Front and Center: Avista’s Mike Broemeling is the company’s point man for customer service

Years ago, when Mike Broemeling’s titles at Avista Corporation seemed to change almost as frequently as the seasons, his 6-year-old son observed, “Dad, you can’t seem to keep a job.”

Taken aback and sensing a learning opportunity, Broemeling explained the role of leaders – to organize people and challenge them in ways that make them as good as they can be.

To which his son replied, “So you don’t really work.”

“There was a lot of truth to that,” admits Broemeling. “It’s not like I was driving a truck, stringing power lines, fixing a gas meter or taking phone calls.

“When you’re a leader, the only way you get work done is through others.”

For the past five years, Broemeling has had one job title at Avista: director of customer and shared services. The biggest part of that involves overseeing the utility’s call center, or “contact center,” which fields 800,000 phone calls a year and processes 800,000 digital interactions.

During a recent interview, Broemeling discussed teamwork, employee morale, and self-awareness.

S-R: Where did you grow up?

Broemeling: In Lewiston, Idaho.

S-R: What were your childhood interests?

Broemeling: I played a lot of sports – baseball, football, basketball … ran track a little bit in high school.

S-R: Did you have favorite classes?

Broemeling: Absolutely. Math, geometry, algebra.

S-R: What was your first job?

Broemeling: A gentleman from our church paid me to shovel dirt out of a pickup in his backyard, so I could earn money for summer camp. But I got my real first job after I graduated from high school and decided to go to college – which was unusual for my family. I worked four summers at Potlatch, mostly on the lumber side.

S-R: Where did you attend college?

Broemeling: I went to Lewis-Clark State for one year, then transferred to Whitworth.

S-R: What career did you envision for yourself?

Broemeling: I was going to teach math and coach football.

S-R: Did you play football at Whitworth?

Broemeling: I played defensive back for one year.

S-R: Was there a moment or event that changed the direction of your life?

Broemeling: Definitely. When I graduated in the early ’80s, interest rates were unbelievably high – 17, 18 percent – and teachers who graduated the year ahead of me were losing their jobs. That set me on a different trajectory. I worked in construction for nine months, got laid off, and joined a small janitorial-supply company as a delivery driver before moving into sales. Then a friend called and said, “Mike, they’re hiring at Washington Water Power!” The salary was about half what I was making, but working for Water Power would be a dream come true. So I applied and got hired in the billing department.

S-R: What did that involve?

Broemeling: Back then, meter readers actually hand-marked cards, then turned them in, and some first-generation computers would calculate how much energy customers used. My job was to review bills when the calculation looked either too low or too high.

S-R: What jobs have you held since then?

Broemeling: Too many to mention. Over a 33-year career, I’ve worked in supply chain, finance, engineering, and on lots of special projects.

S-R: Why have you moved around so much?

Broemeling: I’ve always enjoyed doing something different, and I really like working with teams on projects.

S-R: Has the job always been the “dream come true” you imagined?

Broemeling: No. The first three or four years with Washington Water Power, I thought, “This is great. My kids will never know what it’s like for their dad to be unemployed, unless I screw up.” Then in 1987 and ’88 – five years after I started – we went through a downsizing. I was in customer service, and saw a lot of my peers walk out the door through no fault of their own – they were doing a good job. It was horrible.

S-R: What did you learn?

Broemeling: It’s leadership’s responsibility to make sure that never happens again. Don’t let your organization get fat. I don’t ever want someone to say, “Mike, were you asleep at the wheel?”

S-R: But utilities aren’t like other businesses.

Broemeling: True – we’re regulated. But the regulators act as customers, and allow or disallow what we spend. We can’t charge customers more just because we spent the money. We’re expected to be good stewards.

S-R: What skills learned in other roles transferred to customer service?

Broemeling: Definitely my sports background. Teamwork is huge. The quarterback might get the most recognition or be the most visible, but he can’t do anything without the linemen.

S-R: What’s the best advice you’ve received?

Broemeling: Be Mike Broemeling. Don’t try to be somebody else.

S-R: How has the company evolved since you arrived in 1983?

Broemeling: The technology is significantly different. You can receive your bill online and pay online without ever talking to us. In the Pullman area – and throughout Washington state, starting late next year – you can see your energy usage in 15-minute increments.

S-R: Has that reduced the number of employees in customer service?

Broemeling: Surprisingly no, because customer expectations have increased. They want more information, and they want it now. When I started, we were open 8 to 5 Monday through Friday. Now we’re open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 to 5 on Saturday.

S-R: What factors, besides weather and technology, affect your business?

Broemeling: The economy. About 40 percent of our calls involve customers unable to pay their bill – employed people on the edge financially.

S-R: How does the current situation compare with years past?

Broemeling: I think it’s getting worse. I don’t know why.

S-R: What’s your busiest time of year?

Broemeling: January through March, when customers’ bills are highest.

S-R: What’s your typical workday?

Broemeling: I usually start between 6 and 7 in the morning, and finish between 5 and 6.

S-R: Call centers typically have problems with attrition. Do you?

Broemeling: No more than any other department here. I think we do a really good job of screening applicants. But we do have internal attrition – our people moving to other departments – which is great for Avista, because our customer-service people are some of the most knowledgeable employees in the company.

S-R: How long does it take to teach good customer service?

Broemeling: New employees go through six weeks of training before they ever get on the phone, and then go through a two-month mentorship where they have little flags they can raise if they’re having trouble, and a more experienced person can provide assistance. We also have ongoing training and huddles every month. Our goal is for employees to be good listeners, to genuinely care about our customers, and to engage in open, honest communication.

S-R: Are there opportunities for advancement?

Broemeling: Definitely. But it’s competitive. This is an entry point to Avista, and it’s part time when you start. New employees work flexible schedules of between 20 and 40 hours a week.

S-R: What do you like most about your job?

Broemeling: I love seeing people do a great job – seeing them grow, develop, learn.

S-R: What do you like least?

Broemeling: When customers complain, and they’re wrong. Here’s an example. Customers will contact me saying our employee was so rude. I’ll ask them to describe “rude,” because that is not who we are at Avista. And we record every phone call, so I can go back and check. It turns out the customer is three months late, doesn’t want to pay for another month, and we explained why that won’t work. In my mind, that’s not rude.

S-R: If 40 percent of your calls are about the inability to pay a utility bill, is that stressful for your employees?

Broemeling: Yes. But we teach them to have empathy without taking it personal. Customers will try to make it that way. They will yell at you, call you names. But it’s not about you.

S-R: How do you maintain workers’ enthusiasm?

Broemeling: We’re big on employee recognition – acknowledging when we think someone has done a good job.

S-R: Will there come a time when almost all interaction with Avista will be digital?

Broemeling: I don’t think so. As the world becomes increasingly complex, customers want to talk to a live body.

S-R: Do you have more applications than you need?

Broemeling: Way too many.

S-R: What qualities do you look for?

Broemeling: Empathy. Problem-solving skills.

S-R: How would you describe your leadership style?

Broemeling: I believe people want to win, they want to do a good job, and they want to hear from their immediate leader how they’re doing.

S-R: What has this job taught you about yourself?

Broemeling: I’m a lot more self-aware of who I am – how I come across and react under stress.

S-R: How do you react under stress?

Broemeling: Sometimes not very good. But I’m more aware of it now. (laugh) I’ll tell people, “I know I’m being a pain, and I’m sorry.”

This interview has been condensed. Correspondent Michael Guilfoil can be contacted at mguilfoil@comcast.net.