N.J. Admin. Code § 14:3-6.8

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 11, June 3, 2024

Section 14:3-6.8 - Customer service telephone system report

(a) On January 1 and July 1 of each year, each public utility shall provide the Board with the following information concerning the operation of the utility's telephone system for accepting customer complaints and inquiries:

1. The location of each office from which telephone calls from customers and the general public are normally received and the number of customers served by that office;

2. The days of the week and the hours in which the office is open to conduct business with the public and receive telephone calls;

3. The telephone number(s) by which customers may call the utility;

4. The method by which customers are informed of the telephone number(s) to be used to contact the utility;

5. Whether or not the customers are requested to dial a single telephone number or a separate number depending on the nature of their inquiry;

6. Whether or not inward telephone traffic is grouped to individual departments, such as service or billing, along with the total number of such departments and the identification of each department;

7. The total number of inward telephone trunk lines assigned to each telephone number used by the utility;

8. A brief description of the type of telephone system used in the office and the manufacturer and model number of the equipment used;

9. Whether or not the office has on-premises private branch exchange (PBX) or other private switching device and whether or not the device handles all telephone traffic for the office;

10. The total number of functional lines on the line aide (telephone extension/customer service representative side) of the PBX or other private switching device and, if segregated by department, the number of functional lines assigned to each department;

11. The total number of customer service representatives (CSRs) normally available to answer calls. If CSRs are segregated by department, the total of CSRs available for each department;

12. If the assignments of CSRs varies by hour, day or other time period, the utility shall describe the variation in the assignment;

13. A brief description of the initial and ongoing training provided to the CSRs;

14. A brief description of the billing cycle including dates on which bills are mailed;

15. Whether or not the CSRs have access to computer terminals for billing or service information and, if so, a brief description of the information available to the CSRs;

16. Whether or not the telephone system serving the office has automated call distribution capability for the entire office or for specific departments. If so, the utility shall supply a brief description of the method of call distribution;

17. Whether or not the telephone system places incoming calls in queue, and, if so, the maximum number of callers that can be placed in queue;

18. Whether or not the telephone system has an automated response unit (ARU) and, if so, a brief description of the routing options available to callers through the ARU;

19. Whether or not the telephone system provides recorded messages to callers and a description of the message provided;

20. Whether or not telephone answering machines or devices are used and, if so, the hours in which they are used and the departments in which they are used; and

21. If a telephone answering service is used:

i. The name and address of the answering service and the hours during which said service is used. In addition, the utility shall indicate whether or not the answering service receives all incoming calls or for specific departments; and

ii. The information required pursuant to (i) above shall be provided to the Board within 90 days of the effective date of this rule and annually thereafter.

(b) Within 30 days after making any substantive change in the information filed pursuant to this section, a utility shall inform the Board of the change.

(c) If a utility uses a telephone answering service instead of its own employees, the utility shall ensure that the service informs each customer that they are speaking to an answering service and not to the utility's employees.

N.J. Admin. Code § 14:3-6.8

New Rule, R.1997 d.39, effective 2/3/1997.
See: 28 N.J.R. 1810(a), 29 N.J.R. 449(a).
Amended by R.2002 d.280, effective 9/16/2002.
See: 34 N.J.R. 992(a), 34 N.J.R. 3216(b).
In (a), substituted "On January 1 and July 1 of each year, each" for "Each" and inserted "and Class A wastewater".
Amended by R.2004 d.12, effective 1/5/2004.
See: 35 N.J.R. 91(a), 36 N.J.R. 200(b).
In (a), recodified former 21iii as (b); added (c).
Recodified from N.J.A.C. 14:3-6.6 and amended by R.2008 d.119, effective 5/19/2008.
See: 39 N.J.R. 4077(b), 40 N.J.R. 2481(a).
Section was "Telephone system information". In the introductory paragraph of (a), substituted "public" for "electric, gas, local exchange carrier telephone, Class A water and Class A wastewater" and inserted "for accepting customer complaints and inquiries"; in (b), substituted "Within" for "Each utility shall, within" and "after making" for ", inform the Board of" and inserted ", a utility shall inform the Board of the change"; in (c), inserted "instead of its own employees", substituted "shall" for "must" preceding "ensure", "informs" for "shall inform" and "utility's employees" for "utility".