Defaulting
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Defaulting is a status in which customers fall behind in the payment of their bills, and due to the regulations and fairness with the system, their service must be suspended until the situation is resolved. Once the customer has paid or reached a payment agreement with EPM, the service is reconnected in less than 24 working hours. The defaulting status occurs with a higher probability in the population with economic, social and security-related limitations due to structural situations inherent to the country.In 2011, EPM started the development of a costumer assistance program for users that present payment difficulties, with the purpose of facilitating their access to public utilities in a regular and legitimate way, avoiding they fall into the defaulting status. The program is based on the focalization of the population, the design of comprehensive offers, and the creation of alliances. The objective for 2015 is to articulate the offers with the programs of public policies focused on this population.
The program of assistance to customers with payment difficulties includes, among other, the following initiatives:
- Prepaid water service.
- Prepaid electric energy service.
- Customized payment for receiving partial payments.
- Special conditions for the Dignifying Homes program offer.
- Credit programs.
- Insurances to cover events related to acts of nature.
- Incentives for the good payment behavior.
- Education and culture projects.
In 2013, EPM completed the study on the efficient use of electric energy, in which 240 families participated. The conclusion of the study is that their quality of life can be improved by means of the substitution of the electric appliances for more efficient appliances in order to reduce the consumption costs.
A good behavior incentive trial was carried out among 973 subscribed customers, and a Customized Payment trial among 411 subscribed customers. In the incentive trial, 30% of the subscribed customers fulfilled the conditions of the pilot trial, and they obtained one of the program acknowledgements.
Defaulting in EPM’s drinking water, electric energy, and gas services
Defaulting in EPM’s drinking water, electric energy, and gas services
The development of the offers established for defaulting customers will be continued in 2014 with a comprehensive program that will include actions articulated among all services. Regarding the electric energy service, 15 thousand new users will be connected through the prepaid service, 10 thousand of which will be covered by the integrated offer and 5 thousand will be users in rural areas of lower development, who will be subscribed through the Dignifying Homes program.
Regarding the water services, the implementation of the prepaid service will be moved forward, starting with the contract process for the equipment suppliers.
Finally, regarding the gas service, national fund resource management will be emphasized as a preventive measure for providing a lower service connection cost, which implies lesser debts and smaller monthly installments.