One Woman Vs. 7 Million Oncor Customers

Oncor Electric Delivery has added a chief customer officer to its staff in hopes of improving customer communication.

Customers complained about long delays in getting power restored after massive outages following the record-breaking February snowstorm. And customers with smart meters have reported big jumps in their power bills since the digital meters were installed.

"At Oncor, we've heard what they're saying, and we created the chief customer officer to listen to these customers, make plans, make decisions and help them out," said Megan Wright, a company spokeswoman.

Brenda Jackson, a 36-year Oncor veteran, began work Friday and will soon hire people to help manage customers' needs, Wright said.

"Our customers have had problems lately with not just our company, but with feeling abandoned," Wright said.

One frustrated customer, Troy Chatman, said he was a skeptical of how the new position will help.

"I will give them at least maybe six months, six months to see if things turn around," he said.

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Chatman said he had problems trying to get help from Oncor's customer service about this smart meter.

"A lot of times, you run into their automated system, and you're on the phone for an average of 40 to 45 minutes," he said.

Chatman has had his smart meter since June.

"When they swapped the meter out I notice a bill change right away," he said. "I mean, the bill changed $230, and that's when I instructed them, 'Something is wrong.'"

Chatman said Oncor's answer to his problem wasn't exactly what he expected.

"There was really no solution, but they ended up sending me four movie tickets, and then that was the tail end of it," he said.

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