Heating homes for less — in 40 days
A fuel rebate is good news for many people, but it can mean a lot of changes behind the scenes, as was the case for fuel companies in late 2006. The Government announced, on October 30, a rebate of 8% on heating oil and propane for eligible residential customers, starting December 1.
For fuel companies, there was a lot of work to do in only 40 days to get ready for point-of-sale rebates. The list was long:
- Upgrading or converting meters and software on hundreds of delivery trucks (with only four companies in the province capable of doing this)
- Ensuring properties were eligible
- Changing meter tickets and invoices to reflect the rebate
- Upgrading or reprogramming some back-office accounting systems
In those 40 days, Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations, worked with home heating companies to get the job done. The department offered a 1-800 number, an online tool and face-to-face meetings to provide and match customer lists. Financial assistance was provided for equipment upgrading. Even so, any program can experience bumps at the outset. So, after the program launch, vendor feedback resulted in changes to so vendors could get the rebate money from the government more quickly. It was a very cooperative effort that resulted in a successful program for Nova Scotians.
