Breaking: NY PSC Proposes That All ESCO Mass Market Sales Be Verified Through Voice Verification

The New York PSC has issued a proposed set of revisions to the Uniform Business Practices

Notable in the proposed UBP revisions issued today is that, "all mass market enrollments," would require voice verification

Specifically, the draft UBPs provide:

"A voice-recorded verification is required to enter into a telephonic agreement, a door to door agreement, a direct mailer agreement, electronic enrollment, or agreement that resulted from an appointment with a customer to initiate service and begin enrollment. Use of either an Independent Third Party or an Integrated Voice Response system to obtain customer authorization is required for all mass market enrollments in addition to the requirements in UBP Section 5.B.1. Verification by an Independent Third Party or an Integrated Voice Response system shall be recorded and conducted without the ESCO marketing representative’s presence, either on the telephone or in person and, for door-to-door marketing and appointments, should be conducted no less than 30 minutes after the marketer has left the premises. The verification call should be terminated if the customer asks any questions with respect to the agreement during the process."

Under the current UBPs, only telephonic and door-to-door enrollments are required to be voice verified.

In addition to the current requirements, such voice verifications shall require that the ESCO ask the customer: "Did the marketer advise you to check your utility bill for the utility’s rate as a comparison to the price that you were offered?"

EnergyChoiceMatters.com will have a complete recap of the proposed UBP changes tomorrow morning

Link to proposed UBP changes