Meralco Chief Revenue Officer Ferdinand O. Geluz talks about how Meralco stays on top of innovations, how they attend to customer needs, and how he unwinds from work at the end of the day. #EsquirePHCollab
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00:00It's also deeply fulfilling.
00:02It's rewarding to shape how we serve our customers
00:05and contribute to the nation's growth in collaboration
00:09with the various stakeholders, including government.
00:30Officially, I am the Chief Revenue Officer of Meralco.
00:34But when asked, what is my role?
00:36Well, I think my role is really being the guardian of customer experience,
00:42ensuring that we put the customers in the front and center of everything we do.
00:48Well, happy, satisfied customers are the foundation of sustainable growth.
00:52Not only of sustainable growth of Meralco,
00:55but also our role is really to ensure that we deliver value to our customers
01:01and ensure growth of their businesses as well.
01:04Or if it's a home, improve their lifestyle in terms of living comfort by way of using electricity.
01:13Meralco's journey started with powering Manila's first electric streetcar in 1903.
01:26We've been through wars, economic shifts, cultural shifts,
01:30and the key to outlasting all of that, even thriving despite all that, has always been innovation.
01:37Innovation goes by many names.
01:40When I started with Meralco, it's actually Kaizen, continuous improvement.
01:45Anything, any improvement is innovation.
01:49Nowadays, it's actually anchored on digital transformation.
01:53So, simply put, we have to keep adjusting and adapting.
01:58Innovation is in Meralco's DNA, literally.
02:01It's one of our core values.
02:04How can you be of service to your customers if you're not anticipating or adjusting to what they need?
02:10I recall that we were one of the first utilities in the Philippines to leverage in social media,
02:16not just for marketing, but to actively engage our customers.
02:20And I think we've been successful at that, that by now,
02:26more than 60% of our transactions or engagement with customers are actually being done online.
02:35We are passionate about new technologies and solutions that empower both businesses and homes alike,
02:41so our customers can make smarter, more informed decisions about their energy use and purchases.
02:48Take smart homes, for example.
02:50While Meralco is not in the business of selling smart homes,
02:54we're committed to understanding how this can enhance everyday life
02:58and share this learning with our customers.
03:01We support with solutions such as net metering, zero export,
03:06and distributed energy resources, or DER.
03:12We're also one with government as a big supporter of electric vehicles.
03:17We're also one with government as a big supporter of electric vehicles.
03:22We're also one with government as a big supporter of electric vehicles.
03:27We're also one with government as a big supporter of electric vehicles.
03:30In fact, we've been recently recognized as a Pioneer EV Adoption Enabler
03:36by the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines during the recent Philippine EV Summit.
03:42Our role is to ensure the safe installation of home and commercial charging stations.
03:52I am an engineer with experience across various Meralco operating departments.
03:56I leverage this background to ensure that we deliver the best possible service.
04:01It starts with mapping our customer journey,
04:04identifying pain points for our customers, businesses, and stakeholders,
04:09and addressing them effectively.
04:12We don't rely on assumptions.
04:14I always say to my team that first we have to understand the customer needs
04:20and anticipate them.
04:22So the key is anticipate, anticipate, anticipate.
04:26Before they need it, we already have some thoughts or solutions
04:30to some sort of address their evolving needs.
04:34These insights drive our innovation,
04:37enabling us to offer solutions that go beyond energy distribution,
04:41meeting both energy and even non-energy needs.
04:44This approach strengthens Meralco's position as a trusted partner
04:48and end-to-end energy solutions partner.
04:51We call that E2E ESP.
04:54I always remind my team to serve with passion and compassion,
04:58treating every interaction as an opportunity to better understand our customers
05:03and show that we truly care.
05:10Yeah, it was actually my childhood dream,
05:13basically because my father is in the industry,
05:17so he used to be with Napocor.
05:20So during my childhood days, he usually takes me to his work site,
05:25the field, when he does audits.
05:28And I see towers, I see linemen, so it some sort of excites me.
05:32And of course, the story behind those lines,
05:37where it goes to, what it brings about in terms of powering the nation.
05:43So I graduated in March 1986, right after people's power revolution.
05:48And it's the height of nationalism and idealism.
05:51So coming to Meralco, I some sort of aligned with the values of the company
05:58in terms of the malasakit, makabayan,
06:02as well as integrity, accountability, and customer service.
06:08Entering Meralco as a cadet engineer, I was eager to make a difference.
06:13I had the privilege of stepping to leadership roles
06:16across various Meralco operating departments, more than a dozen of them.
06:20Each leadership role brought something new,
06:23whether it was pioneering system analysis organization,
06:27focusing on customer services and relations in the customer retail service group,
06:32or driving transformation at various levels of the company.
06:37These experiences all contributed to my growth and ability to lead
06:41in ways that continue to drive Meralco forward.
06:44I think my understanding of the entire operations
06:49actually gave me that sense of understanding on the capability of the organization
06:57and how we can best serve our customers' needs.
07:02And over the course of my 38 years,
07:05my most meaningful milestones have been centered on transformation,
07:09building a customer-centric organization, fostering resilience,
07:14driving sustainable innovations, and mentoring future leaders.
07:24It's definitely stressful.
07:26It's really demanding, and of course, stress comes from that sense of accountability
07:34and responsibility in terms of delivering that value.
07:38So yes, it's demanding, but more importantly, it's also deeply fulfilling.
07:43It's rewarding to shape how we serve our customers
07:46and contribute to the nation's growth in collaboration
07:50with the various stakeholders, including government.
07:53Stress, it comes with the territory.
07:56To manage stress, I usually make it a point to recharge.
08:02And on workdays, positive feedback from customers,
08:06achieving project milestones, support from partners,
08:10and celebrating small wins deliberately, of course, help manage stress.
08:15Weekends are my time to recuperate, assuming there's no work.
08:19Staying active is also key.
08:21I play basketball, volleyball in my younger days, but now less frequently.
08:28More frequently, I play golf.
08:30These activities, combined with quality family time,
08:33help me stay refreshed and focused for the week ahead.
08:37But of course, stress is better shared.
08:40So you should ask my subordinates.
08:42Because equally, they share that accountability and responsibility.
08:46And of course, accountability is big in Malarco
08:50in terms of being also one of our core values.
09:00♪