CONNECTIONS
NOVEMBER 2020 | THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF COBB ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION
Upcoming events Virtual Community Roundtable Join us Nov. 18 at 12 p.m. to connect with community leaders from our area. Learn how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted nonprofits and how the Cobb EMC Community Foundation supports local organizations. Register: cobbemc.com/events
Office Closing Cobb EMC will be closed Nov. 26 and 27 for Thanksgiving. Employees are always on call for emergencies. To report an outage by phone, call 770-429-2100. You can also report an outage online at cobbemc.com/outage or with the free Cobb EMC app.
small change
BIG DIFFERENCE
Since inception, the Cobb EMC Community Foundation has awarded more than $5.5 million to local charities and nonprofits. Thank you to generous members who round up their bills each month. Visit cobbemc.com/foundation for a full list of recipients or to learn how to request funding.
Cobb EMC receives high ratings in member satisfaction Cobb EMC recently received its American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) score of 91 for the first half of 2020, and it is the highest score the EMC has ever received. “As an electric cooperative, one of our main goals is to make sure our members have a great experience, and our recent ACSI score tells us that we are delivering at a high level for them,” says Cobb EMC President and CEO Peter Heintzelman. “I am proud of our member care efforts, and this is a huge win for our employees and the communities we serve.”
Cobb EMC member care representatives are ready to assist you at the drive-thru, online and by phone.
Cobb EMC scored 18 points higher than the national Touchstone Energy Cooperative Utility group score of 73, as well as 19 points higher than both investor-owned utilities and municipal utilities scores of 72, per the 2020 ACSI Utility Sector Report. There are over 900 electric cooperatives in the country, and more than 700 are members of Touchstone Energy Cooperatives. Of those, only 16 scored more than a 90. The score is also higher than topperforming companies like Chick-fil-A and Costco and a remarkable 13 points higher than Netflix and Starbucks, based on 2019-2020 ACSI reports. “This ACSI score confirms our value and quality in the eyes of our members,” says Cobb EMC member and Public Relations Director Mike Codichini. “We look forward to not only maintaining but improving this level of satisfaction and furthering the co-op difference to our membership.” The ACSI is the only national cross-industry measure of customer satisfaction in the United States. Each year, the ACSI uses data from interviews with roughly 300,000 customers as inputs to an econometric model for analyzing customer satisfaction with more than 400 companies in 46 industries and 10 economic sectors.
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Use less energy on Thanksgiving It’s not unusual for home energy bills to spike around the holidays. There are ways to keep that from happening this Thanksgiving:
THE PROOF IS IN THE POWER
TOP 3
1. Right-size your turkey. Buy a bird that’s just big enough to feed your family. Smaller turkeys cook quicker, which saves energy.
in the nation for reliability
2. Don’t preheat your oven. It’s not necessary for a turkey, which is going to roast for several hours.
TOP 10
3. Make the dressing on the stovetop. Roasting a stuffed turkey takes longer.
in the state for LOW RATES
4. If you’re baking side dishes, put them all in the oven at the same time – if their baking temperatures are similar. 5. Turn down the temperature on your home’s thermostat by a few degrees once you start cooking. You’ll be heating up the kitchen as you use the oven and stove, so your home will be warmer than usual. Get year-round energy savings tips at cobbemc.com/save.
#1
in the nation for restoring outages quickly LEADERSHIP Peter Heintzelman President and CEO cobbemc.com/aboutus
Cobb EMC's wholly-owned subsidiary, Gas South can save you money on your natural gas.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Tripper Sharp, Chairman Eric Broadwell, Vice Chairman Kelly Bodner, Secretary-Treasurer Bryan Boyd Edward Crowell David McClellan Malcolm Swanson David Tennant Rudy Underwood
Sign up today to enjoy these member benefits: • A permanent discount • Zero deposit • Waived connection fee • Additional savings in bill credits Plus, you'll know your choice is making a difference because, along with Cobb EMC, Gas South is committed to strengthening our community. That’s why we’re donating over $1 million in 2020 to support families in our communities impacted by COVID-19.
Experience the Gas South difference. Sign up and start saving today.
CONTACT US 855.802.2766 450
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Visit: GasSouth.com/cobb Call: 855.802.2766 Promo Code: 450
Phone: 770-429-2100 Pay by phone: 1-855-730-8714 Web: cobbemc.com
Watch out for scams Cobb EMC members should be aware of utility scams demanding immediate payment or threatening immediate disconnection. This type of scam can happen over the phone or in person at the door. Cobb EMC will never request payment information over the phone or in person at your property. Members are always directed to the Cobb EMC website or to the automated payment phone line to make payments. We advise members to never give banking or credit card information to nonverified callers, and only give out this information if you have placed the call and are confident that you have reached Cobb EMC. What to do if you suspect a scammer: DO NOT PAY Never give banking or credit card information to a nonverified caller or person. HANG UP You can check your account balance directly on the Cobb EMC app or website to verify your billing status. REPORT IT Call Cobb EMC at 770-429-2100 to report suspicious activity.
Future ready: EV programs and incentives EVs are becoming more common on the roads because they’re more affordable, more reliable and better for our environment. Plus, they’re fun to drive! Cobb EMC is committed to driving EV growth in our community to benefit our members. If you’re interested in making the switch, our programs are specifically designed to help you every step of the way. That’s the cooperative difference.
TRY BEFORE YOU BUY Get behind the wheel of an EV at your convenience so you can decide if an EV fits your lifestyle. Our EV checkout program allows you to drive one of our fleet EVs on a weekday or weekend. See which cars are available for you to drive at cobbemc.com/ev.
EV RESOURCE CENTER Visit cobbemc.com/ev to access our online EV resource center. You’ll find all the information you need about electric vehicles, answers to some of the most common EV questions, charging station maps, savings calculators and tax incentives.
Cobb EMC has a variety of EVs available for members to test drive.
EV RATE What if you could charge your EV for free? You can! Our NiteFlex rate offers free overnight charging making it ideal for EV owners. HOME EV CHARGING More than 80% of EV drivers charge at home. Make your home charging experience even more convenient when you install a level 2 EV charger. We have a list of approved contractors ready to help with installation. Get started at cobbemc.com/ev. Supporting EVs in our community also means making charging more accessible for commuters. That’s why Cobb EMC created the EV Grant Program to encourage the development of EV charging stations at businesses in our service territory.
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Smarter energy for our members Cobb EMC focuses on continual improvements that benefit our members and our future. That’s why we’re advancing our smart grid with cutting-edge technologies to power you through a storm. We are committed to delivering reliable, affordable, safe and sustainable electricity that you can depend on.