STAMFORD, CT (May 16, 2000) -- docSense, a business of Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE:PBI) today announced that The United Illuminating Company (NYSE:UIL), an investor owned utility providing electric power in Southern Connecticut, will expand its Internet billing capability (which is provided by docSense) to give added convenience to commercial customers. 

"We are excited about the implementation of the new multi-account consolidation feature," says Karl Schumacher, President of docSense. "We feel it is a significant benefit to commercial customers in the utility industry as well as other vertical markets."

Using docSense's Internet billing option, The United Illuminating Company's (UI's) commercial customers can choose to manage all of their electric bills with a single online account, which is available for review at the UI web site. This allows UI's customers to access online customer service if needed, making it more efficient for customers. docSense also provides the utility with a total customer billing solution, which it administers on an outsourced basis.

Each account appears on a summary web page arranged according to due date to make viewing easier. An electronic payment option can also be utilized to facilitate payments and to aid in cash management. A partial payment option is also available. Bills can be identified by using a multiple of key features including UI account number, geographic locations, street names, or other internal designations selected by the customer.

"We are committed to providing reliable electric service and superior customer service at a low cost," says Donna Rogers, Senior Manager Client Relations for the utility's Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment (EBPP) initiative. "The docSense Internet billing solution is clearly helping us achieve these goals."

Typically, utilities like UI generate one bill for each electric meter in operation, which means that businesses operating in more than one location can receive multiple electric bills every month. Paying those bills out of multiple accounts makes it difficult to track costs for both the biller and the customer. Assembling bills manually at a central location prior to payment is both time consuming and costly, especially since electric bills are processed and mailed on an ongoing basis throughout the month.

Enrolling in docSense's Internet billing service is easy for UI's customers and this too can be accomplished online. Access to the billing data is via a user ID and password and it can be restricted to a single person or made available to several individuals. Customers are also alerted to the availability of each bill whether it is consolidated or not by e-mail.

The docSense solution has made bill processing faster and easier for UI, plus payments are now received sooner, and there is less work involved in reconciling receipt of payment. Additionally, UI has found that the vast majority of early users rely on e-mail to make inquiries or respond to questions concerning preferences, easing the burden on UI's customer service call center.

docSense is a Pitney Bowes business providing pioneering software and services that enable enterprises to custom-tailor and deliver traditional and newer forms of critical customer communications via the Internet and other electronic channels. For more information about docSense, visit www.docSense.com. Pitney Bowes is a $4.4 billion provider of informed mail and message management. For more information visit www.pitneybowes.com.  

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