program that helps people understand that proves more difficult.

That’s because at the core of every customer service training initiative must be a clear understanding of the mo-tives and purpose that drives us, accompanied by a clear strategy for delivering exceptional service that not only wins customers but also helps you keep them for life. Many companies have customer service programs in place (or at least address the need for one). But most focus on practices rather than the principles that make them successful.

Customer service train-ing is often driven re-actively by the need to solve immediate service problems. As a result, we fail to identify, promote, and train employees on the core components that drive service from the heart, not just the brain. No customer service program is complete until it addresses the integration of the following components:

Reliability

Consistent performance is what customers want most. They want service they can depend on. More specifically this means that they want you to do what you say you are going to do, do it when you say you’re going to do it, and do it right the first time. If you can also get it done on time, you are being reliable. A reliable individual is worthy of reliance or trust, and trust builds long-term relationships in personal and professional life.

In business, sports, or in any field of endeavor, consistent, high-level performance is the major difference between the runners and the champions. Teach people to be reliable and you are teaching them to be winners.

Credibility

One thing customers will readily pay for is peace of mind. We want security, integrity, and the assurance that if there is a problem, it will be promptly handled at no extra cost.

If we buy products, we want them to be safe and guaran-teed. If we buy services, we want them to be free from danger, risk, or doubt and kept confidential.

We don’t want hidden agen-das, hard-sell techniques, extra charges, and contracts with “fine print." Such is the na-ture of credibility and it brings customers back.

A credible person is worthy of confidence and a company that proves itself credible gains the respect of their customers, and often of their competitors.

Teach people to be credible and you are teaching them respect.

Attractiveness

Anything the customer sees, feels, touches, hears, or smells concerning your business is shaping their opinion of your service for better or worse. Appearances may be deceiving but customers draw a lot of conclusions about the service quality on the basis of what they see.

Look at the business through your customer’s eyes and make the effort to put forth a first-class image. Being at-tractive means to be pleasing to the eye as well as to the mind. It means having the power to attract. When you teach

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people to dress smart and maintain a pleasant work environ-ment and appearance, you are empowering them to provide great service.

Responsiveness

Responsiveness has to do with more than the speed at which you provide a service. Being responsive means being accessible, available, and willing to help customers when-ever they have a problem.

A responsive individual is ready to respond and react to suggestions, influences, appeals, or efforts on behalf of the customer. Teach people to be responsive and you are preparing them to be flexible.

Empathy

Customers should be treated as unique individuals, with their unique personalities, wants, and reasons to buy. If you treat them as such and solve their unique problems, they will continue to be your customer. Showing empathy means putting yourself in the customer’s shoes. It means trying objectively to grasp their point-of-view, and feeling what they feel.

It means listening intensely, asking the right questions, speaking their language, and tailoring your services to help them as best you can. When you show empathy you dig deeper into your own self and attribute part of you to your interactions with others. When you teach people empathy you are helping them to really care. When these elements are in place you will see a change in the attitudes and behavior of your service providers. Start with these principles as a strong foundation for creating action-ready training programs and you will see incredible returns on your training investment.

You will also win and keep the customers who ultimately pay the bill. S


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WATER OPERATOR II Whitehouse Texas

The City of Whitehouse, an Equal Opportunity Em-ployer, is now accepting resumes and applications for a Water Operator II. All resumes and applications need to be submitted City of Whitehouse PO Box 776, Whitehouse, TX 75791, Attn: Jeff Tomlin. Day to day operation of water wells and pumping stations, 24 hour on-call rotation, any and all paperwork to and from TCEQ, grounds & equipment maintenance, responsible for keeping a safe work environment, 5 years experience operat-

ing heavy equipment such as backhoe & loader, other duties as assigned and/or required.

High school graduate or equivalent is required. TCEQ Class C Ground Water is REQUIRED, TCEQ Class C Wastewater li-censes or the ability to ob-tain these licenses within one year of hire, a valid Texas Driver’s license with a clean driving record. Sal-ary based on qualifications. City of Whitehouse: Fax resume and salary require-ments to: (903) 839-4915 Email resume and salary requirements to: [email protected]


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FOREMAN – WTP 151 W. Church St

Participates in and leads Chief Plant Operators and Plant Operators in the per-formance of activities related to the operation and mainte-nance of a 20-million gallon/day surface water treatment facility, four treated water pumping, storage and me-tering facilities, five elevated storage tanks, two raw water intakes and booster stations; leads and evaluates work of Plant Operators; performs various laboratory tests and analyses as required for effective operation of the facility and distribution system; performs other related duties as required. High School Diploma or GED Experience 3 years of water treatment surface experience. Must possess a Grade “C” Certification in Surface Water Production from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality APPLY at: www.cityoflewis-ville.com Salary: $43,250. City of Lewisville: Email re-sume and salary requirements to: [email protected]

TREATMENT OPERATOR I Cedar Park

Treatment Operator I to operate and maintain the Water Reclamation Plant Facility. HS Grad or GED,+ 2 yrs exp. Must have Class C Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certification. For more info. - WWW.cedarparktx.us $15.98 + DOQ. City of Cedar Park: Fax resume and salary requirements to: 512.401.5251 Email resume and salary require-ments to: [email protected]

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