May 29, 2002
PPL Electric, Gas Companies Ranked First In U.S. Study of Customer Satisfaction
PRNewswire-FirstCall
ALLENTOWN, Pa.
For the second year in a row, PPL Corporation's Pennsylvania-based electric and gas distribution companies placed first in a nationwide study of customer satisfaction.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19981015/PHTH025)
"The study results reflect the efforts employees make every day to earn the confidence of our more than 1 million residential customers," said Michael E. Bray, president of PPL Electric Utilities and vice chairman of PPL Gas Utilities.
The two PPL companies, rated together, scored 80 (out of a possible 100) for the second consecutive year in the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Among utilities that have both electric and natural gas companies, PPL tied for first place with Maryland-based Allegheny Energy. PPL was alone in first place in 2001, the first year it was included in the ACSI study.
ACSI results for the first quarter of 2002 looked at the 30 largest U.S. electric and gas utilities as well as dozens of companies in the airline, hotel, cable television, telecommunications, parcel delivery and health insurance industries.
PPL's score was considerably higher than the average of 73 for energy distribution companies. Among the 63 companies in various industries included in the first-quarter ACSI results, only two received a higher score than PPL's 80.
Bray said PPL Electric Utilities and PPL Gas Utilities are able to achieve a high level of customer satisfaction by providing reliable and efficient service, responding quickly to customer calls and keeping rates affordable. "The American Customer Satisfaction Index, other independent studies and our own research help us identify customer needs and expectations so we can continually look for ways to improve," he said.
PPL companies understand that customer satisfaction is an important element of success for utility companies. The producers of the ACSI study have reported a correlation between customer satisfaction and financial stability, and said a high score on the study is often a sign of a healthy company. ACSI is produced by the University of Michigan Business School in partnership with the American Society for Quality and CFI Group, an international management consulting firm. Complete results are available on the ACSI Web site at http://www.theacsi.org/.
PPL Electric Utilities serves 1.3 million customers in 29 counties of eastern and central Pennsylvania. PPL Gas Utilities serves 75,000 customers in parts of 34 counties across Pennsylvania and a small portion of Maryland.
PPL Electric Utilities Corporation and PPL Gas Utilities Corporation are subsidiaries of PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL). Headquartered in Allentown, Pa., PPL Corporation controls or owns more than 10,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States, sells energy in key U.S. markets, and delivers electricity to nearly 6 million customers in Pennsylvania, the United Kingdom and Latin America.
Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19981015/PHTH025
PRN Photo Desk, 888-776-6555 or 212-782-2840
SOURCE: PPL Electric Utilities Corporation
CONTACT: George Lewis of PPL, +1-610-774-5997, or fax,
+1-610-774-5281
Web site: http://www.theacsi.org/
Web site: http://www.pplweb.com/
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