The Bright Side of Paperless Billing
It’s no secret that Santee Cooper takes great care in providing our customers with reliable power, but keeping the lights on is just one piece of our mission. We work hard to provide environmentally responsible power and programs for our customers. One big stride in the customer experience is our shift toward paperless billing. It offers added benefits to you as our customer, and it also has benefits to Santee Cooper as your service provider.
Here are some of the advantages of paperless billing:
- Enhanced Customer Experience – By enrolling in one of our paperless billing programs, My Energy Link (MEL) or Pay As You Go Electric (PAYGE), customers have instant access to their daily and monthly usage and usage notifications, promoting a better understanding of energy consumption and habits. Access to billing and payment history, and self-service features like autopay and payment notifications, are other convenient benefits.
- Cost Savings: More Than Just Paper - Switching to paperless billing cuts costs in several areas. The savings on paper, printing and postage are just the start. There's also a reduction in administrative costs related to handling, processing and storing paper bills. These savings can be substantial and can be reinvested in other areas for improving service quality.
- Environmental Impact - The environmental benefit is the most immediate and visible advantage of paperless billing. By eliminating paper bills, utilities significantly reduce paper waste and the need for physical mail.
- Supporting Remote and Automated Services – Shifting to one of our digital, paperless billing platforms, MEL, allows customers to manage their accounts, submit start or stop service requests, and send customer service requests from the comfort of their home, 24/7. Customers don’t have to worry about their bills being lost in the mail or going to a physical location to make or mail a payment. Everything can be managed in our secure, online portal.
In an effort to encourage our customers to make the switch to paperless billing, Santee Cooper is giving away a $100 Visa gift card to three customers, chosen at random, who make the switch to paperless billing during January, February and March. A drawing will be done at the end of each month, and the gift card winner will be notified.
There are several ways to enter the drawing:
- Register for My Energy Link (MEL) online using your Santee Cooper account number. By enrolling in this self-service portal, you will be automatically enrolled into paperless billing. You will set up billing notifications at your enrollment, so you know when your bill is ready to view and when your bill is coming due.
- If you are already registered for MEL, but are still receiving paper bills, make sure to change your bill type to paperless. Once you login, select the Account tab and choose My Profile. Your profile will display your service address(es) and the bill type will be displayed. Select the three dots to the right of your account number and select Edit Bill Type. Make sure to select the Paperless Bill option and then select Continue. You are now enrolled in paperless billing!
- Enroll in our Pay As You Go (PAYGE) program, which is another paperless billing program for customers who do not want the traditional monthly bill and pay for their electricity in advance.
We hope that you consider paperless billing as a convenient and sustainable solution moving forward! There are many bright sides to consider – and the chance to win $100 Visa could make the switch that much sweeter!
