UMC Customer and Public Relations 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A utility's call center experiences a spike in calls after a major main break. Which strategy BEST manages customer expectations during this event?
- Put customers on hold indefinitely without an update
- Activate an automated outage hotline with status updates every 30 minutes (Correct answer)
- Close the call center to avoid overwhelm
- Direct all calls to voicemail and return them after repairs
Correct answer: Activate an automated outage hotline with status updates every 30 minutes
An automated hotline with regular updates reduces call volume while keeping customers informed during emergencies.
Question 2: Which metric is MOST useful for evaluating the effectiveness of a utility's customer service department?
- Number of employees per shift
- First Contact Resolution (FCR) rate (Correct answer)
- Total number of calls received
- Average hold music duration
Correct answer: First Contact Resolution (FCR) rate
FCR measures how often customer issues are resolved on the first interaction, directly reflecting service quality.
Question 3: A low-income customer cannot pay their water bill and faces disconnection. Which utility program MOST directly addresses this situation?
- Tiered rate structure for high-volume users
- Low-Income Customer Assistance Program (CAP) (Correct answer)
- Budget billing for large commercial accounts
- Demand-side management incentive
Correct answer: Low-Income Customer Assistance Program (CAP)
Customer Assistance Programs are specifically designed to help low-income households maintain access to essential utility services.
Question 4: A utility issues a boil-water advisory. Which communication channel should be used FIRST to ensure the fastest broad reach?
- Quarterly newsletter mailing
- Emergency alert system (EAS) broadcast (Correct answer)
- Posting a flyer at utility headquarters
- Annual customer report
Correct answer: Emergency alert system (EAS) broadcast
The Emergency Alert System reaches the broadest audience the fastest during public health emergencies.
Question 5: A utility's public relations team wants to increase customer satisfaction scores. Which action is LEAST likely to achieve this goal?
- Extending customer service hours
- Publishing clear bill explanations
- Increasing connection fees without notice (Correct answer)
- Launching a proactive outage communication program
Correct answer: Increasing connection fees without notice
Unexplained fee increases typically damage customer trust and lower satisfaction scores.
Question 6: When a news reporter calls about a pipeline leak, who should be the utility's designated spokesperson?
- Any available field technician
- The designated Public Information Officer (PIO) or communications director (Correct answer)
- The on-call repair crew supervisor
- An anonymous source within the utility
Correct answer: The designated Public Information Officer (PIO) or communications director
A designated PIO ensures consistent, accurate, and legally appropriate messaging to the media.
Question 7: A customer submits a service complaint online and receives no response for two weeks. This MOST likely indicates:
- The complaint was resolved automatically
- A gap in the utility's complaint tracking and follow-up process (Correct answer)
- The complaint was frivolous and not worth addressing
- The online system is a suggestion box, not a complaint portal
Correct answer: A gap in the utility's complaint tracking and follow-up process
A lack of response signals a breakdown in complaint management workflows, which erodes customer trust.
UMC Customer and Public Relations 3
A utility's call center experiences a spike in calls after a major main break.
Which strategy BEST manages customer expectations during this event?