Gulf Power is adding more options that will help make it easier for customers to interact with the energy provider. From new user-friendly kiosks which will process customer payments to an improved customer experience online, the aim is to continue to improve customer value.
It’s called “Service to Fit Your Life.”
Rick DelaHaya, Gulf Power spokesperson, said Gulf Power is always looking for ways to make things easier for customers, with surveys showing more customers are moving toward self-service and technology-based transactions.
“Our new payment options allows our customers to tailor the way they want to interact with us,” DelaHaya said
Service to Fit Your Life will include an umbrella of services planned or already in place, including new kiosks, additional payment locations, and a soon-to-be-released revamped online experience.
Kiosks
Later this month, the first payment kiosk will be installed at Gulf Power’s customer payment office in Chipley. That will be followed by the installation of more than 20 more kiosks at the Milton, Niceville, Fort Walton Beach, Crestview, Pensacola, Panama City and DeFuniak Springs Gulf Power offices. Payment kiosks will also be installed in the drive-through windows at the Milton, Chipley, Niceville and Panama City offices.
New redesigned office “pods” will include open-air tables for employees to assist customers, as well as the new kiosks. For now, the kiosks will only be for payments, but in the future, the kiosks may also provide additional services such as payment arrangements, acquiring products and services and other features. The kiosks are also multi-lingual, which will serve to assist many of the energy provider’s customers who may prefer to do business in a language other than English.
And in Fort Walton Beach, an electric vehicle concierge center will be added where customers will be able to check out some of the newest electric vehicles and learn more about electric vehicles. Customers will also have access to EV experts who will be able to answer questions and help them locate EVs for sale in their area.
Authorized Payment Locations
Beginning Oct. 1, more authorized payment locations (APLs) were enabled through Western Union at an additional 183 locations in Gulf Power’s service footprint. This has increased the number of APLs in Gulf Power’s area to almost 300 locations available for customers to make bill payments with real-time account posting. APLs expand customers’ options since these types of businesses are also available nationwide.
“Our customers are at the center of everything we do — they are at the forefront of our decisions,” DelaHaya added. “If a customer lives in Molino and can’t make it to downtown Pensacola to pay their bill, we need to provide more convenient options, which is what the authorized payment locations can do. Customers frequently shop at places like Publix, Walmart, Winn Dixie, Walgreens or CVS which may be more convenient locations for them to pay their bill.”
Other APLs include MoneyGram, available at 97 locations, and CheckFree Pay, located at Walmart and other locations.
Online chat
Gulf Power will begin an online chat function in early 2017. Live chat will offer customers easy, low-effort access to live customer service.
“The “Service to Fit Your Life” additions help Gulf Power to continue to provide exceptional customer value while placing an exciting emphasis on customer engagement,” said DelaHaya. “New technologies, rising customer expectations and the need to support more sophisticated customer interactions keep the customer at the center of all we do.”
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Gulf Power is an investor-owned electric utility with all of its common stock owned by Atlanta-based Southern Company. Gulf Power serves more than 450,000 customers in eight counties throughout Northwest Florida. The company’s mission is to safely provide exceptional customer value by delivering reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible electricity while strengthening our communities. Visit online at MyGulfPower.com or on the company’s Facebook page. News information can be found at GulfPowerNews.com.
News Media Contacts:
Jeff Rogers
External Communications & Brand Manager
850-444-6243, cell 850-572-5511
Rick DelaHaya
Media Relations Supervisor
850-444-6433, cell 318-294-2338
Natalie Smith
Media Relations
850-444-6784, cell 850-375-6123