Mainline Provides the Fuel for Success at Alabama Gas Corporation

Excellence in customer service is a hallmark of Alabama Gas Corporation. However, as an ever-expanding business with increasing consumer demands, Alabama Gas needed to update their legacy systems and create a more flexible, useful software solution for customer service. Thanks to Mainline Solution Services, the customer service team now has the technology to effectively serve customers in a timely manner.

As the largest natural gas distributor in Alabama, Alagasco, officially known as Alabama Gas Corporation, serves over 463,000 customers in nearly 200 communities. On October 14, 2002, Alabama Gas celebrated 150 years in business, and today has more than 1,000 employees located in seven operating divisions.

The Challenge
Alabama Gas employees know the customer is number one. As a result, they strive to locate information quickly, answer questions in detail, and provide for an altogether positive customer service experience. However, due to an increasing customer base, price changes, and a significant seasonal spike in customer calls, Alabama Gas was finding it increasingly difficult to provide the quality customer service their customers have come to expect and appreciate. The existing solution had served Alabama Gas well, but was in need of updating in order to be an effective customer service and call center tool.

In addition, there was a steep learning curve with the existing customer service information application that frustrated new employees. The application was comprised of more than 500 screens of data and required constant switching between screens due to the limitation of green screens to organize information in an easily accessible manner. As a result, it took an average of three months for customer service reps to become functional in using the application.

In an effort to remedy these issues, Lynn Lovelady, Manager of Enterprise Applications, and his team began a search for a CRM solution. It was in the midst of this search that they received an email from Mainline with information on an offering that, although not a CRM solution, would solve their customer service application issues.

The Solution Strategy and Implementation
The particular Mainline offering that came across Lovelady's desk focused on an IBM WebSphere Host Modernization Solution, which included both HATS and Host Publisher. Upon meeting with Mainline, it quickly became apparent to Lovelady that the proposed solution was able to meet the application functionality requirements for the customer service call center. "At first blush, it seemed Host Modernization could meet our call center needs as well as, or better than any other solution we had evaluated, and at a fraction of the cost of other options. Upon completion of a proof-of-concept, we knew we had found our solution," said Lovelady.

IBM WebSphere Host Modernization, along with WebSphere Studio Application Developer, would solve call center problems by taking critical information in legacy systems from green screens to browser-based viewing. The database would be easily navigated, the information would be quickly accessed and viewed, and the interface would be user friendly, removing the three-month learning curve that existed with the current application.

Mainline was commissioned to implement the WebSphere Host Modernization solution, comprised of 100 concurrent user licenses and a copy of WebSphere Studio Application Developer. Through Mainline's on-site and remote development and implementation services, followed by skills training and transfer, the solution was completed and up-and-running in only eight weeks. "Mainline stuck with us through every stage of the development process," stated Lovelady. "The Mainline team quickly became a part of our team. We knew we had not simply purchased a solution, but had found a technology solution provider that was great to work with."

Business Benefits and Solution Results
Lynn Lovelady and his enterprise management team are quite pleased with the Host Modernization solution results. "The customer service representatives report almost immediate understanding of the application," explained Lovelady. "The most frequently accessed information is viewable via tabs, making it simple for representatives to locate data and answer questions without bouncing between screens."

As of the close of 2003, only the customer service representatives were using the application. However, plans are in the works to roll it out to the remaining employee base. "We have had a number of requests from employees to expand the use of the WebSphere Host Modernization application solution because it is so user friendly. WebSphere lives up to its promises as a solution, and Mainline lives up to their promises as a solution service provider. The people and quality of service is what sets Mainline apart from other solution service providers," concludes Lovelady.

For more information about this solution, call your Mainline account representative or call Mainline directly at 866.490.MAIN (6246).