Customer Service

wandaw@herald-mail.com The single-digit temperatures of January have doubled and tripled utility bills for thousands of electric customers who cranked up the heat to endure this year's cold wave, said Nelia Tidler, Billing and Customer Service supervisor with Hagerstown's City Light Department. "A typical example is a home with a summer bill of $60, in December the bill increased to $295 and in January it was $356.86," she said. In cooperation with the Maryland Public Service Commission, the city doesn't disconnect electric service for nonpayment of residential accounts from November through March.

Cats and dogs often make the Humane Society of Washington County's lost and found list. Occasionally a bird or farm animal makes the list. But rats? Someone dropped off 28 adult rats and two baby rats on Monday, humane society officials said Wednesday. The person who brought them in said the rats were found loose around a tree on the grounds of Western Heights Middle School in Hagerstown's West End, according to Chris Taylor, a customer service representative with the humane society.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2013 Washington County Business Awards.  The program, a joint project of the county's Economic Development Commission and the Chamber of Commerce, has celebrated excellence in our business community for the past 14 years, and this year's program found new reasons to carry on that tradition. Recognized annually at an “Academy Awards-style” program, winners in seven categories show off the successes and achievements of companies across the county.

MARTINSBURG, W.VA. - A Martinsburg, W.Va., call center for Verizon Communications Inc. will close Dec. 7 as part of an effort to improve customer service and restructure operations, a corporate spokesman said Thursday. About 228 workers employed by Aerotek staffing agency in a contracted relationship with Verizon were affected by the decision, according to Tina Enders, a regional operations director for Aerotek. Workers at the call center's locations at 300 and 400 Foxcroft Ave., were notified Oct. 6 of the decision to close, Verizon spokesman Harry Mitchell said.

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - Jefferson Security Bank President and CEO K. Stephen Morris and Chairman of the Board William E. Knode have broken ground for a second Shepherdstown office. "This is a significant occasion for Jefferson Security Bank and the Shepherdstown community," Morris said in a prepared release. "This new office will help us meet the demands of a growing customer base here and allow us to increase customer service to an even higher level," he said. The new branch, called the Barron Office, will be west of Shepherdstown on W.Va.

apply here! The Herald-Mail Company has an immediate opening for an Account Executive in its Display Advertising Department. We're looking for a self-starter, with a background in media sales, to maintain and build a geographic sales territory. The job involves dealing with automotive clients in a full range of capacities, including: development of advertising proposals and recommendations prospecting for new business selling new and core products to both new and existing customers maintaining customer files and information helping design copy and ad layout strategies and building effective relationships with the client base.

Name of business: ClutterBugs Owner: Kimberly Plocharczyk Address: 105 Hamilton Ave., Waynesboro, Pa. Opening date: Oct. 1, 2007 Products and services: Organize, declutter and downsize your business or home. Market area: Waynesboro, Hagerstown, Chambersburg, Pa. How did you get into your business, or what motivated you to start it? "I needed to make a career change and was trying to figure out exactly what I was good at. I came up with what - I wanted a home-based business and I am extremely organized and wanted to do something that was a service to the community.

Hagerstown Trust Sharon L. Steiner has been promoted to vice president manager retail, lending sales support, at Hagerstown Trust Co. Her responsibilities include managing a support unit dedicated to providing superior customer service contributing to the effective and efficient processing of retail loan applications and related underwriting services. Steiner, of Williamsport, began working for Hagerstown Trust in 1983 as a teller. During her 22-years at the bank, she has held various positions including head teller, branch manager, personal loan officer and underwriter.

The state of Maryland's Department of Human Resources awarded the Washington County Department of Social Services' Family Investment Division with the Golden Fork Award on July 24.  The award was presented by Rosemary Malone, executive director of the Family Investment Administration, along with Joanne Glover, special consultant to Secretary Ted Dallas and Marilyn Lorenzo, program manager, Family Investment Administration. Washington County earned the award for exceeding goals set forth by the Department of Human Resources in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps.

Name of business: A Plus Vinyl Fencing LLC Owners: Donald Frankenfield and Nick Ehrhart Address: 3777 W. Weaver Road, Greencastle, Pa. Opening date: Jan. 1, 2005 Products and services: "We sell and install all types of fencing, including vinyl, aluminum, wood, chain-link, underground pet fence featuring 'Petsafe Pro,' as well as vinyl porch railings, posts, pressure-treated and maintenance-free decks....