Pacific Bell Unveils Billing Solutions Technology Center, Demonstrates New State-of-the-Art Billing Process for First Time

Business Wire, April 2, 1997

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 2, 1997--Pacific Bell today opened a $23.5 million, state-of-the-art billing center that will offer a more reliable, accurate and secure process for creating and distributing more than 14 million pieces of customer mail a month.

Measuring one football field wide and one-and-a-half football fields long, the new center will consolidate Pacific Bell's billing operations under a single roof and represents the largest single-client billing operation in California. Operations in Sacramento and Anaheim, Calif., are in the process of being folded into the new West Sacramento building.

"This new center represents an important restructuring of the way we perform one of our central functions as a business," said Diana Whitehead, vice president and chief information officer at Pacific Bell. "With this facility, we move one step closer to offering our customers a full range of telecommunications services on one easy and accurate bill."

Occupying 150,000 square feet, the Billing Solutions Technology Center will provide customers with one, user-friendly bill that combines information and billing for local telephone service, long-distance service, call features, Internet access, wireless service and more. Upon request, customers can receive bills in English, Spanish or large print.

The consolidation is the latest in a series of efforts by Pacific Bell's bill processing group to streamline operations and improve efficiencies statewide. In July 1996, the department introduced a new network-based bill processing platform and an upgraded Postal Qualification System. In November 1995, the group started using green payment envelopes made from old telephone directories and other recycled materials. In June 1994, the unit began printing a two-sided bill to lower overall costs and reduce paper, water and electricity usage.

A Team Effort Produces an Efficient, Winning Facility

From the outset, planners brought a new approach to designing the building. It was conceived and constructed from the ground up with efficiency - and worker safety and comfort - in mind.

"This is another example of a continuing company-wide effort to increase efficiencies, reduce costs and improve services," said Dan Hammalian, director of Billing Solutions Technology at Pacific Bell. Hammalian gives credit to employees who chipped in with ideas from the start to make the new plant safer and more efficient. "That's a recognition of the fact that the employees who actually do the work know best where improvements can be made," he said.

Some of the customized systems include:

-- A Postal Qualification System that electronically sequences mail using zip code destination. This provides the greatest possible postal discounts on a daily basis.

-- A replenishment conveyor system that sends supplies (such as envelopes, inserts and letters) to the production floor using conveyor and scanning technology. Employees spend more time at work stations and less time retrieving supplies.

-- High-speed printers for duplex printing that create hundreds of images a minute. This results in cost savings on paper, postage and processing time.

-- Roll-to-roll technology that increases capacity 25 percent to 30 percent at the enclosing stations. It also eliminates the need for stooping and bending by operators.

-- An output conveyor system that sends completed mail trays to the output dock for postal distribution.

-- High-speed breakaway doors between the warehouse and production floors. A critical component that controls dust and temperature levels throughout the building.

Billing Center Earns Industry Recognition

Recognizing the project's unique design and built-in safety features, the Western Council of Construction Consumers gave the designers and builders the Distinguished Project Award at a March ceremony in Los Angeles.

Pacific Gas & Electric also recognized Pacific Bell with two separate rebates worth more than $200,000 for two innovative energy-saving features. The first rebate of $123,000 was issued for a unique air-fog system that uses high-pressure air and low-pressure water to create a perfect environment to "cure" the huge 50-inch, 900-pound paper rolls that are used for double-sided monthly statements. The second rebate of $94,000 was issued for energy efficiencies in the building's mechanical systems. Some of the other upgraded design features include:

-- A seismic zone 4 rating to protect against an earthquake.

-- A fire alarm system to warn against fire.

-- A building base 4.5 feet above street level to protect against flooding.

-- Generator back-ups to protect against electrical outage.

-- Automated recycling equipment to reduce paper dust and slippery floors to prevent injuries.

-- Ergonomic desks, chairs, monitor risers and keyboards for all employees to increase workplace comfort and reduce risk of injury.

West Sacramento Becomes Hub of Billing Operation

In placing its consolidated center in West Sacramento, Pacific Bell has helped lead the way for a variety of mass mailing giants who have realized the city's strategic importance as a main center of operations.