Plan for success and measure it.

As we enter a new frontier of providing electric service, the role of communication in the cooperative landscape has become increasingly more important. Our members are continually inundated with news of rate increases, climate change and the possibility of running out of power. What's more, the membership base of electric cooperatives is evolving into a younger, more disconnected populous. The generation of electric users who truly understand the cooperative business model and appreciates life with electricity is slipping away. The next generation of member-owners do not remember the day the lights came on. They expect reliable power at an affordable price. Amid the uncertainty of today's environment, one thing is certain; now more than ever we need a well defined brand in addition to strategic, integrated and measurable communication strategies.

It is my firm belief that to build and maintain a satisfied, engaged member base you must have a strong communications plan, coupled with adequate staff to successfully implement the initiatives. As member-owned entities we have a commitment to go the extra mile to ensure that our members have a voice and that they have an opportunity to be involved in the governing process.

Understand the Brand

The changes and challenges facing the energy industry are more easily met when we speak in one voice, clearly articulating who we are and what we stand for. Doing so gives us the opportunity to deliver on the promises of the cooperative business model and strengthen our performance, providing messages with greater consistency and relevance. It enables us to expand our reach, increase our recognition, and continue to build trust and generate confidence.

White River Valley ElectricCooperative (WRVEC) is a Touchstone Energy Cooperative and we work diligently to create brand awareness while demonstrating the four core values: accountability, innovation, integrity and commitment to community. To accomplish this, it's critical to have an understanding of what a brand is. To me, a brand is best described as the set of impressions that stakeholders have in a company. And it's important to note that it is not only the member who reacts to the cooperative's brand, but employees, board members, and business partners as well as the general public.

A successful branding process does not happen overnight and requires a significant amount of education for both members and employees. At WRVEC, we believe that every time we have contact with a member it is a viable touchpoint. These touchpoints can either reinforce or undermine the communication strategy WRVEC has worked hard to implement. For example, if a member comes to our office and is ignored or otherwise given subpar service it is likely they will leave with a negative view of WRVEC and our member satisfaction will suffer. If however, our employees are armed with the knowledge of the cooperative's goals and given the right tools to communicate with members, a rise in overall satisfaction will Occur.

At WRVEC we have put in place a variety of employee j education techniques. These include employee training days, informative paycheck stuffers, wallet cards and a newly revamped employee newsletter. These initiatives ensure that all employees are kept up to date on crucial issues and mindful of the cooperative's overall goals.

Set Achievable Goals

The days when a corporate brand was merely a slogan or flashy advertising campaign are over. Cooperative members are accustomed to the cooperative way of doing business and expect a level of service and commitment that surpasses that of other companies. A sound communication plan is a key to continuing to provide that level of member care. The first step to creating a successful communications plan is to involve the entire staff. At WRVEC we have an annual three-day strategic planning retreat for the entire board of directors, cooperative management and key staff. An outside moderator is brought in to facilitate discussion. During the process a significant portion of time is dedicated to communication issues, including defining key audiences, establishing communication goals and collaborative brainstorming.

WRVEC also uses a variety of tools to measure the success of our efforts, one of which is the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). The cooperative's ASCI scores are reviewed annually and are a primary means of gauging our member satisfaction. Additionally, we use a variety of survey techniques to track the effectiveness of our communications. They include new member surveys, online member surveys, employee surveys, key accounts surveys and NRECA Market Research surveys. Using the results of the strategic planning retreat, ACSI scores and our various mail/telephone surveys, WRVEC's communications staff crafts yearly communication goals. With a clear understanding of the cooperative's overall goals and input from members, we have successfully maintained an ACSI score of 85 or above over the past five years, despite experiencing three significant rate increases during that period.

Use an Integrated Marketing Communications Approach

Communicating to a large and diverse audience is a puzzle of sorts. Facing the implementation of a rate increase in April 2008 (with most members projected to experience a total increase of approximately 17 percent) and changing member demographics, WRVEC took steps to expand its reach, increase its recognition as a cooperative, and build further trust and member confidence. To support those goals, in 2008, WRVEC launched its first Integrated Marketing Communications Plan (IMC). The theme of the plan was, "We're all in this together." This multi-faceted approach to marketing and communication included a variety of traditional advertising vehicles including radio, television, print and direct mail. In addition, non-traditional strategies were implemented that complemented the IMC. This included Internet advertising, direct e-mail, special events, community involvement initiatives, the use of social media and development of an e-newsletter.

What's more, over the last five years WRVEC has worked hard to strengthen its media relations. Through the advent of a Media Relations Luncheon, the cooperative has experienced a noticeably larger amount of positive media coverage, especially during crisis situations.

Emphasize the Cooperative Difference

Cooperatives are different from other electric utilities. We know it and we want our members to know it too. When undertaking the integrated marketing and communication plan we articulated the following goal: "WRVEC shall enhance member satisfaction and loyalty through services, products and programs that are effectively communicated and delivered in a manner that differentiates WRVEC from other electric utilities." One of the most powerful tools we have employed to engage our members and demonstrate the cooperative difference is the Our Energy, Our Future (OEOF) campaign. Over the last year, over 85,000 e-mails have been sent to Congress on behalf of WRVEC members. That number represents over two times the number of members we serve.

OEOF is woven into our marketing and communication plan. It has been, and will continue to be, a tool to educate our members about the tough road ahead as it relates to climate change legislation and the availability of affordable, reliable electricity. OEOF has provided us with the unique opportunity to talk to our members, one on one, about the thing that matters to them most--having safe, reliable and affordable electricity.

Extend the Effort

As we move forward, WRVEC will continue to place a high priority on communication. Creating the plan is only the beginning of the effort. Using surveys and focus groups, WRVEC is currently in the process of evaluating the success of the 2008 IMC Plan. Once the survey results are compiled and analyzed, new objectives and strategies will be developed. I encourage each of you to push the envelope when it comes to cooperative communications. Explore new and fresh technologies. WRVEC's communication success is not the result of an academic exercise, but a reflection of the path we want our members to follow. Collectively, our goals represent a road map for our organization's future. It is my firm belief that successful goal setting requires careful planning, research, education, experience and perhaps most importantly--creativity.

Chris Hamon, CEO, White River Valley Electric Cooperative

Chris Hamon is the CEO of White River Valley Electric Cooperative, located in Branson, Missouri. He joined WRVEC in 1985 as assistant engineer and assumed the responsibilities of CEO in 1999. He has a BS degree in Electrical Engineering and is a certified Professional Engineer.

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