Due to its success in the race for Georgia gas customers,Georgia Natural Gas Services (GNGS) announced Monday it will open anew call center in Cobb County to help answer newly-acquiredcustomers’ questions. The Atlanta Gas Light (AGL) affiliate has wonover one-third of the 839,000 total switches, second only to ScanaCorp.’s 40% market share.

The call center is the latest move in the overall last-minutepush by GNGS to compete with Scana Corp. as the top marketer in thestate. Since early May, when the Georgia Public Service Commission(GPSC) notified customers who hadn’t switched from AGL that theyhad 100 days to choose or be randomly assigned to a marketer, GNGShas stepped up its efforts to capture 275,000 people. Scana whichrecently slowed its marketing efforts, has acquired more than320,000 customers.

The GNGS call center, expected to be operational in earlyAugust, will be staffed by a total of 200 people. Jobs at the newcall center will include customer service, technical, training, andmanagement positions. It will handle calls from customers seekingassistance on establishing service as well as billing inquiries.

The number of switches will grow increasingly important as Aug.11 approaches. On that date, the GPSC will tabulate the marketshare for each company competing for customers. The randomassignment process will be determined by the results of the Aug. 11survey.

“A huge amount of work is still needed to be done in ourmarket,” said AGL spokesman Ross Willis. “Ideally, there shouldn’tbe one customer who is signed to a marketer by the state. But thereality of the situation is that almost 600,000 people stillhaven’t switched and there is only a month and a half left beforethe Commission determines the random assignment process.”

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