Touchstone Energy Co-ops Are Tops in Customer Satisfaction

Touchstone Energy cooperatives, in aggregate, stand alone atop the 2004 third quarter American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). The Touchstone Energy score of 81 is unchanged from last quarter's ACSI report, but the top investor-owned utilities both dropped a point. PPL Corp. dropped to 80 and Southern Company dropped to 79. The industry average remained unchanged at 72. In the "Customer Loyalty and Retention" section of the Q3 ACSI report, Touchstone Energy cooperatives improved to an industry-leading 81.

ACSI is one of the most recognized customer satisfaction indices in the United States. It's managed by the University of Michigan Business School and sponsored by the American Society for Quality.

"Even with a number of Touchstone Energy cooperatives encountering significant power restoration challenges associated with last quarter's fierce weather, our score stood firm while other utilities declined," said Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Chief Operating Officer Jim Bausell.

A Million Co-op Connections Cards Printed

More than one million Co-op Connections cards came off the press late last month in the first print run of this member benefits card. The Co-op Connections card, unveiled this year by Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, offers co-op member-owners product and service discounts while providing participating retail businesses increased customer traffic and sales.

Created to drive member loyalty, the card is expected to increase awareness of electric co-ops. As a result of this first print run, Co-op Connections cards and key fobs will be sent to members of 17 Touchstone Energy co-ops in Kentucky, Ohio, Georgia, Indiana and Colorado.

"This first print run of the Co-op Connections card means that members of 12 East Kentucky Power distribution cooperatives will begin to enjoy discounts at local businesses during the Christmas season. For co-op members, this program is tangible evidence of the advantages in being part of a Touchstone Energy cooperative. For the co-ops, it provides a great opportunity to re-affirm their commitment to their communities," said Jerry McDonald, advertising and branding manager for East Kentucky Power Co-op (Winchester, Ky.).

Kentucky's co-ops hired World Expositions to recruit local businesses to participate in the Co-op Connections program.  More than 800 local retail businesses have agreed to participate and offer discounts to Co-op Connections card holders. 

New National Partners to Offer Discounts
A number of new national corporations have signed on to offer Co-op Connections cardholders discounts across the country. Choice Hotels is offering 10% off at any participating Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Rodeway Inn, Econo Lodge and MainStay Suites hotels. National and Alamo Car Rentals are offering up to 20% off weekday rentals in the United States and 10% off weekend and International rentals.  Discovery Channel's Online Store is offering $10 off any purchase of $50 or more.

Discount codes for each participating vendor are available on the Co-op Connections Web site (www.Connections.coop).  Details on discounts for Red Roof Inn and National Wildlife Federation are in the works and should be finalized soon.

For more information on Co-op Connections, contact Charlie Gloeckner at 703.907.5589 or charlie.gloeckner@nreca.coop.

Orders for 1st Quarter 2005 Print Run Must Be In by Jan. 10

Touchstone Energy Cooperatives are gearing up for the first quarter 2005 Co-op Connections card and key fob print run.  In order to guarantee the unit price of $.14302 per full set (one card and one two up key fob), co-ops need to participate in this scheduled production run. On future runs, the price may increase due to material costs and varying quantities.

All co-op orders for the cards and key fobs must be placed in 2,500 increments. 

Currently, Plastic Products charges a $300 one-time set-up fee for art set-up and co-branding, PDF proof, setting up invoicing and customization of the fronts and backs of the cards and key fobs.  If your co-op requires additional proofs, resizing of your logo, adjustment of your logo from a two-color process to a four-color process or changes to the copy on the card and key fob, additional charges may apply.

The deadline for the first 2005 card and key fob print run has been adjusted as follows:

Jan 10, 2005
Co-ops must send an e-mail to lauraj@cardsource.com and cynthia.henthorn@nreca.coop confirming co-op card and key fob quantities for the print run.  Also, co-ops should include anticipated distribution due date to their membership.

Jan 31
Co-ops are encouraged to submit their orders by this date or earlier on www.advancingthebrand.coop.  The co-ops will submit their logos and finalized customized copy for the card and key fob.

Week of Feb 21
Card and key fob production process will begin.

Week of March 21
Finished cards and key fobs will deliver to Plastic Products.

First two weeks of April
Cards and key fobs are available for distribution and fulfillment.

For more information on printing Co-op Connections cards, contact Cynthia Henthorn at cynthia.henthorn@nreca.coop or 703.907.5575.

November is Bright Ideas Month, Proclaims N.C. Governor

North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley earlier this month proclaimed November Bright Ideas Education Grant month. North Carolina's Touchstone Energy cooperatives, which created and administer the program, have responded with a record number of grants for the state's teachers.
   
Suzanne Ward, North Carolina Bright Ideas coordinator, said during November the cooperatives will award more than $530,000 in grants, the most in the program's 11-year history. "It's a really wonderful way to show our commitment to community as Touchstone Energy co-ops," said Ward.
   
The Bright Ideas grant program helps teachers finance innovative and creative projects. The state's electric cooperatives established the Bright Ideas program 11 years ago to help teachers who were funding classroom-based projects out of their own pocket. Today, any North Carolina K-12 teacher can apply for a grant up to $2,000.
   
