" OPERATIONALLY, WE HAVE EXPECTATIONS AROUND RELIABILITY AND SCHEDULE ADHERENCE BUT WE ALSO STRIVE TO PROVIDE FLEXI- BILITY SO THAT AGENTS CAN MANAGE THEIR PERSONAL AND WORK LIVES."
FEATURE
HANDLING SUDDEN PRICE HIKES
BOX
Our agents feel connected to the company’ s mission and are supported through competitive compensation, career development opportunities, and unique benefits such as sabbatical and profit-sharing programs. This investment in our people has been a key driver of our success.
HOW DO YOU HIRE / RECRUIT, TRAIN, COACH, ENGAGE, AND RETAIN YOUR AGENTS? MANAGE AGENT SCHEDULING AND ADHERENCE? ARE YOUR METHODS WITH COMMUNITY-BASED AGENTS DIFFERENT FROM THOSE IN OTHER DEPLOYMENT / LOCATION TYPES AND IF SO, HOW, AND WHY?
A: Because all our agents are Gas South employees, we hire for both skills and mindset: prioritizing customer focus, transparency, empathy, teamwork, and adaptability.
Training is delivered in-house using internal resources, structured materials, and peer mentoring. New hires are supported by experienced trainers who routinely serve customers to remain proficient themselves and other seasoned peers, accelerating both learning and cultural integration.
Ongoing coaching is a critical component of our model. Leaders provide feedback in regular one-on-ones, supported by performance dashboards that give agents visibility into their strengths and opportunities.
Energy suppliers, like natural gas companies, sometimes face sudden price hikes that occur mostly for reasons beyond their control. Events that understandably cause customer contacts to spike.
So, we asked Jenni Hawkins, Gas South how her company informs customers of these matters, and, equally critically, trains its agents how to respond to customers when they reach out to them.
“ While natural gas prices can fluctuate due to market conditions, our customer care team works closely with customers to understand their needs, explain their plan options, and recommend solutions that can help minimize the impact of market volatility,” says Jenni.
“ For example, many customers choose fixed-rate plans that lock in the rate-per-therm for the duration of their contracts, although the monthly bill varies based on usage, taxes, Atlanta Gas Light charges, and applicable fees.
“ Others benefit from our OnePrice Plan, which allows them to pay the same amount every month, plus taxes, for a flatrate gas bill.
“ When customers do reach out with concerns, our agents are trained to lead with empathy, provide clear information, and help customers identify the solutions that best fit their situation.”
We invest heavily in tools and resources, including a user-friendly knowledge base and emerging AI technologies that streamline processes and reduce manual work, allowing agents to focus on meaningful customer interactions.
Operationally, we have expectations around reliability and schedule adherence but we also strive to provide flexibility so that agents can manage their personal and work lives.
We also prioritize engagement and recognition. Programs such as our Excellence Expedition program celebrate top performers and create opportunities for cross-location connection with peers and leaders to show appreciation for outstanding performance.
" OPERATIONALLY, WE HAVE EXPECTATIONS AROUND RELIABILITY AND SCHEDULE ADHERENCE BUT WE ALSO STRIVE TO PROVIDE FLEXI- BILITY SO THAT AGENTS CAN MANAGE THEIR PERSONAL AND WORK LIVES."
HOW DO YOU PROTECT YOUR COMMUNI- TY-BASED AGENTS FROM OUTAGES? IN DISAS- TERS? SHOULD THE AGENTS HAVE TO EVACUATE, AND UNDERSTANDING YOUR CONTACT VOLUME MAY LIKELY SPIKE IN SUCH EVENTS, HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CONTACT LOAD?
A: Redundancy and preparation are central to our resilience strategy. With teams across multiple locations, we can shift workload in response to regional disruptions, for example, redistributing contacts between Florida and Atlanta during severe weather events.
We have established downtime procedures that allow agents to continue supporting customers even during system interruptions, including capturing information and following up as needed.
Agents also have access to nearby offices for in-person tech support if required for equipment issues or home internet disruptions: one of the reasons we hire within a close radius of our offices.
In addition, we maintain formal disaster recovery plans to ensure continuity during larger-scale disruptions. While we rarely need to activate these plans, being prepared allows us to continue delivering reliable service to our customers when they need it most.
WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS FOR GAS SOUTH?
A: Our focus is expanding our customer base while deepening our impact in the communities we serve.
NOVEMBER 2026 9