FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Gopher State One Call Joins KorTerra’s KorWeb Partner Program
Minneapolis, MN – September 15th, 2009 – Gopher State One Call and KorTerra, Inc. are pleased to announce the beginning of a partnership to provide additional value to the call center’s members. Gopher State One Call is the seventh state One Call Center to join KorTerra’s KorWeb Partner Program.
KorTerra's One Call Center Partners:
- Alabama One Call
- Arkansas One Call
- DIG TESS (Texas)
- Gopher State One Call (Minnesota)
- Mississippi 811
- PUPS (South Carolina)
- Tennessee One Call
Through the KorWeb Partner Program, Gopher State One Call utilities can receive their tickets through KorWeb, KorTerra’s web-based One Call ticket management software, as a prepaid membership benefit. As a prepaid program, there will be no cost to the utilities. Mark Palma, Gopher State’s general counsel stated, “This is a win-win for GSOC and its utilities. We provide them with another powerful tool to help them manage their damage prevention efforts, and in return we cut the costs associated with responding to requests for information available through KorWeb.” Gopher State One Call recognized the value of empowering its members with a robust electronic ticket management tool. By providing KorWeb to its members, Gopher State One Call is providing a way to electronically manage and retrieve tickets, as well as paving the way for future application development to further enhance member operations.
An electronic ticket management system allows for the efficient and safe processing and storing of locate tickets. Locate tickets are sent to underground facility owners when excavation is scheduled to occur within range of their assets. It is the facility owner’s responsibility to ensure no harm will be caused to their underground assets, or the excavator, by clearly marking where the facility lies. Successful locate ticket processing and storage are vital because of the severe consequences that ensue if a facility is not accurately marked.
KorWeb helps One Call Center members increase efficiency in locating and ticket processing, while cutting costs by eliminating unnecessary manual processes. For example, over 500 calls come into GSOC each construction season asking for updates on ticket status or other standard information that is electronically recorded and can be provided through a ticket management system. These calls take Customer Service Representatives away from users who are calling in new locate requests. KorWeb bridges the information gap by providing all of this information electronically, and can be accessed by One Call Center members at any time. Further, numerous retransmits, delays and other problems associated with communicating past ticket information are solved by allowing users to manage the information that flows from the One Call Center through a ticket management system. “The web is an important tool to our users, and we need to support their evolving needs,” said Palma. KorTerra’s superior software and support allows Gopher State One Call to elevate the level of service they provide to their membership while also enhancing One Call Center capabilities.
KorWeb Partner Program, Member Benefits:
- Secure web-based system supporting utilities’ unique needs.
- Modular system can grow with new utility needs and provide necessary reports and information.
- Additional add-on modules can be provided from KorTerra (on an additional cost basis) to tailor the system to the individual utility.
- Increases locating and ticket processing efficiency by moving tickets to a searchable and more user friendly web accessible platform.
- Eliminates the receipt, filing and most importantly the risk of loss of paper locate tickets and fax transmissions.
- Saves time with electronic locate ticket sorting/searching/storing and automated ticket routing.
- Extremely cost effective – no software or hardware to purchase or upgrade, no annual support fees, no upfront fees.
KorWeb Partner Program, One Call Center Benefits:
- KorWeb software allows utilities to efficiently interface with the One Call Center.
- Eliminates “guessing” if a ticket was received.
- Allows utilities to recall, analyze and audit One Call tickets in a more efficient manner.
- Empowers utilities to not just react to ticket flow, but also analyze it so that they can prepare for changes in volume, area or excavation and types of work in the field.
- Promotes solid relationships between One Call Center and its members though better buying of needed services.
- Provides your member access to a superior product at a very low or no cost.
- Increases safety due to adherence to state One Call laws and reliable receipt of all tickets.
- Reduces incoming support calls to assist utilities in archive tasks.
“We are very excited to be partnering with Gopher State One Call to offer KorWeb to their 1400+ utilities.” said Chris Stendal, KorTerra President. “KorWeb will provide the most advanced technology and ticket management capabilities for the benefit of all One Call utilities throughout Minnesota. This is where my family and employees live. We want utilities to have the best tools to provide and maintain the services received by our office and homes.”
KorWeb is the most comprehensive One Call ticket management software application in the industry. Gopher State One Call members access KorWeb via the internet, with no software or hardware needed to install. All ticket transmission, processing and Positive Response functions take place online in KorWeb. KorWeb needs no setup or ongoing maintenance and there are no annual or support fees. Once members sign up for KorWeb, the simple setup process performed by KorTerra allows them to receive locate tickets through their new system within hours.
About Gopher State One Call
Gopher State One Call is Minnesota’s one-call notification system, established to inform all Minnesota underground facility operators of intended excavation. Since 1987 Gopher State has continuously served the entire state of Minnesota. Over 7 million communications occur through Gopher State One Call each year in its role as the communication link between excavators working in Minnesota and the1400+ utilities that it serves. As the communication link between the excavator and the underground facility operator, it has increased public safety while decreasing underground facility damage, monetary loss, and personal injury by coordinating the locating of underground facilities.
About KorTerra, Inc.
Since 1990, KorTerra has been the damage prevention industry’s most trusted partner in providing quality and comprehensive One Call ticket management software solutions. KorTerra works with Pipeline Companies, Utilities, Municipalities, Contract Locators, and One Call Centers to help them operate as efficiently as possible through the use of our industry-leading technology, while cutting costs by eliminating unnecessary manual processes. KorTerra’s unique position of collaborating directly with these companies in the damage prevention industry has allowed us to build a compilation of industry-wide knowledge and best practices that few companies possess. KorTerra's current One Call ticket management operations process over 25,000,000 tickets annually. In addition to One Call ticket management software, KorTerra provides process consulting and software training services to ensure operations are streamlined and functional throughout all areas of an organization. To learn more about KorTerra, please visit www.korterra.com, or contact via telephone at 952.368.1911.
For additional information contact:
Press Contact(s):
Aimee Wendland, Marketing Manager
KorTerra, Inc.
18946 Lake Drive East
Chanhassen, MN 55317
Tel: 952.368.1911 ext. 3157
Fax: 952.697.3141
Email: marketing@korterra.com
