Homeowner communication- PTO related billing inquiries

Background:

• The PTO letter is the Permission to Operate letter is acquired after the installer submits an application with the homeowner's utility. Proof of the letter needs to be uploaded to the M3 task and submitted for approval. It's the only task in the M3 milestone.

  • This letter is required in order to activate the system without incurring fines/fees from the utility.

  • The homeowners are given a 60 day grace period from the time the system is fully installed. At the end of these 60 days, their first payment is due.

    • The purpose of this grace period is to allow the installer time to submit the application for the PTO letter and to activate the system once it has been received (the goal is to have the system active before the homeowner's first payment).

• The system is considered fully installed after the M2 has been approved.

  • We do not require the system to be inspected to be considered fully installed.

  • We do not require the system to be activated to be considered fully installed.

• Homeowners receive notification of their first bill in a welcome email they receive just about M2 approval.

• Often “permission to operate” (PTO) can take much longer to receive from their utility.

• If PTO isn’t complete by the time the homeowner gets notification of their first payment date (that comes in their Welcome letter), it causes dissatisfaction.

How to handle calls from Homeowner:

If you receive a phone call on the homeowner lines from a homeowner who has a concern about their system being inactive and they are being double billed (billed by both utility and EverBright):

• Check to see when M2 was approved in engine.

• Check to see if the M2 approval date is less than 60 days from the current date or more than 60 days from the current date.

  • If less than 60 days, inform the customer that they will not be billed until 60 days after their installation date (installation date = M2 approval date).  Let the customer know we will be reaching out to their installer to instruct them to provide an update on the current status of their PTO letter acquisition from the utility.

    • Example Response: "I see your system was fully installed in [month of install]. Your first payment will not be due until 60 days after [month of install]."

  • If more than 60 days, inform the customer that unfortunately we cannot halt the billing process but we will reach out their installer on their behalf to see if there is a way to expedite the process.

    • Example Response: "I see your system is currently awaiting the permission to operate (or PTO) letter from the utility. This letter is required in order to activate your system without incurring fines from your utility. Your installer, [insert installer name here], is responsible for submitting the PTO letter application with your utility. I will reach out to them on your behalf and instruct them to contact you with an update on the current status of the PTO letter acquisition and the next steps for your project."

    • Example response if a homeowner is still requesting information about double billing: “I will escalate this issue to upper management, so that we can get this addressed as soon as possible and we will reach out to your installer to expedite the process”

• Take note of any pertinent details provided by the homeowner such as:

  • They have been trying to contact their installer and can’t in touch with them

  • They failed inspection from a municipality and need have changes to the system

  • The installer has not submitted the request for PTO with the utility

 How to handle tickets:

**First make sure the ticket is an EBH ticket. If not, transfer to EBH project using this /wiki/spaces/SS/pages/2445672890

1.) Homeowner:

We’re following up regarding your inquiry about your first payment due date, which happens to be prior to you receiving permission to operate (PTO) from your utility.

Our agreement with you indicates that first payment is due sixty (60) days after the “Start Date,” which is the date we approve installation of your system.

Sometimes PTO can take some time to coordinate with your utility.  We will reach out to your installer about your concern, and suggest they explore ways to expedite receipt of PTO from your utility.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us should you require any further assistance.

Best Regards,

• For both tickets

  • Assign the ticket to Jessica Hauger

  • Label- PTO

  • Request Type - TO/M3 Delay

 2.)    Installer: 

• Navigate to the contract phase for the homeowner’s job in engine. Copy and paste the email for the “Contractor” and use this email for the reporter in the installer ticket.

• Once you have the email address - go into a Jira and create a “Linked ticket” from the homeowner’s ticket. Assign the ticket to Jessica Hauger.

  • Add the email address of the installer

  • Add the installer’s org name

  • Label- PTO

  • Request Type - TO/M3 Delay

  • “Reply to customer” with the canned message below.

"Hi (Installer name),

(Homeowner name) reached out to us about some questions on their financing agreement and asked when their system would receive PTO from the utility. We had advised her that she should discuss with you about the status of PTO. Would you please reach out to (Homeowner name) to give him/her an update?

Thanks