Engaging customers throughout a rate adjustment process
About this project
Client
Western Water
Services
Rate Adjustment
The approach
Like all public utilities, Western Water’s rates can only be adjusted based on a cost-of-service study, and following a 2020 study, Western Water proposed a multi-year rate increase for its board of directors to consider. Rate increases are hardly welcomed by customers, but on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, this was a particularly challenging time to ask customers to pay more for their monthly water and wastewater services. Additionally, Western Water customers have been vocal about their objections and mistrust of its rate increase process, so Western Water needed to be upfront and clear about why the rate adjustment was justified again.
The opportunity
JPW devised a multifaceted, transparent, comprehensive and robust communications plan to engage and educate all stakeholders throughout the process. Taking to heart the feedback collected after Western Water’s last rate adjustment process, JPW was deliberate in how, when and how often it communicated with impacted customers and regional partners. With a focus on creating a mix of touchpoints (e.g. digital v. print and formal v. casual), JPW balanced the constraints of COVID-19 without hindering customers’ ability to feel part of the process. As just one example, JPW created 22 unique versions of Western Water’s Prop 218 notices to make certain that every customer saw their specific combination of Western Water services represented on the rate charts—in addition to geographically relevant photography and editorial content that highlight the value and reliability of Western Water’s services.
The solution
Board of directors, internal staff and public messaging
Campaign creative development
Communications strategy
Community outreach planning and implementation
Collateral suite including: postcards, PPT presentations, billing envelope snipes, fact sheets and social media
Copywriting
Digital newsletter
General communication support
Media releases
Multicultural outreach
PowerPoint presentations
Public meeting support and logistics
Proposition 218 notices (22 unique versions)
Print and digital ads
Social media strategy, content and graphics
Video production
Website management
Ultimately, the board voted to approve the recommended rate increase, in part because only seven formal protest letters were received from customers. This is compared to the hundreds of protest letters received during the prior process. Perhaps an even more impressive result is the agency-wide respect and appreciation for Western Water’s JPW-supported outreach. The general manager, customers and directors all mentioned how impressive and thorough communication efforts were. One put it best during a public comment noting that if a customer claimed they were not informed of the process and how they could be a part of it, they were lying.