The annual Spring Equinox officially marks the end of winter and the beginning of a new season, although Phil in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (that is, the Groundhog) commonly has his own opinion.

Snow begins to melt, temperatures begin to climb and Mother Nature begins producing some of her most ferocious fury. Thunderstorms producing massive hail, damaging winds and tornadoes can fire up without notice, especially in Texas which sits in the heart of Tornado Alley.

Being prepared for spring’s unpredictable weather can provide many potential life-saving advantages for yourself and your family. Being prepared and having a plan of what to do during a severe thunderstorm can offer peace of mind, save valuable time in finding shelter, and keep your family safe and healthy during power outages.

One of the best things you can do is to have a family plan of action. This may include where to go in your home during severe weather and what to have with you. The best places to congregate during a storm are in a basement, storm shelter or an interior room in your house as far away from windows as possible.

Should severe weather create tornadoes in your area, it is a good idea to have supplies on hand that can keep your family safe and healthy for many days. These items include plenty of bottled water and canned food, flashlights, extra batteries, a crank- or battery-powered radio, blankets, first aid supplies, dust masks, kennels for family pets, a two-way radio or walkie-talkie, and local emergency telephone numbers.

Keeping an updated supply of these items can offer peace of mind should severe weather suddenly occur without warning.

Although Texas frequently sees severe weather, other states are not immune to severe weather which can occur anywhere at any time during the spring and summer months. Residents living in the northeast do not experience tornadoes as often as residents in Tornado Alley, hurricanes can cause damaging winds and flooding rain that can warrant a need for shelter. Also, northeast residents commonly see severe weather during the winter months with blizzards and heavy snow.

Regardless of where you reside, severe weather is something to be taken seriously. A list of emergency contact information can be helpful throughout the year, whether dealing with tornadoes, hurricanes or blizzards.

Check out these websites which provide a lot of great information for staying prepared for severe weather during the spring and throughout the year:

www.ready.gov|
www.weather.com
www.fema.gov
www.spc.noaa.gov
www.nhc.noaa.gov

Stream Energy, a deregulated energy services provider founded by chairman Rob Snyder, serves customers in Texas, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Maryland and has been recognized for its outstanding customer service.

Stream Energy currently offers deregulated energy to four states. One of the reasons for its success is its nearly impeccable customer care and service.  The company is easy to reach if you ever have a question about its services, or your bill, or just for information.

At Stream Energy, the goal is to make sure that customers are treated with the utmost care and provided with world-class service.  The company’s webpage offers a facts and questions section, how to contact Stream Energy in an emergency, payment options and questions and answers about energy services offered.

Stream Energy’s Customer Service is always polite, professional and knowledgeable.  The company puts a premium on service, because it understands who the boss is – namely, you, the customer.

The company prides itself on a staff of great listeners who take the time to identify what the customer needs by asking the right questions and listening to the answers.  Stream Energy’s customers receive undivided attention and are greatly appreciated. 

If a customer needs systems explained, Stream Energy will explain it. The company will not direct you to another site. It wants all the customers to understand what they are receiving from Stream Energy.

Additionally, the company says “yes” as often as possible.  It is always looking for ways to help customers.  When you have a request, Stream Energy will do everything in its power to honor that request and come up with a fair resolution.

At Stream Energy, customers are the number one priority.  The company is an award-winning team who intends on continuing to improve in all areas.

Okay sure, I’m the PR guy and so you’ll no doubt expect me to toot our horn, but Stream Energy and Ignite really have built a pretty amazing business success story in a short amount of time.

The company has been in business for six years and in that time has become one of the largest electricity providers in Texas (one of the largest energy markets in the WORLD); expanded to Georgia and Pennsylvania (with more states coming soon); and generated several billion dollars in revenue. We’ve won or been nominated for some pretty significant awards, like Platts and Ernst and Young; received a sizeable amount of media attention; and even launched one of the largest New Year’s Eve fireworks displays in the United States.

Pretty “Big Time” stuff, for sure.

There are also the many stories of people who, having gotten into the Ignite Opportunity, have seen their lives and their fortunes enhanced by the residual income generated by their customers’ energy bills. We’re talking about tens of millions of dollars in residual payouts to the everyday people you find living in your neighborhood.

But in giving this some consideration, I think that some of the significant things that separate our firm from other companies are the little things we do.

A specific example that I’m referring to is our practice of giving people the card.

By “the card” I’m talking about birthday and employment anniversary cards.

We have in the neighborhood of 260 Stream Energy employees. And for each one of them our boss, Stream Energy chairman Rob Snyder, personally handwrites a card for their birthday or Stream Energy anniversary.

It may not seem like a big thing at first glance, but I can tell you that this simple gesture has made a profound difference in the spirit around here.

Think about it. How often has your boss even remembered your birthday, let alone given you a card? And when the CEO of the company writes you a personal note – and I mean a real note, not simply “Happy Birthday” – well, I don’t know about you but I haven’t seen many CEOs in my professional career who take the time to do that FOR EVERY ONE OF HIS EMPLOYEES. All the way down the line.

I really hand it to Rob for doing that. Personally, I’m good about writing cards for my wife and kids, but that’s about it. This guy is writing them for everyone in our corporate office. It makes people feel appreciated. And that’s one of our competitive advantages. Our employees know that they matter.