The Distribution Business Unit stands at the customer end of the electricity supply chain and is, therefore, Tanesco’s major interface with customers. It deals with the distribution of electricity, promotion of services and all customer service matters.
The unit is headed by a Deputy Managing Director - Distribution and Customer Service who is assisted by two Senior Managers; a Senior Manager for Marketing and Customer Service on the one hand and a Senior Manager for Distribution on the other. Services of the Marketing Business Unit are delivered to customers through a network of 24 TANESCO defined Regions. To ensure effective management of operations, these Regions are clustered into Seven Zones each headed by a Zonal Manager.
SALES & MARKETING DIVISION
The division has the function to overseas the operations under the Marketing, Call Centre & Customer Service and Large Power Users section.
The Marketing and Customer Service Division is led by the Senior Manager Marketing who oversees the operations of three sections namely the Marketing Section, the Call Centre Section and the Large Power Users section.
The Marketing Section
The marketing section is entrusted with the responsibility to implement strategic and tactical marketing plans for marketing TANESCO’s product and services in the most effective manner through; Marketing and sales Innovations, Marketing research, monitoring and evaluation, event marketing and promotions, Corporate and product brand management, Service Delivery innovations and Connectivity strategies.
Large Power Users Section
It is estimated that over 44% of all Tanesco revenue is earned from only 3,836 Large Power Users (LPUs) who forms 0.17% of all customers countrywide. LPUs are those customers that consume over 7,500kWh per month. Ironically, the biggest non-technical losses also originate from this group of customers which is only 0.17% of total customers. Management of LPUs is therefore of paramount importance to Tanesco.
Safeguarding the 44% of revenues from the LPUs is given high priority. That is why meter commissioning and meter auditing to LPUs is administered right from the Head Office’s Sales & Marketing Division via the Department of Large Power Users.
The LPU Department runs Four sections:
The Meter Workshop Section which is responsible with commissioning of LPU meters and attending defective LPU meters.
The Revenue Protection Section which is responsible in auditing LPU customers as well as supervising and giving technical assistance to Regional Revenue Protection Units.
Liaison Office which liaise with all three sections to ensure things went as per plan, visitation of LPUs, follow up on debit collection across the country, sensitization on power factor improving as well as coordinates communications Towers ensure they run their activities smoothly
The AMR center is responsible for registration all newly installed LPU meters and medium customer meters, ensuring billing went smoothly every month, verification of active alarms from AMR system and maintaining database as well as managing the AMR System.
From 2007 to 2008 the Distribution & customer’s services carried out a Pilot Project on the use of Smart Meters to establish an Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) System where meters can be read and monitored remotely. Over 100 AMR meters were installed during this Pilot Phase.
In 2009 the AMR meters were approved to be rolled out to all LPU customers.
By the end of year 2009, 2,130 AMR meters were procured for LPUs and 8,000 AMR meters were procured for Medium Power Users (Tariff 1 customers using three phase meters).
It is well known that ‘The AMR Center’. Was commissioned on September 2010 and started operation officially.
These meters are not only powerful weapons in the war against energy theft, but also they will cut down meter reading costs, they will eliminate meter reading errors, and for the case of Tariff 1 three-phase customers, they can be disconnected remotely for non-payment of bills, further cutting down operation costs.
Call Centre & Customer service Section
The section has the function of building mutually satisfying long term relationships with customers in order to earn and retail the business and improve corporate image. The section has been strengthened to have two subsections of Customer Service and Call Centre.
The overall section function includes but not limited to; Oversee all customer service activities throughout the country, Researching on customer satisfaction levels, Promote customer care orientations(Customer awareness, educations, and training), Oversee the implementation of Customer Service Charter, Formulating policies, guidelines and strategies for customer service excellence, Improve customer service delivery, Creating convenience ways of interacting with customers and Operating call Centre and customer contact Centre (Call center)
DISTRIBUTION DIVISION
Headed by the Senior Manager Distribution, this division is responsible for distribution, Health & Safety as well as rural electrification.
Operations Section
It is through this section that the Marketing Business Unit oversees the operations of regional operations. The section monitors regional operations through regular reports such as weekly and monthly reports and also various statistical analyses based on regional reports.
One of the major roles of the operations function is to ensure the availability of distribution materials of the right quality to enable smooth distribution of electricity to customers. The section also carries out a survey for the purpose of mapping out distribution networks. To ensure continued and uninterrupted distribution services, the operations section has also been entrusted with the responsibility for overseeing the maintenance of electricity distribution networks.
The Distribution function also draws specifications of various distribution materials to ensure materials procured conform to the required standards.
The Operations Section of the Distribution Division also carters as an R&D unit thus working in search for new technology that will ensure efficient use of materials at low cost.
Health & Safety Section
Electricity is a key component to uplift development, however, it can be very dangerous if used without adequate Safety precaution. TANESCO workers are exposed to risks of accidents while at work therefore all work must be planned with maximum safety precaution. Our customers equally are also exposed to electricity related risks due to poor electrical installations, unsafely interacting with company electrical infrastructure and faulty electrical appliances. Electricity can kill or cause severe and permanent injury but careful planning and straightforward precautions can help us to avoid most of the accidents.
Our health and safety unit was established for the purpose of ensuring all possible measures are taken to prevent electrical accidents and creating a health wise sound working environment in accordance with the Occupational Health & Safety Act.
Electrification Section
Electrification section monitors implementation of local and donor-funded electrification projects focusing initially on electrifying district headquarters, urban areas, agro-based industries, small townships, EAC cross-border centers, development centers, settlements and eventually rural villages.
The main objective of the electrification section is to guide the company to achieve its goals on increasing the pace of electrification for economic growth, improve people’s standard of life, reduction of migration to urban centers and protecting the environment by reducing tree-felling for charcoal and firewood. Financing of rural electrification program by the Government has contributed a lot to the pace of increase in access to electricity. To date all 139 district headquarters in Tanzania have electricity, connection level has reached 39.46%, access to electricity is 67.5% and 70% of all villages in mainland Tanzania have been electrified.