Press Release - 1-800 Support Company Profile Electric cooperative plugs into 800 Support to help customers with new Internet services BENSON, ARIZ., Aug. 17, 1998 -- Arizona Electric Power Cooperative Inc. (AEPCO) has selected 800 Support to provide round-the-clock technical support to its customers as they plug into the new Internet access services that the utility and its distribution cooperatives are rolling out. Under terms of the outsourcing deal, announced today, AEPCO and its distribution cooperatives will route toll-free telephone technical support requests to 800 Support, a premier supplier of telephone, fax and Internet-based technical support and professional services. 800 Support will help customers sort out Internet browser questions and other general installation issues. 800 Support operates the help desk for AEPCO and its distribution co-ops 24 hours a day, seven days a week. "This agreement gives us the flexibility to expand while knowing our customers' technical support needs are being met," said Diaz Oei, information services team leader at AEPCO. "When a customer has a technical question, all they have to do is call an 800 number, which 800 Support answers using the distribution co-op's name. To our customers, it's seamless." AEPCO has introduced web-site hosting, email and other Internet services, operating since November 1997 as an Internet services provider. With electric utility deregulation in Arizona set to begin in January 1999, AEPCO hopes to continue offering more such value-added services to its customers. AEPCO, a Touchstone EnergySM partner headquartered in Benson, Ariz., is a customer-owned generation and transmission cooperative. Its six Class A member distribution cooperative owners provide electric service to more than 100,000 customers in the Southwest. AEPCO is owned by Anza EC, Anza, Calif.; Graham County EC, Pima, Ariz.; Duncan Valley EC, Duncan, Ariz.; Mohave EC, Bullhead City, Ariz.; Sulphur Springs Valley EC, Willcox, Ariz., and Trico EC, Tucson, Ariz. Of these, Duncan Valley EC, Sulphur Springs Valley EC and Trico EC currently offer Internet service to customers in a three-county area in southeastern Arizona. Through AEPCO, each uses 800 Support for their technical support needs. Touchstone Energy is a national alliance of more than 400 electric cooperatives that collectively supply electricity to 10 million customers in the United States. 800 Support, http://www.800support.com , based in Portland, Oregon, founded in 1989, is a pioneer in telephone, fax, email and Internet-based technical support and professional services. The company operates corporate and end-user help desks for Internet services providers, software publishers, computer hardware manufacturers, network users, small and medium-sized businesses, Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and educational institutions. 800 Support is an operating company of Communication Services Group Inc. (CSG). Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, CSG is an outsourcing specialist and leading provider of integrated marketing and customer support services. Other CSG operating companies include Marcom, DMS Direct Marketing Services Inc., The Development Center, and Data Decisions Corp., which deliver inbound and outbound teleservices, database management, fulfillment, and direct mail services to businesses, non-profits and government agencies. Agency contact: Steven J. Leon President Technopolis(r) Communications Inc. 4841 Shenandoah Ave. Los Angeles, Calif. 90056-1062 310-670-5606 Fax: 310-670-2064 sleon@technopolis.com http://www.technopolis.com 800 Support contact: Dan Mendell President 800 Support 18277 S.W. Boones Ferry Road Building A, Second Floor Portland, Ore. 97224-7600 503-684-2826, x3020 Fax: 503-639-3946 dmendell@800support.com http://www.800support.com AEPCO contact: Romi CarrellEditor/Writer AEPCO 520-586-5238 romic@aepnet.com Search the News Archives Home | Daily Report | Resource Center | Company | Affiliations | Research | Contact Us © 1998 Real Market Research Corporation.          Real Market is a registered trademark of Real Market, Inc.