Thanks for the comments!
As for the thank you cards, we actually do have a stack of those and if door is somewhat close the meter/on our way back to our truck we definitely try and leave it. Unfortunately we read so many meters a day that even if we veer and take a little extra time to put thank you cards at every door our route would literally take an extra hour or more longer. It sounds crazy but it's true.
I know every route like the back of my hand and some routes STILL take me 10+ hours in the summer.
As for huge piles of snow (and even depending on the consistency of the snow itself) we'll sometimes skip it if there's no path or if a snowplow just covers it completely. I'm not sure if they mark on the bill to let the customers know it was estimated though. I'd imagine it would
The thing about the whole reading the meters from the office is that our contracting company is so cheap that it costs the Co-op less to continue renewing our contract than to integrate a multi-million dollar infrastructure that even when it's done will still need some kind of maintenence. I'm sure in the long run (really long run) it will end up saving everyone money but in this economy I don't think it will be replacing us anytime soon. hopefully.. it's brutal out there! hehe.
Yes I don't read wolfeboro, just the co-op meters and I think wolfeboro has their own electric company thing going on. Tuftonboro is as close as I get. way out in the boonies! Lots of seasonal places on that route, it seems as though I end up skipping half of it in the winter because so many roads just aren't plowed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lakegeezer
Why not have the meter reader to leave a card or have the company send out an email or card if there is too much snow. Ask the owner to read the meter themselves and phone or web it in. Fraud would not be an issue, because eventually, the snow melts and the meter reader returns for an update.
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the co-op does send letters every year I believe asking "members" to try and clear a path but some people don't listen/don't read/don't notice.
Sometimes it's frustrating because some people will snowblow a path right to the oil tank and pile all the snowblown snow right in front of the meter and forget about poor ol' us
And yes some meters I end up skipping specifically because the owners like to read it themselves (or it's inside their house/garage and we can't get to it). They usually get cards that they mail in but as someone else stated, apparently you can do it online, that's pretty neat!