2010 International Utilities
Revenue Protection Association
Benchmarking Survey - DUE: March 31, 2010
Return to Gary Signorelli at
1. Please provide the following:Name:
Title:
Company Name:
Phone Number:
2. Type of Utility: (Only an X next to any that apply).
Electric: / Water:
Gas: / Combination (specify):
Other (specify):
3. If answer to Question 2 is Other, how many installations does your company service?
Residential:
Commercial:
Industrial:
4. How many electric meters does your company service?
Residential:
Commercial:
Industrial:
5. How many gas meters does your company service?
Residential:
Commercial:
Industrial:
6. How many water meters does your company service?
Residential:
Commercial:
Industrial:
7. Does your company employ an AMR or AMI system?
Yes: / No:
8. If answer to 7 is yes, please place an X next to any that apply:
- Drive by
- Cellular
- Microwave
- Fixed network
- Manually read
- Other
9. Which best describes the composition of your service territory? (Only an X needed).
We operate in only one state:
We operate in several contiguous states:
We operate in several states which are not necessarily contiguous:
Other (specify):
10. Approximately, how many employees does your company have?
11. Does your company have a Revenue Protection Department?
12. If answer to 11 is yes, what area of the company does the Revenue Protection Department report to? (Only an X next to any that apply).
- Customer Service
- Metering Services
- Corporate Security
- Legal
- Credit & Collections
- Billing
- Other (specify):
13. How many employees (including each part-timer at .5) does the Revenue Protection Department have?
Management:
Investigators:
Office Support:
Others (specify):
14. How are the Investigator’s duties assigned? (Only an X next to any that apply).
Geographically:
Residential/Commercial:
Type of Service (Electric, Gas or Water)::
Each Investigator handles all types
Others (specify):
15. What percentage of Investigators is classified as Union?
16. Which work activity is included in your Revenue Protection group? Only an X needed.
- Tampering/Theft
- Fraud/Identity Theft
- Defective Meters (Non Theft):
- Other (specify):
17. How are Leads brought to your attention?
18. Are Investigators allowed to remove meters?
19. Are Investigators allowed to remove jumpers or bypasses?
20. Is the wiring, meter socket, and/or piping company owned?
21. How many investigations were performed in 2008?
22. How many total cases were confirmed in 2008?
A. Residential:
B. Commercial/Industrial:
23. How many investigations were performed in 2009?
24. How many total cases were confirmed in 2009?
A. Residential:
B. Commercial/Industrial:
25. What was the department’s total billing for 2008?
A. Residential:
B. Commercial/Industrial:
26. What was the department’s total billing for 2009?
A. Residential:
B. Commercial/Industrial:
27. What was the department's Return on Investment (Recoveries/Costs)for 2008?
28. What was the department's Return on Investment for 2009?
29. Please indicate the percentage of time that your full-time equivalent Revenue Protection Investigators spend on the following activities. Your answers should sum to 100%.
- Investigation
- Backbilling
- Calculation, Administration
- Employee Training
- Equipment Connection
- Case Preparation
- Court Appearance
- Sealing Program
- Promotion of Prepaid Metering
- Slow or Dead Investigation
- Meters not in Reading Route
- Other
Total / %
In the electric industry, Future Annualized Gain or Restored Revenue is described as projected future revenue gained for a period of time after the diversion or loss is stopped.
30. Does your company recognize Future Annualized Gain or Restored?
31. If answer to 30 is yes, please indicate the method used for calculating.
32. Does FutureAnnualized Gain or Restored Revenue apply to:
- Tampering
- Defective Equipment
- Both
- Other (specify):
33. For Gas, Water, and Other utility types, is there a formula for calculating Future Annualized Gain or Restored Revenue?
34. If answer to 33 is yes, please indicate the method used for calculating.
35. How does Revenue Protection Department measure success? Only X any that apply.
Actual revenue billed:
Future Annualized Gain or Restored Revenue factor:
Number of Investigations where losses are stopped:
Actual revenue collected:
Other (specify)
36. How far backward (in months) can your company bill for found revenue?
From tampering?
From defective meters and improper wiring applications?
37.Does your company offer payment arrangements on theft cases?
38. What legal context allows your company to bill for meter tampering? (only X those that apply).
- Federal Law(s)
- State Law (s)
- Regulatory Framework
- Civil Laws
- Other (specify):
39. Please describe the circumstances under which "Energy Theft" is a consideredFelony in your jurisdiction.
40. Does your company prosecute for Theft of Service?
41. If answer to 40 is yes, how many prosecutions were filed in 2008?
42. How many prosecutions were filed in 2009?
43. What was the success rate for prosecutions in 2008 and 2009 combined?
44. After tampering activities are found, does your company's Customer Information System flag the accounts toassist the Customer Service Agents when speaking to the customer?
45. Do you notify the customer or occupant by: (only X those that apply)
- Door Hanger
- Letter
- Tag on meter installation
- Other (specify):
46. Does your company charge or assess a tampering fee?
47. If answer to 46 is yes, how much is the fee?
48. Does your company charge for meter tests or meter damage?
49. If answer to 48 is yes, how much is the cost?
50. Do you install locking hardware?
51. If answer to 50 is yes, do you charge the customer for it?
52. Does your company have an incentive program?
53. If answer to 52 is yes, does your company feel the incentive program is working?
54. If answer to 52 is yes, please describe how the payout is determined?
55. How much revenue in2009 do you estimate was lost to your company from Theft of Service, Fraud, and Defective Equipment?
56. What percentage of generation, after line loss, do you estimate was lost from 55 above?
57. Does your company currently utilize any outside programs to identify losses?
58. If answer to 57 is yes, please specify.
59. What are the critical issues facing the industry regarding Revenue Protection, both currently and in the future?
60. How can IURPAgrow membership and become a more helpfulorganization in 2010?
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