Nicor Gas adds new communications platform to keep you informed

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – Dec. 10, 2019

As part of its commitment to providing natural gas customers with best-in-class service utilizing innovative technology, Nicor Gas is enhancing its ability to quickly and directly reach customers by leveraging mobile phone technology.

Nicor Gas is introducing “Keep Me Informed” or KMI, a new communications platform that proactively provides status updates to residential customers about their scheduled appointments through text messages. When scheduling certain types of service appointments, such as new service connections, Nicor Gas customers will now be able to opt-in to receive text messages to keep them informed of the status of their appointment.

“As customer expectations continue to grow and shift and the technology available to us evolves, adding another option for our customers to communicate with us is one of many ways we're adapting and adjusting our operating practices to meet new and changing demands,” said Anthony McCain, vice president of Resource Management at Southern Company Gas.

Nicor Gas is one of the four natural gas distribution companies of Southern Company Gas, which has made KMI technology a prioritized investment to expand customer communications. 

“By investing in innovative communications solutions through text message and concierge services, we hope to make customer interactions with Nicor Gas more convenient, and ultimately make it easier to do business with us,” McCain said.

Customers whose appointments are covered by KMI will receive a confirmation text after an appointment is scheduled and will receive a reminder message the day before and the day of their scheduled appointment. The KMI system, introduced in select Nicor Gas service areas in September, will also send a text alerting the customer that the technician is on the way. Once work is complete, customers will be notified through a final text, which will include a link to a customer satisfaction survey.

The Keep Me Informed system will continue to be offered in selected Nicor Gas service territories and will be available to all residential customers by the end of January. KMI text messages are currently being used for new service appointments with plans to expand the service to other appointment types in the near future. For more information about Keep Me Informed, call our Customer Care Center at 888.Nicor.4U (642.6748).

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About Nicor Gas 
Nicor Gas is one of four natural gas distribution companies of Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO). Nicor Gas serves more than 2.2 million customers in a service territory that encompasses most of the northern third of Illinois, excluding the city of Chicago. For more information, visit nicorgas.com. 

About Southern Company Gas
Southern Company Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), America’s premier energy company. Southern Company Gas serves approximately 4.2 million natural gas utility customers through its regulated distribution companies in four states with approximately 700,000 retail customers through its companies that market natural gas. Other nonutility businesses include investments in interstate pipelines, asset management for natural gas wholesale customers and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. For more information, visit southerncompanygas.com.

Media Contact:

Jennifer Golz
o: 630-388-3737 | c: 331.222.8716 | jgolz@southernco.com