While we provide electricity, we are really a customer service organization. Our customers are the reason we do what we do each day. That's why all employees from External Affairs, line workers, meter operations, engineers and especially our Customer Experience organization, are at the center of our efforts to serve our diverse and growing customer base.

This week is National Customer Week from Oct. 9-13. At I&M, but we take customer experience seriously every day. For Ashley Best, Customer Services account representative in Benton Harbor, Mich., she strives to ensure our customers feel valued.

“My goal with every customer I talk to is to make sure that no matter their question or concern, each customer feels like I truly took the time to review their account and give them my undivided attention,” Best said.

I&M is continually adapting to serve our customers how they want to be served. That includes having specialists available to answer inquires through electronic services, digital chat and through social media channels.

"As a customer and an employee, I understand the importance of receiving and giving good quality customer experience. Good customer service is having your questions answered, needs met and issues resolved in an efficient, effective and empathic manner," said Morranda Cozart, Digital and Social Media specialist. "As a customer, I enjoy accurate and fast service while interacting with kind people. I try to give the same experience to our customers."

Another innovation for customers is our newly formed Distribution Customer Support department. Support representatives serve as the middle-person between our overhead-line department and customers. This provides a direct line of communication between I&M and those customers who have building projects or renovations.

"We aren't bound by a phone or a thousand miles away. We're in your neighborhood, we're looking you in the eye and shaking your hand," said Adam Steinebach, Distribution Operations Customer Support representative. "It means providing fast responses, honest answers and making yourself available to our customers."

Because each customer call and situation into our Customer Operations Center is different, our agents don't read from script. They use their skills and judgment to find the best answer for our customers.

"I take customer calls for a variety of issues including billing and credit inquiries, start and end service requests, work orders for new installations and customers requesting information," said Dofrey Billingsley, senior Customer Operations Center. "At I&M we provide electricity, but at the heart of our business is our customers. So, putting customers first in everything we do will meet or exceed their expectations."

If you know a customer service specialist, thank them this week.