All the organisations in Pakistan are now relatively more conscious about the concept of customer satisfaction and are serious in formulating consumer-friendly policies. One of these organisations is Pepco, which is providing electricity supply to total 18,674,114 consumers all over Pakistan except Karachi, where this responsibility is rested on the shoulders of KESC.
Pepco, having a huge consumer base, is also customer-oriented company, which has the philosophy of facilitating consumers. Pepco has 15,858,823 domestic consumers out of which, LESCO -2,468,427, Gepco - 2,014,886, Fesco - 2,40l,612, Iesco - 1,671,381, Mepco - 3,356,725, Pesco - 2,136,302, Hesco - 1,191,748, Tesco - 253,796 and Quesco has 363,947 consumers.
Total 2,291,628 commercial consumers are dependent of Pepco out of which Lesco has 463,781, Gepco - 261,680, Fesco - 190,036, Iesco - 286,134, Mepco - 382,213, Pesco - 251,022, Tesco - 28,353, Hesco - 240,466 and Quesco has 87,943 commercial consumers. As far as industrial consumers are concerned, they are total 253,089, out of which Lesco has 63,394 consumers, Gepco - 47,212, Fesco - 37,940, Jesco - 11,880, Mepco 40,796, Pesco - 22,737, Tesco 4089, Hesco 21958 and Quesco has 3,089 industrial consumers.
To satisfy such a large consumer base by providing them electricity and related customer service is a colossal task. However PEPCO leaves no stone unturned in doing so and maintaining a large vats electricity distribution infrastructure over 18 million industrial, domestic, commercial and agricultural consumer of the company are the most important assets of the company to be taken care of. All the new policies, systems, modern equipments, are being incorporated to facilitate worthy consumers.
The officers and the field staff are being trained to be customer friendly and ensure service quality for consumer satisfaction. PEPCO line staff is available round the clock in the field offices to rectify all sorts of problems in all types of weather, at any time. PEPCO staff replaces faulty meters and cables, upgraded transformers, strengthens and bifurcates feeders and also replaces power transformers to the grid stations with the heavy ones in scorching heat, wind storms, rains and severe cold, endangering their lives for public service. Pepco has established a vast network of complaints and customer service centers, which are fully functional to redress consumer grievances. On one hand all these efforts are being invested, but there is a considerable dearth of reciprocation by the consumers.
Efforts put in for consumer education to make them responsible, co-operative and disciplined are minimum and unfocused. If the consumers have genuine reservations about products and services, the organisation also has serious observations about consumer's behaviour and discipline. PEPCO also is confronted with various consumer related issues, out of which electricity theft, using undeclared electricity loads and non-payment of bills are worth mentioning.
Electricity theft is on the rise and Pepco has to suffer heavy losses in this regard. Practices of kunda system, meter tempering and use of electrical switches are rampant.