Tuesday, September 22

Excellence in Communications Awards Coffee Chat
Moderated by 2020 Chair Jeff Marshall, Clearwater Power Co., and 2020 Vice Chair Theresa Phillips, Lassen Municipal Utility District.

We are breaking new trails in all kinds of ways this year, including kicking off the 2020 NIC with the awards! Bring your cup of joe, tea, or OJ and engage with us as we announce and celebrate this year’s Excellence in Communications winners.

Awards supported by Bigfoot Sponsor Pioneer Utility Resources. Coffee roasted and provided by Bigfoot Sponsor Brown & Kysar, Inc.

Grassroots Communications: COVID-19 Lessons Learned
Speaker: Anne Harvey, Touchstone Energy Cooperatives
Introduced by Pam Spettel, Blachly-Lane Electric Cooperative

While we’re all missing the camaraderie and networking of in-person events like the NIC, the pandemic has been a catalyst for some positive changes and new ideas in our industry. Harvey returns to the NIC to share some of the best ideas and lessons learned from electric cooperatives across the country in this content-rich presentation focused on customer service and communication.

Sponsored by Northwest RiverPartners

Wednesday, September 23

Connecting with Customers Via Virtual Energy Audits & Inspections
Speakers: Ryan Davies, Central Electric Cooperative; and Joan Thornhill, Tacoma Power

Utilities are embracing virtual energy audits and inspections more than ever during the pandemic, but these are techniques that Oregon’s Central Electric Cooperative and Washington’s Tacoma Power have been using long before COVID-19. Tune in to learn their tips and tricks for effectively working with customers from a distance while saving time and money for both your utility and your customers. Employees in areas outside of energy services will also benefit from their advice for communicating during and after this time of social distancing.

Sponsored by EES Consulting, a GDS Associates Company; and Bonneville Environmental Foundation

Communications Super Show Panel: How to be Human in a Digital World
Panelists: Megan McKoy-Noe, Pioneer Utility Resources; Lance Robertson, University of Oregon; and Chris Gaylord, Portland Corps of Engineers

Moderator: Theresa Phillips, Lassen Municipal Utility District

As we balance digital burnout with a desire for human connections online, how can we engage consumers? Learn how to harness humor, rise with Stories, plan ahead and humanize content to connect with consumers on social media. Our team of expert panelists are innovative and entertaining in their approach to keep up with the changing media landscape. They will share their best advice with us during this action-packed session.

Sponsored by Pioneer Social

Thursday, September 24

20/20 Vision: Data Visualization Shows the Way
Speaker: Special guest

A lead design strategist of a global-wide company will explain how utilities can use data visualization to improve presentations and communicate more effectively with teams across their organization. One of his specialties is transforming complex data into simple visuals—who couldn’t use help with that?

Sponsored by NISC

Making Customers the Hero of Your Story
Speakers: Aaron Welling and Sonny Virakpanyou, Sonar Insights
Introduced by Mandi Hitt, Raft River Electric Cooperative; and Karrie Carnes, Bonneville Power Administration

Nobody cares about you. It’s sad, but true. People are much more concerned about themselves. Yet we try to get people interested in us by telling them all about ourselves, what we do, and what we’ve accomplished. This problem gets multiplied in business. But your customer doesn’t care. What they want to hear is how you will help them. How you will solve their problems. How you will make their lives better. By changing the way we speak to our customers, and making them the hero of our stories, they become engaged. They become connected. And they become loyal. We’ll show you the principles you can use to make your marketing and communications connect with your customers and gain greater customer satisfaction, compliance, and loyalty in your community.

Sponsored by Touchstone Energy Cooperatives