2009 Customer Connections Conference
October 25 - October 28, 2009
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Antlers Hilton
Public power's goals are to put its customers and communities first. APPA's Customer Connections Conference provides an opportunity for professional development, keeping up-to-date on industry activities and trends, sharing information, and building a professional network. The Conference provides an annual opportunity for public power utility professionals to learn about and exchange information in the areas of: Customer Services, Key Accounts, Energy Services, Marketing and Public Communications.
Registration & Hotel
Registration to attend the 2009 Customer Connections Conference will open soon. The registration fee will be $645 for APPA members if you register on on or before October 4; APPA will be offering a special discount for online registrations, so if you register online before October 4, the registration fee will be only $595. After October 4, the registration price will inclrease to $695 for all APPA members. Nonmembers should contact us at 202/467-2958 or customerconnections@APPAnet.org for registration prices.
The 2009 Customer Connections Conference will be held at the Antlers Hilton in Colorado Springs, Colorado. For this conference, APPA has secured a room block with nightly room rates of $149 single/double (plus applicable taxes & fees). The APPA room block will open for conference attendees to begin making reservations when conference registration opens in late May.
Agenda
Additional details about the conference program - including specific sessions to be offered - will be available in late May.
Concurrent Session
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Joining the Smart Grid and Understanding the Coming Customer Service Revolution
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Renewables Update
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Industry Recruiting 101: Panel Discussion
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Communicating Potential Impacts of a Carbon-constrained Future
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Sunday, October 25
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8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
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Pre-Conference Seminars
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Air Conditioning Fundamentals for Key Accounts Representatives (full day)
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Lead Strategically Through the Power of "And " (am)
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Increase Your Influence Through Effective Communication
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6 - 7p.m.
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Welcoming Reception
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Monday, October 26
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7:30 - 8:30 a.m.
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Networking Continental Breakfast
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8:30 - 10 a.m.
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Opening General Session
The State of Public Power, by Mark Crisson, President & CEO, American Public Power Association, Washington, D.C.
The Impact of the Economy on the Utility and Customer Expectations
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10:30 - Noon
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Concurrent Sessions
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Customer Services “Meet & Greet”
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Energy Services and Key Accounts “Meet & Greet”
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Public Communications “Meet & Greet”
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Noon - 1:30 p.m.
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Lunch On Your Own
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1:30 - 2:45 p.m.
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Concurrent Sessions
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Tools and Techniques for Helping the Customer and the Utility in Tough Economic Time
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Low Cost/No Cost Resources for the Energy Services and Key Account Professional
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Linking Employees to Utility Goals: Creating Team Buy-in
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3 - 4:15p.m.
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Concurrent Sessions
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Bill Print, Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment Options
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Selling the $'s and ¢’s of Energy Efficiency to Customers and Decision Makers
Helping Grocery and Convenience Stores Save Energy and Money
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Integrated Marketing Communications: Budget-conscious Approaches
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5:30 p.m.
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Dinner With Friends
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Tuesday, October 27
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7:30 - 8:30 a.m.
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Networking Continental Breakfast
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8:30 - 10 a.m.
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Concurrent Sessions
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CIS Selection, Implementation and Lessons Learned
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SMART Grid Primer for the Energy Professional
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Are You Watching Your Key Accounts?
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Building Effective Communications Campaigns and Measuring Success
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11:45 a.m. - 1:15p.m.
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Lunch On Your Own
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1:15 - 2:45 p.m.
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Concurrent Sessions
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3 - 4:15 p.m.
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Concurrent Sessions
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Best Practices in Customer Service Open Forum
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New Technologies in Load Shaping
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Rewarding and Recognizing Your Key Accounts
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An Overview of the Tools Available at APPAnet.org
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4:30 - 6 p.m.
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The Year in Public Power TV Commercials
Public power produces great TV commercials to promote its services and presence. View commercials from other utilities and present your own at this informal reception. Viewers will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite TV Spot and the “Audience Choice Award” will be presented at the Wednesday morning general session.
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Wednesday, September 28
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7:30 - 8:15 a.m.
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Networking Continental Breakfast
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8:30 - 10:15 a.m.
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Closing General Session
How to Use Social Media Tools to Advance Your Organization’s Goals
Learn about online social networking sites and other electronic communication platforms, how utilities can use them to communicate with their customers and how they can advance the utility’s goals. Colorado Springs Utilities will discuss how they are effectively using Facebook, Twitter, RSS, YouTube and other tools to reach the community.
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10:30 a.m.
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Adjourn
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Sponsors
APPA is grateful for our conference sponsors, whose support makes this conference possible. Persons interested in sponsoring the 2009 Customer Connections Conference should please contact Pamela Cowen at 202/467-2903 or pcowen@APPAnet.org. View 2009 sponsorship opportunities
2008 Customer Connections Conference
Find out what you missed at the 2008 Customer Connections Conference, which was held in Nashville, Tenn. Download the conference program, and see the presentations that were shared in our conference archives.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or would like additional information on the conference, please contact us at 202/467-2958 or customerconnections@APPAnet.org.
