1、ANSI/AWWA G420-09(First Edition)AW WA StandardEffective date: April 1, 2010.This fi rst edition approved by AWWA Board of Directors June 14, 2009.Approved by American National Standards Institute Feb. 5, 2010.6666 West Quincy Avenue Advocacy Denver, CO 80235-3098 Communications T 800.926.7337 Confer
2、ences www.awwa.org Education and TrainingScience and TechnologySectionsThe Authoritative Resource on Safe WaterCommunications and Customer Relationsg420-09.indd i 2/26/2010 10:18:43 AMCopyright 2010 American Water Works Association. All Rights Reserved.iiAWWA StandardThis document is an American Wat
3、er Works Association (AWWA) standard. It is not a specifi cation. AWWA standards describe minimum requirements and do not contain all of the engineering and administrative information normally contained in specifi -cations. The AWWA standards usually contain options that must be evaluated by the use
4、r of the standard. Until each optional feature is specifi ed by the user, the product or service is not fully defi ned. AWWA publication of a standard does not constitute endorsement of any product or product type, nor does AWWA test, certify, or approve any product. The use of AWWA standards is ent
5、irely voluntary. This standard does not supersede or take precedence over or displace any applicable law, regulation, or codes of any governmental authority. AWWA standards are intended to represent a consensus of the water supply industry that the product described will provide satisfactory service
6、. When AWWA revises or withdraws this standard, an offi cial notice of action will be placed on the fi rst page of the classifi ed advertising section of Journal AWWA. The action becomes effective on the fi rst day of the month following the month of Journal AWWA publication of the offi cial notice.
7、American National StandardAn American National Standard implies a consensus of those substantially concerned with its scope and provisions. An Ameri-can National Standard is intended as a guide to aid the manufacturer, the consumer, and the general public. The existence of an American National Stand
8、ard does not in any respect preclude anyone, whether that person has approved the standard or not, from manufacturing, marketing, purchasing, or using products, processes, or procedures not conforming to the standard. American National Standards are subject to periodic review, and users are cautione
9、d to obtain the latest editions. Producers of goods made in conformity with an American National Standard are encouraged to state on their own responsibility in advertis-ing and promotional materials or on tags or labels that the goods are produced in conformity with particular American National Sta
10、ndards.CAUTION NOTICE: The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approval date on the front cover of this standard indicates completion of the ANSI approval process. This American National Standard may be revised or withdrawn at any time. ANSI proce-dures require that action be taken to reaff
11、i rm, revise, or withdraw this standard no later than fi ve years from the date of publication. Purchasers of American National Standards may receive current information on all standards by calling or writing the American Na-tional Standards Institute, 25 West 43rd Street, Fourth Floor, New York, NY
12、 10036; (212) 642-4900, or e-mailing infoansi.org.All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information or retrieval system, except in the form of brief excerpts or q
13、uotations for review purposes, without the written permission of the publisher.Copyright 2010 by American Water Works AssociationPrinted in USAg420-09.indd Sec1:ii 2/26/2010 10:18:52 AMCopyright 2010 American Water Works Association. All Rights Reserved.iiiCommittee PersonnelTh e AWWA Standards Comm
14、ittee on Communications and Customer Relations System, which reviewed and approved this standard, had the following personnel at the time of approval:Linda F. Vaughn, ChairGeneral Interest MembersP.F. Barron,*Standards Council Liaison, Birmingham Water Works as such, there are no major revisions.V.
