Client: Powder River Energy Corporation (PRECorp)
Industry: Rural Electric Cooperative
Location: Northeast Wyoming (serving Campbell, Crook, Johnson, Sheridan and Weston counties)
Service Provider: Telephone Town Hall Meeting (TTHM)
Testimonial Source: Tim Velder, Marketing & Communications Specialist at PRECorp
Background
Powder River Energy Corporation (PRECorp) is a member-owned, not-for-profit Touchstone Energy® Cooperative serving over 12,000 members across five counties in northeast Wyoming. As a rural electric cooperative, PRECorp prioritizes reliable, affordable electric service while maintaining strong community ties and transparent communication with its membership.
In 2014, PRECorp leadership sought innovative ways to engage members directly, particularly around grassroots opportunities to influence and control electric rates. Inspired by discussions at a cooperative communicators conference, the organization partnered with Telephone Town Hall Meeting (TTHM), a specialized provider of virtual outreach tools including interactive telephone town halls.
Challenge
Traditional outreach methods (such as mailings or in-person events) were costly, logistically challenging in a rural service territory, and often limited in reach and interactivity. PRECorp needed a scalable, cost-effective channel to:
-Deliver timely information on critical topics (e.g., rate cases, outages, money-saving programs, legislative/regulatory issues, local industry updates, and emergencies like COVID-19).
-Foster two-way dialogue, allowing members to ask questions and provide feedback live.
-Build comfort for speakers, including the CEO and company experts who can develop communication skills.
-Measure engagement and outcomes effectively.
The goal was to strengthen member trust, boost satisfaction, and expand communication channels without straining resources.
Solution
PRECorp adopted TTHM’s Telephone Town Hall platform for quarterly meetings, establishing a consistent cadence since 2014. These live, interactive virtual forums combine phone-based participation (with automated dial-outs to members) and web integration for broader access.
Key features utilized:
-Professional moderation- A skilled TTHM moderator ensures smooth flow, audience connection, and adaptability.
-Interactive tools- Live polling, question submission, and messaging monitored by support staff.
-Pre-event preparation- Detailed support from TTHM staff to refine scripts, timelines, and logistics.
-Multi-channel integration- Pairing town halls with Facebook Live streams to amplify reach and social media engagement.
-Post-event deliverables- Comprehensive analytics including statistics, call logs, voicemails, audio recordings, and poll results.
Topics have ranged from routine updates to high-profile discussions, including a special appearance by the Governor of Wyoming.
Results
The partnership has delivered measurable benefits over more than a decade:
-Consistent, high-quality engagement- Quarterly meetings have become a reliable forum, with speakers reporting comfortable experiences thanks to professional moderation and support.
-Cost efficiency- TTHM events are significantly less expensive than alternatives like mailings or in-person gatherings to reach the full membership.
-Member satisfaction and feedback- Positive responses to direct outreach have contributed to the cooperative’s all-time high American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) score of 88.
-Digital growth- Social media engagement has increased three-fold, driven by combined telephone town halls and Facebook Live events.
-Enhanced communication channels- TTHM added a vital, interactive messaging tool to PRECorp’s portfolio, supporting public messaging, member education, and feedback collection on topics from rates to emergency response.
Key Takeaways
-Long-term impact- Sustained quarterly use since 2014 demonstrates the value of consistent, live interaction in building member loyalty for cooperatives.
-Versatility- The platform handles diverse topics and high-profile guests effectively.
-ROI perspective- Lower costs combined with higher engagement and satisfaction scores make TTHM a strategic investment.
-Member-centric approach– Direct, two-way communication strengthens the cooperative model, empowering members and reinforcing PRECorp’s role as a community partner.
Polling during the cooperative events show that TTHM audiences prefer this method of outreach 2 to 1.
PRECorp’s experience highlights how targeted virtual outreach tools like TTHM can transform member relations for rural utilities, delivering efficient, engaging, and impactful communication in an era of evolving member expectations.
Tim Velder’s testimonial underscores: “TTHM provides a vital service for our cooperative members, develops our public messaging, and adds a messaging channel to our stable of methods to disseminate information.”
Author: Matthew Lally, Director of Business Development, TTHM
Learn more about how TTHM empowers Utility Cooperative communications.