Highlighting the month is a statewide and weeklong celebration of award winning teachers during Bright Ideas Week, Nov. 14-20. Players from the NFL's Carolina Panthers got involved yesterday (Nov. 16), helping to award a grant to a teacher and speaking to 600-plus students on the importance of honesty on and off the football field.

Since 1994, the state's Touchstone Energy cooperatives have awarded more than $4 million to North Carolina teachers whose Bright Ideas projects have touched more than 650,000 North Carolina students in subjects such as math, reading, music and the arts.

Wabash Valley Power Association Adds Branding Twist to Gift Cards

Eliminating some of the challenges of finding that perfect gift, Wabash Valley Power Association recently unveiled a new gift card program that helps build the brand and allows gift recipients the freedom to choose the gift that they want. Through its partnership with Lands End, the G&T has created Touchstone Energy gift cards that co-ops can give to employees and member-owners. 

The card values can range from $5 to $500 and are redeemable through Lands End consumer catalogs, at www.landsend.com, at Lands' End stores, and at Sears. With the cards being redeemable at Sears, recipients can opt for items outside of the clothing/standard apparel industry, and go for items produced by a range of manufacturers, including Craftsman and Kenmore. Another nice feature is that the 10% Touchstone Energy discount is applied when purchasing gift cards.

"The cards are nice because they are an alternative to the standard gift and allow the person to choose what they want," said Wendy Williams, Wabash Valley marketing manager. "The other nice aspect of the program is that the card can be redeemed through Lands End or Sears, so again it's great for internal Holiday/birthday gifts or new member packets," she added.

Wabash Valley's Touchstone Energy Gift Cards never expire.

Texas Session Open to Potential Trainers Nationwide

The Texas Electric Cooperatives are having a Train the Trainer program for the Ask Me About Touchstone Energy employee learning program in San Antonio on Tuesday, Nov. 30. Targeted toward new trainers and co-ops that have recently joined Touchstone Energy, any interested potential trainers at member co-ops across the country are invited to participate.  The course will be presented by Ann Maggard of East Kentucky Power Cooperative. It will be held at the Westin La Cantera Resort in San Antonio and will start at 9 a.m. It will adjourn mid-afternoon, with follow-up presentations on the Co-op Connections Card and other national Touchstone Energy programs. For more information, contact Mary McLaury at 703.907.5557 or mary.mclaury@nreca.coop or Lynn Simmons at South Plains Electric in Lubbock, Texas, at (806) 775-7826 or lynnb@spec-lbk.org.

An online version of the course is also now available and is especially good for new employees who have joined the co-op since the original training was presented. It can be accessed at http://askme.touchstoneeenrgy.coop.

2005 Hot-Air Balloon Calendars Make Great Gifts

2005 Touchstone Energy hot-air balloon calendars are now available. These calendars are 9" x 12" and contain approximately 50 photos of the Touchstone Energy balloons. Calendars can be ordered directly from the Cooperative Balloon Associates Web site: www.cbaballoon.com or by calling Aaron Ridenor, CBA president, at 217.245.6161.

DEADLINE REMINDER: Distinguished Service Award Nominations Due By Dec. 15

Nominations for the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Distinguished Service Award must be submitted to Mary McLaury, Touchstone Energy director of communications and member services, by Dec. 15, 2004. The award, Touchstone Energy's highest honor, recognizes an individual's outstanding contributions to the development, growth, and/or success of the Touchstone Energy brand at the national level. Up to two awards are presented each year at the Touchstone Energy annual meeting.

The 2005 meeting will be held in San Diego, Calif., in conjunction with the NRECA annual meeting. To obtain a nomination form and award criteria, contact Marty Haught at marty.haught@nreca.coop or 703.907.5986.

Brand Managers Tip of the Month

Promote your co-op. Promote your programs. One of the most effective--and least expensive--ways to build the Touchstone Energy brand and strengthen your local co-op's connection with the community is to use the various media in your area. To get optimal exposure and to generate interest in a new program or an upcoming sponsorship, notify your local news outlets. For example, Inter-County Energy Co-op in Danville, Ky., distributed the customizable Co-op Connections press release to announce the new member-benefit program and the local newspaper, Advocate Messenger, published it, helping the cooperative get a great start on educating its members on what they can expect with Co-op Connections. 

Web Sites That Wow

The Web Sites That Wow monthly feature is intended to demonstrate how a Touchstone Energy cooperative effectively uses its Web site in its brand-building efforts. This month's site belongs to Baldwin EMC in Summerdale, Ala. (http://www.baldwinemc.com).

Quotable Quotes

"Households indicating that their relationship with the cooperative is more than just being a customer are more satisfied and loyal to the cooperative.  Key drivers to the perception of membership and ownership are having a voice, getting money back, being local and length of membership." - Tom Laing, TSE Services, in summarizing a new Touchstone Energy study of the key themes that resonate with different audiences of co-op member-owners across the country

Editor, Marty Haught
marty.haught@nreca.coop
703-907-5986