Officially using electronic invoices in electricity bill payment from April 1

(Baonghean) - Implementing the Government's policy on promoting electronic transactions in management and production and business, starting from March 1, 2015, Nghe An Electricity Company will use electronic invoices instead of paper invoices in Vinh City and Nghi Loc, Cua Lo, Hung Nguyen districts; by April 2015, it will be deployed in the entire province. To help electricity customers understand more about the above policy, Nghe An Newspaper reporters had an interview with Ms. Dau Thi Giang, Deputy Head of Sales Department of Nghe An Electricity Company.

PV:Could you please tell us the practical benefits of using electronic invoices in paying electricity bills? How will customers pay their electricity bills when using electronic invoices?

Ms. Dau Thi Giang:Using electronic invoices in electricity sales business will bring practical benefits such as: Improving service quality, making the electricity payment process of customers faster and more convenient; reducing costs of printing, sending, preserving and storing invoices; facilitating accounting, data reconciliation, tax declaration, tax payment; helping customers control and look up electricity bill information on devices: computers, phones with internet connection.

Regarding payment methods, customers still pay electricity bills as they are currently doing. Specifically, customers who pay at home will receive a payment receipt from the cashier according to the form prescribed by the Electricity industry. Customers who pay at the transaction counter of banks or units that have signed a contract for electricity bill collection services will receive a payment confirmation receipt according to the form of the banks or units that perform the collection service. Customers who pay via the internet or phone will receive confirmation from the supplier and an SMS message is considered as a payment confirmation document. Customers who need to receive a copy of the electronic invoice will receive it in two forms: Through the customer care website at the address:http://npccskh.npc.com.vn/cskh/or via email the electricity bill is sent to the customer's registered email address.

EVN customer care website.

PV:In fact, in many localities, especially in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, the rate of households not using the internet is still quite high. Do you think the use of electronic invoices for these customers is appropriate?

Ms. Dau Thi Giang:Currently, in some localities in the province, there are still many households that do not use the internet, however, in my opinion, this does not affect the application of electronic invoices. Because most of these households use electricity for household purposes, small-scale production and business, and do not need to use invoices as accounting documents or tax declarations... These customers often pay their electricity bills directly to the Electricity industry and receive a payment receipt from the cashier. In terms of information, the payment receipt also has full information as for the previous paper bill. In addition, in the case of individual or business customers, after paying the electricity bill, if they need to download the bill but do not use the internet, they can go to an internet service point or any customer transaction office of the Electricity Company in the area where they live to copy the bill to their computer or ask the cashier to print a table showing the customer's electronic bill.

PV:To help customers grasp information about electronic invoices, how to download invoices and agree to the issuance of electronic invoices, how has Nghe An Electricity Company propagated and instructed customers?

Ms. Dau Thi Giang:In preparation for the implementation of electronic invoices, along with the investment and support of the Northern Power Corporation, Nghe An Power Company has invested in purchasing machinery and equipment, upgrading the internet transmission system, and closely cooperating with software solution providers to complete the application. At the same time, adding detailed regulations related to electronic invoices to the business process to ensure that the implementation of electronic invoices is carried out in a synchronous, effective and fully legal manner.

Electricity payment receipt and electronic invoice statement.

The Company has promoted propaganda activities on mass media of the province and localities; posted at transaction points. Coordinated with Electricity branches to organize the distribution of leaflets, instructions, and widely introduce electronic invoices when paying electricity bills; posted information about electronic invoices on the Company's website. The customer communication department at the Company and at affiliated electricity units consulted and answered questions, sent open letters, and sent SMS messages to all electricity customers to inform them about the time to use electronic invoices and how to download invoices after payment. Organized training courses on electronic invoice operations for staff working in cashier, debt management, customer management, data entry staff, and specialists in the Company's electricity business department.

In the early stages of implementing electronic invoices instead of paper invoices in electricity payment, it will be difficult to avoid certain difficulties. Nghe An Electricity Company hopes to receive consensus, sharing and contributions from customers to promptly adjust and improve, in order to serve better and better.

PV:Thank you for your comments!

Ha Chi(Perform)