Practices and Challenges of Utility Bill Collection: The Case of Ethiopian Electric Utility, Finfine Surrounding Districts, Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine practice and challenges of utility bill collection, in the case of Ethiopian electric utility Finfine surrounding district Oromia national regional state. Ethiopian Electric Utility currently provides electric distribution to 3.1 million customers having 28 District offices and 569 Customer service centers within 11 Region throughout the country. Ethiopian Electric Utility delivers the sale of electric on postpaid and pre-paid collection of payments. Post-paid customers pay their consumption through bill. Billing processes involve visiting each and every customer house in order to get consumed amount. After reading from the meter the data inserted in to billing data processing system to produce bill. Bills are prepared in four groups per month according to customer’s area to simplify the reading process and they are expected to pay on their group period. Pre-paid sale of electric energy is customer’s buys electric power for future consumption and no need to visit customer house in order to update consumption amount like postpaid. By this collection practice the electric energy sale takes place. Based on literature reviews, the researcher identified four specific objectives related to the practice and challenges of utility bill collection. The research design is made based on descriptive research design. The data was gathered from questionnaire with likert type questions as the research instrument, which is designed in line with the objectives of the study. Whereby respondents indicated their level of agreement to which the variables were practiced. The result and finding of the study as collected from the sample population are presented and concluded based on the objectives of the study. The researcher presents recommendations for improvement by the authority under investigation and highlights suggestion for further study by other researchers.