A career of customer service

Ken Carter is celebrating 30 years with the TVA. In 1977, he was among the first class of residential energy advisors who performed audits for residential customers of the 158 local utilities who use TVA power.

“Back then we provided interest-free loans so people could insulate their attics, put on storm windows, caulking, weatherstripping, and so on,” he recalls. “When I started out, they called us ‘attic crawlers’ because crawling around in attics and under floors was the only way you could check stuff. Then, when the improvement work was done, we came back and inspected it before the contractor was paid.”

Over the years he supervised teams of advisors who inspected installations in the heat pump and solar water heater loan programs the TVA also sponsored.

“The heat pump program still exists for residential customers, but the others have gone,” he says.

He has moved on, too. In 1995 he joined the Comprehensive Services Program (CSP), and today conducts audits for commercial energy clients in the valley.

“We provide services like air leak studies, infrared studies, power factors, capacitor sizing, wiring, energy audits and lighting studies in plants, sports stadiums and roadway,” he explains.

Although TVA field advisors are jacks of all trades, many also have “specialties.” Carter’s tools of choice are ultrasonic monitors and thermal imagers and he is Level 2 certified in the use of his Flir thermal system and software and UE Systems 9000 ultrasonic monitor.

“I prefer infrared work because I like to see quick results,” Carter says. “In 99 percent of the cases where I go into a plant with the camera and find something wrong and show it to the maintenance or plant manager, he takes immediate action to correct it. With compressed air you can go in and document leaks, tag them, and do the calculations on anticipated energy savings, but then the next step is for the company to either do the corrective work or hire someone to do it. Sometimes it gets done and sometimes it doesn’t. That’s why I like working with infrared, because when they see the problem, they’re going to get it done right then. It’s very satisfying work.”

Such corrective actions, especially for thermal issues, are critical today because many insurance companies require annual or semiannual scans before they will issue coverage for a plant.

Technicians often team up for large jobs.

“Kevin Whitehead and I work on a lot of big projects together, because it’s extremely difficult for one person to handle a job as big as something like the Nissan plant in Smyrna, Tenn. It took us four or five weeks to complete that job, but I loved it. It was a great learning experience just to be in the plant to see how things are done.”

With less than 50 technicians to cover power customers over an area covering large parts of seven states, Ken is always busy and says he has more windshield time these days.

“Our group has declined in numbers over the years just like everywhere else,” he says. “There are fewer of us to do more work.”

With 30 years of service in at TVA, Ken is beginning to look forward to retirement, but with mixed feelings. He is a professional who clearly loves his work and even after 30 years of “hearing” the voice of the customer, he has never once tired of listening for ways to help.

This article appeared in the June/July 2007 issue of MRO Today magazine. Copyright 2007.

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