Hi,
Peak usage for cooling/heating in Australia is from MAY-AUG (heating) to NOV-FEB (cooling).
Your current billing periods are as follows;
NOV-FEB
FEB-MAY
MAY-JUL
AUG-OCT
What you current billing schedule means to the customer is a whopping huge bill during summer (NOV-FEB) and winter (MAY-JUL). If you were to change the billing period as follows you would distribute the summer and winter peak periods over two bills reducing the financial impact on the customer.
JAN-MAR
APR-JUN
JUL-SEP
OCT-DEC
If you are concerned about changing the billing periods I suggest you survey your customers explaining how changing the billing period will affect them and how it benefits them by distributing peak usage periods across bills.
In addition to this I would suggest you make a pro-active effort in constantly notifying customers they can make payments towards their electricity/gas bills in ADVANCE. Most Australians pay their bill when they receive it and panic. If you let your customers know they can pay an amount weekly or monthly towards their next bill I am sure you will help to reduce the financial pressure for many Australians as I believe most are not aware of this option.
Let the customers know (every quarter) they can pay an amount per week/month in advance to reduce their final bill.
Electricity prices will rise, we know that.
But you (AGL) can help reduce the financial impact on the customer with the suggestions I have provided.
Be a player and help us Australians by being pro-active in taking up these initiatives.
