Power firm to put up mini business centers in communities

CEBU, Philippines - Adapting to the new consumer lifestyle dynamics, the Visayan Electric Company (VECO) plans to put up mini business centers in selected communities around its franchise area to cater to various client transactions, except for payments.

VECO will change the way it transacts with customers, and the huge payment and satellite office like in SM City Cebu will be reduced to smaller outlet, only to accept transactions like applications, disconnection concerns and complaints, excluding payment, said Anton Mari Perdices, VECO senior vice president and chief operating officer.

Perdices said VECO will open more satellite offices in large community areas in Cebu in the next five years, in its bid to help to decongest the metropolis, at the same  time responding to the new way of interacting with consumers at this time and age.

With the advent of social media, hotline facility, texting,  number of complaints received in the existing VECO satellite offices in SM, Talisay and Consolacion have dropped. However, a physical office is still needed to accept services that need face-to-face interaction.

This means, that in the next few years, there will be small VECO business centers, or satellite offices that will be installed in densely populated neighborhood around its franchise areas, from Lilo-an to San Fernando.

Bill payments on the other hand, will be handled by third-party collecting agents, as well as online payment system.

VECO president Jaime Jose Y. Aboitiz said that VECO's enrollment to ATM consortia, like Bancnet, Megalink, Expressnet, is to prepare for the shift of payment culture in the Philippines in the next few years.

While VECO bills can already be paid online, through these networks, Aboitiz said Cebuano electric consumers can start practicing online transactions, like in developed countries.

Although the growing 380 thousand VECO customers are still largely paying their bills via physical transaction either in the VECO-owned payment outlet in SM City Cebu, Consolacion and Talisay or accredited payment partners, Aboitiz is confident that online payment highway will eventually be explored by Cebuano electric consumers.

Other VECO accredited collecting partners include, M. Lhuillier, Cebuana Lhuillier, Veco's  2Go, CIS-Bayad, EC Pay, SM Retail, Star Bayad, and Global Pinoy Remittance and Services.

Internet and ATM access include Unionbank, BPI, Metrobank, Bancnet, Megalink. automatic debit/credit arrangement include Unionbank and Citibank.

According to Aboitiz, online system, automatic debit arrangement or credit card arrangements are already laid out by VECO for customers to take advantage of.

He said this is part of VECO's bid to provide convenience to its growing customers.

VECO observed that two years ago 30 percent of its customer base pay through their TPA partners, including online payment partners,

Today, the figure has gone up to 65 percent, while only 35 percent pay through VECO's service centers, more specifically at their SM City Cebu branch.

At present, VECO is servicing to 380,000 customers in its franchise area in Metro Cebu, with an average growth rate of five percent per year.  (FREEMAN)