At the FCLWD and SFCSD, customer service is more than just lip service—that’s because customer service is, literally, what we do. As utility service providers, customer service is built into the DNA of our very existence, and we’re proud of that. Every moment of every day, our customer service provides high-quality, low-cost drinking water and reliable, state-of-the-art wastewater services to tens of thousands of residents and business owners in the growing area.
Of course, if we’re just talking about the traditional definition of customer service—the assistance or advice from a company to those who buy its product or service—then we’re proud of that, too. At the FCLWD and SFCSD, customer service is a shared core value that informs everything we do across every department.
Celebrating Customer Service Week
Customer Service Week is officially Oct. 3-7. It’s a week where we revisit our core value commitment to our customers and how that commitment informs strategic thinking, growth management, outreach and beyond.
In fact, the FCLWD and SFCSD aren’t the only ones who participate in Customer Service Week. The movement was actually kickstarted in 1991 by the Customer Service Group. Customer Service Week was then proclaimed a national event by the U.S. Congress in 1992. True story!
Although every day is customer service day around these parts, the week still gives us a purposeful reason to stop and revisit how we show up for the customer each day.
Customers Have Been Central From the Beginning
Providing water distribution and treatment to Northern Colorado has been the mission of the FCWLD and SFCSD since our foundings in 1961 and 1964 respectively. Back then, there were only a few customers to serve, but the organizing partners knew that would soon change, which is why we adopted a customer-first approach to operations and began to develop our “Growth To Pay Its Way” mentality, which would ensure pre-existing customers don’t pay for the growth brought about by developers.
Today, the FCLWD and SFCSD encompass approximately 60 square-miles and more than 50,000 customers. That’s quite a difference from 60 years ago.
Customer Service Drives What We Do
Have we mentioned yet that we pride ourselves in our customer service? Beyond supplying tasty water and thorough wastewater treatment, we’ve also developed a lot of initiatives and partnerships to help our customers reduce their consumption, save money, enjoy convenience and a bit of water-related education when the mood strikes.
Customers of the FCLWD and SFCSD are never short on new programs to sign up for or on new opportunities to save a bit of money. That’s because we’re always keeping our customers top-of-mind. Here are just a few examples:
- HOA Partnerships: The FCLWD is currently teaming up with HOAs in the area to info-share on everything from projected rates to water use—all in service of helping local communities plan fiscally. If you’re interested and on a HOA board, simply email frontdesk@fclwd.com with your name, the name of your HOA and your preferred email address.
- Garden In a Box: Due to our partnership with Resource Central, FCLWD customers qualify for a discount on the Garden In a Box program. That gives local residents extra incentive to plant with native varieties and even look into xeriscaping, which saves water and money.
- Sprinkler Checkup: The FCLWD participates in the City of Fort Collins Sprinkler Checkup program, which means any FCLWD customers who want to sign up for this free service, can!
- FOG Program: SFCDS offers an online FOG Program that ensures local restaurants are up-to-code on how they disposed of Fats, Oils, Greases, and everything they need to sign-up and educate staff is located in one handy spot.
- Pay Online: Sure, it might sound basic, but online pay has an immediate impact on increasing accessibility. Customers can sign up to pay their bill online, and break out of the cycle of constantly looking for envelopes and stamps.
- News and Information: We value communication and transparency, which is why we make sure our blog is up-to-date with useful information and news that customers can actually use. For instance, we took an investigative approach to Capital Funding, producing a three-part series that covered everything from billing to planning for growth. Read it all here!
- Our FAQ Section: We LOVE our FAQ section. It’s a robust collection of all the popular questions we get (we listen to you!) and we’ve done our best to distill everything down to an easy-to-read section on our site. From “How do I set up recurring payments?” to “What is a conservation tap?,” we’re pretty sure that if there was an organization that gave awards for FAQs, we’d be in the running for top prize. That said, if there’s anything you think is missing from the section, don’t hesitate to reach out!
Reach Out to the FCLWD and SFCSD
It wouldn’t be a proper Customer Service blog without a call to action for customer to get in touch—so, please, get in touch if you need anything. Customer service staff at the FCLWD and SFCSD monitor our Contact Us form like hawks during the week. But, if you find yourself in a water emergency, please forgo the contact form and call our 24-hour emergency contact line at 970.226.3104.
