On November 17, we participated in the Telco & Utilities forum of the National Credit Congress to offer our technological and compliance perspective in cases of suspension of supply due to non-payment in the energy sector.
We did it with Miriam Castillo, Credit & Collections Manager of Nexus Energía, an energy company based on the commercialization of electricity and natural gas. In addition, we had the participation of Ricardo Orosa, partner of our partner Covline, company that integrates our postal and electronic burofax in its solution Covline – Eloficash. As moderator, Oscar Barrero, Partner in charge of the energy and utilities sector for the PWC consulting division, and finally, our partner Iñaki Gómez-Echevarría, Sales Director of MailTecK & Customer Comms.
Below you will find a chronicle that summarizes the main conclusions that were shared during the talk. But you can watch it in its entirety in this video that includes the whole session.
The subject of the table, supply suspensions due to non-payment, is a major issue for companies in the energy sector. In a complex context, where more and more families and companies are finding it difficult to pay their bills, these processes require efficient and well-governed processes to avoid supply cut-offs, especially in situations of particular vulnerability, and to ensure compliance with regulations in the event that they cannot be avoided. Technology plays a very important role here.
Miriam explained that, for Nexus, the key to efficient collection operations is to have the right tools, “for which we have partners such as Covline and MailTecK & Customer Comms, among others”. With Elofixash, Covline’s software, in its processes and the integration of MailTecK’s developments for warning communications and outage control, Nexus has optimized its collection data. And the power of our solutions has also enabled it to establish different strategies for responding to claims according to customer type.
Afterwards, the answers of the representative of Quiroga & Asociados, who was unable to attend, were read, in which he reviewed the most relevant legal aspects in the management of non-payments. The lawyer highlighted the differences between what was established in the regulation and the new obligations for clients with special protection. In these cases, the deadlines and the legal reliability of the notification, payment request and supply cut-off communications are crucial. Non-compliance with the regulations, he warned, or the inability to prove that they have been carried out, can lead to very serious penalties with fines of up to 60 million euros.
One of the main steps in reliable communications is notification. In physical channels, notification, Gonzalo explained, is understood as delivery and signature by the addressee. This is usually done by sending a legally valid online burofax. For this to happen in electronic channels, it is essential that the delivery is made to a cell phone or email address specified in the contract and that it is made through a means that integrates electronic signature and delivery certification.
At this point, Iñaki Gómez-Echevarría explained that MailTeck & Customer Comms’ solutions for reliable communications, such as the postal or electronic bureaufax integrated in Covline – Eloficash, are reinforced by our recognition as a qualified provider of electronic trust services in the certified electronic delivery modality, in accordance with the eIDAS regulation.
These tools also guarantee the collection and custody of all evidence, certifications of dispatch and content and time stamps as required by law. All this provides presumption of veracity of communications in court. These applications also offer great possibilities for the personalization of communications and the design of a fluid customer journey. These are two features desired by companies like Nexus to handle recovery cases in an individualized way and achieve high conversion rates.
Customer Comms’ solutions for reliable communications also cover other processes and objectives in sectors other than the energy sector. If you want to know how they can make your company’s day-to-day business easier, with guaranteed regulatory compliance, just fill in the form below and tell us about your case.