Taking stock is a year-end tradition, and for Western's Energy Services program, that is best done by touching base with the organizations and people we serve.

As we make plans for 2007, we would like to hear from Western customers: What programs and services have you found the most valuable, and what would you like to see done differently? Have industry changes created new needs for your business or for your consumers? Most important, tell us what direction you want to go in the coming year and what Energy Services can do to help you get there.

Determining your information needs

Keeping our customers current on the latest technologies and measures to improve energy efficiency, control costs and diversify their energy supply is central to Energy Services' mission. The Energy Services Web site and the Energy Services Bulletin are important vehicles for communicating with our customers.

Those media are valuable only if they provide timely news and relevant information to our customers in an easily accessible format. Your answers to a few questions in this online questionnaire will help us determine if we are meeting your needs.

The Energy Services Bulletin reports on our customers' activities and regional and national issues that may affect them. Other Western products provide a broad view of the energy industry. Green Power and Market Research News, from Western's Renewable Resources Program covers green power, renewable energy and related market research strategies. Two listservs, Energy NewsBriefs and Energy Ag NewsBriefs, feature recent stories on emerging energy industry trends, training and events, funding opportunities and publications.

Energy Services also offers a wide variety of publications and fact sheets, some free and some for a small cost. Fact sheets are available to download and imprint with your utility's information, or Western can customize fact sheets for easy copying.

Technical assistance and training

As important as information is, it is only one of the programs Energy Services has designed to address the diverse issues facing Western customers.

Energy Services regional representatives provide technical assistance to customers conducting integrated resource planning. Online tools such as the Power Line or the new Key Account Tool Box, help utilities evaluate and implement energy-efficiency technologies and strategies.

Western sponsors hands-on workshops and other training to provide convenient and affordable opportunities to sharpen professional skills.

The Equipment Loan Program allows customers to test drive diagnostic and data-collection tools and borrow educational displays.

Keeping the lines open

Communication is a two-way street, and sometimes, modern technology can throw up roadblocks. If you don't seem to be getting e-mail announcements for Energy Services publications or listservs you subscribe to, you may be the victim of spam-blocker software. Check your e-mail program or call your IT department to make sure that mail from the .gov domain is not being filtered out.

Then, fill out the questionnaire or only the questions that address your particular concerns and submit your answers. Feel free to share other ideas and opinions you may have about Energy Services programs. You can also contact your Energy Services representative. The more feedback you give us, the better equipped we will be to meet your needs in the coming year and beyond. Happy holidays!

Tell us what you think of Energy Services Bulletin and Web site.