It is our focus on the customer that sets us apart. In 2006, we upgraded our Customer Information System to enable our Customer Service Representatives to serve customers better when they need assistance, and we implemented a company-wide, advanced training program for Customer Service Representatives to ensure that each has the skills and knowledge necessary to meet customers' needs the first time they call. Results of customer surveys completed in 2006 indicate that we are on the right track, as 91.6% of respondents ranked our overall service as “excellent or very good.”
In 2007, we will upgrade our electronic billing site and make it easier to navigate. More customers than ever opted to pay their bills electronically in 2006, and with the upgrade, we expect even greater participation. Other customer service-related plans for 2007 include implementation of a new cash-handling technology; provision of a new, no-fee credit card online payment option; and introduction of a new customer service management training and development program. These initiatives, combined with our ongoing commitment to the Continuous Improvement approach to the business, will keep us at the forefront in providing excellent customer service.
Providing high-quality water is an integral part of our service, and we continue to make customer health and safety our highest priority. In 2006, our lab earned its annual accreditation from the Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program of the state of California, one of the toughest certifications to attain in the United States. Our Water Quality Department also leads the industry in compliance planning, and it made great strides in 2006 in preparing to meet future standards, including the Groundwater Rule, the Stage 2 Disinfectants/Disinfection By-Product Rule, the Long-Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule, and the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 2.
It is our employees' expertise and dedication that make us leaders in the industry, and they play a key role in protecting our service areas. We are happy to report that in 2006, the City of Visalia decided after studying the issue that it would not start its own water system to serve new developments, due largely to its recognition of Cal Water's expertise, resources, and performance record.