Related News
Related News
-
National Preparedness Month: Older adults take control in 1, 2, 3
We know older adults can face greater risks when it comes to the extreme weather events and emergencies we face, especially if they are living alone, are low-income, have a disability, depend on electricity for medical needs, or live in rural areas.
Find Out More -
Women in STEM: EWEB Engineer Laura Ohman's second degree brings a lifetime of benefits
EWEB Engineer Laura Ohman shares how getting her second degree was one of the most difficult and rewarding things she's ever accomplished.
Find Out More -
Bethel neighbors boost emergency preparedness during Emergency Water Station event
Staff gave out about 300 emergency water containers to enthusiastic community members eager to learn more about the water station.
Find Out More -
Stay cool during extreme heat events
With temperatures forecasted to reach over 100 degrees over the next several days, we've prepared some tips and tricks to help you stay cool.
Find Out More -
Women in STEM: Meet our servant leader and maker of tough decisions
Karen Kelley, Chief Operations Officer at EWEB, describes herself as a "servant leader," offering support and mentoring to four division managers at EWEB.
Find Out More -
EWEB establishes multipronged resiliency policy
Disaster recovery and prevention are being embedded in all operations and processes.
Find Out More -
Women in STEM: Meet the water quality specialist who ensures the safety of Eugene's drinking water
Brenda Casarez began working at EWEB in 2009, collecting samples from all over the water system testing for different contaminants.
Find Out More -
EWEB will close College Hill Reservoir site for Fourth of July
EWEB will continue the annual closure of its College Hill Reservoir over the Fourth of July holiday. For the past several years, EWEB has restricted access to the reservoir surface around the Fourth of July to ensure people do not set off fireworks which can damage the roof and potentially impact drinking water quality.
Find Out More -
EWEB and City finalize sale of former riverfront headquarters
The two buildings on 4.4 acres will transformed into Eugene's new City Hall. EWEB and the City signed closing documents and officially handed over the site keys on Tuesday.
Find Out More -
EWEB begins major water pipeline upgrades
This summer, EWEB is launching several construction water pipeline projects to enhance the reliability and earthquake resiliency of drinking water service for Eugene residents.
Find Out More -
Currin Substation - the origin of the name
Hugh Currin was hired as an engineer at EWEB in 1923. Later, he became the chief engineer for the utility.
Find Out More -
EWEB Safety Tip: Celebrate responsibly with balloons
If your graduation celebration involves balloons, make sure they are secured with a weight. Otherwise, they can float away and come into contact with overhead power lines.
Find Out More -
EWEB programs make electric mobility more accessible
Electric mobility seems to be everywhere these days, but does availability equal accessibility? Here at EWEB we’ve determined that the answer is ‘no’ and are working to bridge that gap through EV car shares, community grants and electric bike rebates.
Find Out More -
Lead Green annual summary
In Eugene, we take pride in knowing we have one of the cleanest power portfolios in the nation. Roughly 90% of Eugene's power comes from carbon-free hydroelectric energy. And EWEB has a long history offering robust conversation programs. But we wanted to do more, so we launched Lead Green, a suite of programs for climate innovators looking to support renewable energy and take action on climate change. In the year since Lead Green was launched, we've accomplished a lot we can be proud of.
Find Out More -
EWEB Education Programs Invest in Eugene’s Future
Learn some of the many ways EWEB customers support local schools and help inspire kids to explore the wonders of watershed health and clean energy resources.
Find Out More - Show More
Powered by People Like Leah
November 20, 2019
When Leah talks about her daughter, she lights up.
"I was lucky enough to get to stay home with my baby for a year after she was born," says Leah. "It was wonderful, but after a while I needed to get back into the workforce. My husband actually found the posting for the job and since it was similar to what I had done before, I thought it would be an easier transition."
Before having her daughter, Leah worked at SELCO Community Credit Union first as a teller, then in the call center and finally in collections. The EWEB posting her husband pointed out was for a customer service analyst in the contact center, a position Leah has held now for three years.
"We are the front line for EWEB. We take the first calls whenever something's wrong, there's a question on the bill, if someone needs to start/stop service and everything in-between," says Leah. "We can have some really difficult phone calls, but we also get a lot of good ones too. When we are able to successfully help someone it can make our day."
Leah recalls a customer a couple years ago who called to make a payment arrangement. The woman was dealing with the death of her son and had fallen behind on her bill. Leah encouraged her to apply for EWEB's bill assistance program, Customer Care.
"She said there were people out there that needed it more than her," says Leah. "I helped make the payment arrangement like she had requested. But I couldn't stop thinking about her once we had hung up. I knew she wasn't going to contact any of the resources I had given her."
Leah reached out to her supervisor and others in the utility, recounting the customer's difficulty. In the end, using funds from a modest EWEB employee donation program, Leah was able to call the customer letting her know that a payment had been made to her account.
"She was so grateful," says Leah. "We can't always help in this way, but when we can it's really rewarding. I hope customers know how much we care. And that we're really trying our hardest," she adds.
When asked what makes up great customer service, Leah pauses thoughtfully before listing off three qualities: listening before reacting, demonstrating empathy and working together to find answers. After talking with Leah for a bit, they sound pretty familiar.
Thank you Leah, for your role in providing customers with vital services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.