October 28, 2004 -- With the recent separation from Westar Energy, a redesigned billing statement and rising natural gas prices, the Kansas Gas Service Customer Contact Center has received a significant increase in the number of customer calls.
"We are handling an overwhelming number of calls at our Customer Contact Center and unfortunately we have not provided the level of customer service that our customers deserve," said Bill Eliason, vice president of Kansas Gas Service. "We are taking several steps to reduce call volumes and alleviate customer wait times."
Kansas Gas Service is increasing its staffing immediately to ensure more customer service representatives are available to answer calls during peak hours as well as Saturdays, extending shifts, and utilizing temporary workers.
In addition, the telephone system utilized by Kansas Gas Service offers an interactive voice response (IVR) technology with the capability to perform many functions. Customers may access the IVR system by calling (800) 794-4780 and visit the www.kgas.com web site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to view account information, perform billing transactions, start, stop, and transfer service, and learn about cost of gas, energy saving tips and more.
"We want to remind customers that the IVR system and web site are effective alternatives to access account information without telephone delays," added Eliason.
However, if customers cannot find answers to their questions through the IVR system or the Web site, KGS customer service center representatives are available Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
KGS customer contact representatives answer calls in the order they are received. The company uses a virtual-hold technology that allows customers to submit call back information, without remaining on hold or losing their place in the system. When the virtual-hold option is selected, the system automatically returns calls when customer service representatives are available.
KGS provides clean, reliable natural gas to more than 642,000 customers in 341 communities in Kansas. Kansas Gas Service is a division of ONEOK, Inc., a diversified energy company involved primarily in oil and gas production, natural gas processing, gathering, storage and transmission primarily in the mid-continent areas of the United States. The company's energy services operations provide service to customers in most states. The company is the largest natural gas distributor in Kansas and Oklahoma, and the third largest in Texas, operating as Kansas Gas Service, Oklahoma Natural Gas and Texas Gas Service, serving almost 2 million customers.
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