An easier way to do complicated things.

Sixteen years, then one proposal too far

The Sardis City Water & Sewer Board in Sardis City, Alabama had been with CUSI (Continental Utility Solutions Inc.) for 16 years. The system worked well, and then CUSI wanted them to upgrade.

CUSI wanted to treat Sardis City like a brand new customer, charging full price with no loyalty discount.

Rhonda didn't like being rushed and pushed to make an expensive decision that could affect the rates for Sardis City residents.

Around the same time, Current Software sent a cold email, and Rhonda responded, "Let's hear what you've got."

Finding the right fit and time

After 18 years working in water utilities, Rhonda has used multiple billing systems. The first one required dot matrix printers with holes on the sides of the paper.

So when Current Software reached out, Rhonda looked at a few options to compare it to, like Edmunds GovTech, which has a solid product but is designed for big cities. "We're just a water utility," Rhonda explained.

Sardis City manages water and sewer for about 1,800 active meters, a public nonprofit corporation that gets audited every year. "The price point with Current made more sense for us," Rhonda said.

There was one complication. Sardis City's office manager had been there for years, and she was about to retire. The team decided to wait until a new office manager came on board.

The new billing clerk, Kim, had come from a larger water company that built their own in-house system. Kim took one look at Current and knew it would be extremely easy to learn and use.

Plus, Rhonda describes Current Software's support as "fantastic."

The customer portal that actually works

Sardis City's old system's online payment portal was a disaster.

For example, if customers accidentally tapped their phone screen twice, the payment might be processed multiple times. And there was no way to refund them. The utility was stuck telling customers there was nothing they could do.

Current Software makes issuing refunds simple.

Rhonda shared a story about one time when a customer paid his water bill twice at different times. He called the next morning confused: "Listen, I've messed up. I don't know how this happened. Money came out of my account twice."

The customer portal has been the biggest win. Payment fees are lower, residents can use bank accounts or credit or debit cards. The office can now take card payments in person without needing tricky workarounds.

"We've got signs in the windows now. We accept all payment methods, and it's made a big difference," Rhonda said. "A lot of the residents have told us that the ease of making a payment is a lot better."

When customer feedback actually matters

"In a town of 1,800 meters, you know your customers. You're related to half of them," Rhonda joked.

In 2024, Sardis City had to raise rates significantly to fund a new water source, which required a big loan and new pipes. Plus, the project took longer than expected, so rates had to go up to cover those costs.

"We certainly heard the community's feedback loud and clear. And I don't blame them one bit," Rhonda said.

Now that the billing system works seamlessly, Sardis City is receiving positive feedback from residents as well.

Rhonda has already recommended Current to two other local utilities. When they ask what she thinks, she tells them the same thing.