15、Comments. If you have any comments or questions about this standard, please call the AWWA Volunteer and Technical Support Group at 303.794.7711, Fax at 303.795.7603, write to the group at 6666 West Quincy Avenue, Denver, CO 80235-3098, or e-mail the group at standardsawwa.org.g420-09.indd Sec1:viii
16、2/26/2010 10:18:53 AMCopyright 2010 American Water Works Association. All Rights Reserved.AW WA Standard1ANSI/AWWA G420-09(First Edition)Communications and Customer RelationsSECTION 1: GENERALSec. 1.1 ScopeTh is standard covers the essential requirements to e ectively manage com-munications and cust
17、omer relations.Sec. 1.2 PurposeTh e purpose of this standard is to defi ne the minimum requirements for establishing an e ective communications and customer relations plan for a water and/or wastewater utility. An e ective plan enhances the general public perception of the utility through frequent a
18、nd focused communications with utility customers and stakeholders. Among the many benefi ts of a communications and customer relations plan are increased understanding and support of sustainable rate struc-tures, greater tolerance for service interruptions, better cooperation to keep con-struction p
19、rojects on schedule, and improved response to customer-billing issues, resulting in timely payment of bills.Sec. 1.3 ApplicationTh is standard can be referenced in establishing and maintaining an e ective communications and customer relations plan for water and/or wastewater utilities. Because each
20、utilitys issues, audiences, and organizational structure are unique, g420-09.indd 1 2/26/2010 10:18:53 AMCopyright 2010 American Water Works Association. All Rights Reserved.2 AWWA G420-09this standard provides broad guidelines. Referencing these guidelines, a utility should thoughtfully and strateg
21、ically design a communications and customer rela-tions plan that meets the utilitys needs.SECTION 2: REFERENCESTh is standard has no applicable information for this section.SECTION 3: DEFINITIONSTh e following defi nitions shall apply in this standard.1. Blog: A contraction of the term “Web log.” A
22、blog is a Web site with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video.2. Communications: Th e dissemination and/or exchange of information, ideas, or opinions to better understand, engage, and involve others.3. Customer relations: Th e contracts,
23、communications, and relationships a utility has with its customers and stakeholders; examples include calls, visits, e-mails, meetings, or mailings related to services provided by the utility.4. Documented procedure: Within this standard, documented procedure means that the procedure is established,
24、 documented, implemented, and main-tained.5. Internal customer: Th e utility shall defi ne an internal customer as any employee within an organization for whom another employee provides a service, or who has need of a service that other employees provide.6. Management: Employees or appointed o cials
25、, responsible for making decisions that a ect the operation of the utility.7. Message boards: A Web application for holding discussions and posting user-generated content.8. Resources: Include, but are not limited to human resources, specialized skills, organizational infrastructure, technology, and
26、 fi nancial resources.9. Social media: A broad term that refers to the tools and platforms people use to share opinions, insights, experiences, and perspectives with one another. Social media emphasizes online collaboration and sharing among users, connect-ing people, not just computers.g420-09.indd
27、 2 2/26/2010 10:18:53 AMCopyright 2010 American Water Works Association. All Rights Reserved.COMMUNICATIONS AND CUSTOMER RELATIONS 310. Social media newsroom: A compilation of content for the media and attendees, including important social media sites widgets, as well as product information and rele
28、vant links.11. Social media release: A collection of news facts, quotes, and links to video, podcasts, graphics, and photos with the ability to be shared using other popular social media sites.12. Stakeholders: A group, organization, person, or agency who has an interest in, decision-making responsi
29、bility for, or authority over a process and who is a ected by or will benefi t from the outcome of a process. Examples of stakeholders are customers, elected o cials, regulatory agencies, utility employ-ees, and representatives of culturally diverse audiences in the community.13. Wastewater: A combi
30、nation of liquid and water-carried waste from res-idences, commercial buildings, industrial plants, and institutions, together with any groundwater, surface water, and storm water that may be present.SECTION 4: REQUIREMENTSTh e minimum requirements for a communications and customer relations plan ar
31、e to establish communications and customer relations planning as a key management function, identify the needs of both internal and external stakehold-ers, and defi ne systems or processes to address those needs, using sections described in this standard as applicable.Th is standard requires that th
32、e utility establish goals to disseminate and pro-mote exchange of information, ideas, and opinions with the audiences identifi ed. Additionally, goals should serve to build trust, credibility, and respect for others. Clearly defi ned goals, that are achievable and measurable, can be monitored for re
