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Pinnacle West takes pride in its commitment to the community. In a 2002 survey of 640 community leaders, APS was the first company mentioned by 51 percent of those surveyed as the one company that came to mind as a good community citizen. According to the survey, our active participation, both directly and indirectly, in the communities we serve established us as a good community citizen in the minds of community leaders. We are recognized for our involvement in community development, education and health and human services as well as for our support of economic development activities.
We also are regarded as honest and ethical, effectively managed and an excellent provider of service to our customers. In 2002, the company was awarded the Better Business Bureau Ethics Award for central and northern Arizona.
Customer Satisfaction
It is incumbent upon every Pinnacle West employee to deliver the highest level of service to our customers throughout out the year — regardless of external circumstances. In 2002, we added nearly 30,000 customers to our customer base, giving us a growth rate of three times the national average. This rapid growth rate did not, however, diminish our focus on customer satisfaction.
In a 2002 customer satisfaction study of midsize business customers conducted by J.D. Power and Associates:
- APS was rated higher than all but one other utility in the western region
- APS ranked first in midsize business customer satisfaction among investor-owned utilities in the western U.S. in 2002
- APS placed in the first quartile nationally in 2002 in company image and customer satisfaction for midsize business customers
- APS ranked first in the region and sixth nationally in billing and payment for midsize business customers
In addition to third-party customer surveys the company conducts its own surveys to determine customer satisfaction. For the Customer Satisfaction Tracking survey, residential and small-to-midsize business customers are surveyed twice each year regarding their level of satisfaction with APS’ performance. Participants are randomly selected regardless of whether they have had any recent company contact. Large commercial and industrial customers participate in the survey once per year.
Emergency Response
As Arizona’s largest electric utility and an integral part of our nation’s critical infrastructure, our company is committed to its responsibility to national security.
Throughout our history, our company has unfailingly adhered to industry standards of security at all our facilities. In the wake of the September 11 attacks, we have worked with the State of Arizona and local governments, national security agencies and regulators, law enforcement and industry experts to aggressively enhance security to protect our facilities, our ability to continue to deliver electricity, our customers and our nation’s economy.
APS has qualified fire and emergency response teams on staff at the Palo Verde nuclear plant and the Four Corners and Cholla coal plants. Emergency response plans at each facility detail how to respond to emergencies. We actively participate in local emergency planning committees and provide emergency planning and on-site chemical storage and hazard information to state and local agencies through SARA (Superfund Reauthorization Act of 1986) Tier I and Tier II reports.
The Palo Verde plant annually provides neighbors with information regarding plant operations, emergency planning zone maps, emergency classifications, important telephone numbers, procedures, locations of care centers and suggested protective actions. Palo Verde also conducts joint emergency planning drills with local, state and federal emergency response agencies at least twice per year.
The APS Energy Delivery and Sales division also maintains an emergency response plan that helps the organization quickly respond to disasters, both natural and man-made. Periodic reviews and trial implementations help the division improve its emergency response procedures for use during potentially dangerous emergency outages.
Our Public Safety department is responsible for keeping our customers and the public safe and informed about the possible dangers of electricity. The department also launched a program for fourth-grade students to increase electrical safety awareness. The company mailed letters to teachers throughout Arizona offering electrical safety materials and a safety presentation free of charge.
Our Customer Service department works closely with Public Safety to ensure our customers have access to accurate, relevant information on the proper use and handling of electricity. In 2002, our Public Safety employees targeted fourth-grade students throughout Arizona. Public Safety efforts reached dozens of local schools with a fulfillment program. The department also reached hundreds of students, maintenance workers, city employees, firefighters and arborists with targeted presentations. To support the outreach efforts, the department launched a safety billboard campaign that encouraged people to be cautious of electric lines and equipment.
Our Construction department maintains three electrical safety demonstration trailers that dramatically show the impact of electrical current on tissue such as hot dogs and fruit. To ensure the highest level of safety, only trained, experienced personnel operate the trailer. In 2002, we conducted nearly 60 presentations reaching more than 3,000 people.
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