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PPL Electric Utilities, an electric delivery company, has stated that its customers are showing more preference to their utility's website and customer care center's interactive systems than talk to their customer service representatives.

PPL Electric has enabled its interactive voice response, or IVR, system to allow customers to get an updated account balance, make a payment, or report a power outage through it. The company has claimed that nearly 400,000 transactions were handled this way during the first five months of 2010, up 34 percent over the past two years.

Using the company's website customers can start or stop service, view billing information, enroll in various bill payment plans, and make arrangements to pay the monthly bill. There is also provision for the customers to view their hourly, daily or monthly electric usage patterns, analyze their usage, and get tips to reduce their utility costs.

PPL Electric's web site features an energy library of helpful articles for consumers, an energy calculator to understand how much electricity different appliances consume, an online store for discounted energy-related products, the E-Power suite of energy efficiency tips, rebates and incentives, as well as safety information for parents, teachers and children.

Robert M. Geneczko, PPL Electric Utilities vice president of Customer Service has commented that in today's society, they understand consumers are looking for convenience and want to do business on their schedules. They're pleased there's been steady growth in usage of their website, and they'll keep working to ensure it is consumer friendly and meets the needs of their customers.

On the other hand the company's customer contact center has handled more than 2.1 million contacts with customers in 2009 and more than 975,000 contacts during the first five months of this year.

Even amidst the advent of customers' technological prowess the company is still receiving thousands of pieces of correspondence - letters, faxes and e-mails.

In related news, PPL Electric Utilities proposed smart grid technology and was awarded $19 million grant.