Albany – Assemblymember Kevin Cahill (D-Ulster, Dutchess) is renewing his push for legislation (A.7593-B) which requires a hearing before the Public Service Commission in the event that there is a proposal by a public utility to close or relocate an existing call center or facility providing customer service assistance to ratepayers. The measure is designed to protect customer service, local jobs and promote public safety. Locally based utility employees play an important role in coordinating the efforts of emergency response crews brought in from outside of impacted regions.
“Employing individuals who live and work within a utility’s services territory will assure a greater level of responsiveness and sensitivity to local conditions as opposed to workers at a centralized call center out-of-state,” said Assemblymember Cahill. “Community-based employees have a vested interest in the safety and general well-being of the areas in which they live and a familiarity with rules, regulations programs accessible to customers in need.”
Some public utilities have considered relocating call centers out of state claiming cost savings and more efficient customer service. However, such cost cutting measures may compromise timeliness and quality of responses to emergency calls. Call center performance was the subject of close scrutiny during an Energy Committee hearing this past April that examined the causes and response to the February blizzards that resulted widespread power outages.
“Locating call centers out-of-state and outside the service area of these companies could present real problems during our next severe weather event,” said Assemblymember Cahill. “Moving call centers out of state would harm New York's economy and potentially threaten quality of service and overall safety. Local workers’ knowledge of the systems, geography and conditions on the ground are essential to the effective deployment of emergency response units.”
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