33、porting progress and used to describe what constitutes success for the plan.Th e utility shall develop a strategy to optimize e orts, periodically review progress, and make revisions as needed to improve the plan, keeping it relevant to the utilitys need to communicate with its stakeholders, and pro
34、mote positive customer relations.Sec. 4.1 Overall Utility Communications and Customer Relations Plan4.1.1 Introduction and purpose of a plan. A communications and cus-tomer relations plan is a document that represents a collection of best practices and g420-09.indd 3 2/26/2010 10:18:53 AMCopyright 2
35、010 American Water Works Association. All Rights Reserved.4 AWWA G420-09one that is an important part of a utilitys overall management plan. Th e plan shall satisfy the following:1. Provide strategic vision that supports the utilitys mission, goals, and objectives.2. Establish centralized originatio
36、n of information and serve as a guide to determine which communications opportunities will and will not be pursued based on communications objectives and long-range planning.3. Foster internal relationships to promote consistency of messages and information exchanged.4. Promote balance in activities
37、 and broad coverage.5. Serve as a basis for budgeting and resource procurement and provide a means for measurement and evaluation.6. Serve as a resource for organization-wide buy-in.4.1.2 Plan components. Th e description of specifi c communications and customer relations plan sections begins with S
38、ec. 4.2 below. Each of the sections shall consider and contain the following, as appropriate:1. Utility mission, goals, and objectives;2. Short-, mid-, and long-term organizational priorities to support the mission, goals, and objectives;3. Identifi cation of target audiences and descriptions of the
39、 strategic out-reach areas;4. Resource needs and measurement tools;5. Periodic review and evaluation of lessons learned for continuous improvement.Sec. 4.2 External Communications (Nonemergency and Noncrisis)4.2.1 Introduction. Continuous communications with customers and stakeholders outside of the
40、 utility promotes broad understanding of the role the utility plays in the quality of life stakeholders enjoy in the community. Over time, open and honest communications and good customer relations helps build good-will, community support, and a positive image for the utility. Goodwill and com-munit
41、y support can be invaluable when the utility requests changes in rates and fees, additional sta , or infrastructure repairs and replacements.4.2.2 Purpose. External communications serve to educate stakeholders about the operations of the utility and the challenges it faces, to correct miscon-ception
42、s about the water provided, and to change behaviors relative to water use. As appropriate, external communications also invite stakeholders to give feedback to the utility on important strategic decisions.g420-09.indd 4 2/26/2010 10:18:53 AMCopyright 2010 American Water Works Association. All Rights
43、 Reserved.COMMUNICATIONS AND CUSTOMER RELATIONS 54.2.3 Audiences. External targeted audiences include customers, elected o cials, news media, community and civic leaders, environmental organizations, culturally diverse groups, and students, among others. Th e communications and customer relations pl
44、an shall be designed to e ectively deliver consistent and accu-rate messages to individuals, organizations, and other stakeholders through means best suited to the target audiences.4.2.4 Message content and format. Message content shall focus on the utilitys vision, mission, goals, plans, operations
45、, rules, and regulations. Time spent on content and format ensures consistency of messages delivered by utility spokes-persons or customer service representatives. A guiding principle shall be to make the communications short and concise and to include pertinent information, using language and writi
46、ng styles appropriate for the target audiences. From time to time, stakeholder input on messages shall be invited to confi rm the relevance, clar-ity, and resonance with the target audience.4.2.5 Non-verbal communications. Th e utility shall emphasize and employ non-verbal communications methods to
47、demonstrate the utilitys consideration for its customers. Examples include clean and well-maintained vehicles and buildings, employees of pleasant demeanor and appropriate dress, and easy access to customer billing information.4.2.6 Resources. Adequate resources shall be provided for building and ma
48、intaining an e ective and successful communications and customer relations plan. While positive community and customer relations is a responsibility of utility employees, designated employees shall be assigned responsibility and accountabil-ity for consistent and continuous communications.4.2.7 Feed
49、back/input. Th e utility shall utilize feedback systems, such as surveys, suggestion boxes, focus groups, and stakeholder interviews for soliciting input on the utilitys external communications e orts.Sec. 4.3 Internal Communications (Nonemergency and Noncrisis)4.3.1 Introduction. Internal communications are the day-to-day activity of sharing and communicating information about the utility and its operations with employees at each level of the organization.4.3.2 Purpose. Th e utility shall establish a formal and systematic internal commun
