This decision tree is part of the meter correction disputes guide. It is written for utility billing advisors who already know a company with years of dispute history and need to reach the person who can say yes. It is general information, not legal or regulatory advice.
Why the sponsor and the signer are different people
The billing operations head is the right first call. They know which periods are thin, whether scaling-factor history is dated and which client each dispute belongs to. They make a strong sponsor because they can describe the records precisely. Deciding to discuss company records with an outside party is a different kind of decision. It commits the company on rights, privacy and client relationships, so it normally sits with an officer and runs past counsel.
The same is true of system access. A billing analyst with administrator rights can see every rebill and every ticket. Access lets them answer questions; it does not let them approve anything. Why data rights matter explains why SourceX keeps these apart.
Four gates on the way to a yes
Pass each gate in order. A "no" or "unknown" does not end the conversation; it adds a reviewer.
Gate 1: Whose records are they?
- The company's own, because it is the utility or it bills under its own name: continue to gate 2.
- Held for client utilities under service contracts: each client contract decides reuse. Counsel separates client-by-client. Mark those records unknown and continue with any the company owns outright.
- Created by a field contractor that performs meter exchanges: those work orders and photos may belong to the contractor. The utility contractor page describes that kind of company.
Gate 2: Do the records identify customers?
- Reads and bills tied to an address usually do. Under the EU General Data Protection Regulation, personal data is any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person, and many U.S. states and utility commissions have their own customer-information rules. Counsel flags which rules apply; SourceX's review handles de-identification. Continue to gate 3.
Gate 3: Do regulator or tariff rules touch the records?
- Corrections follow filed rules, such as PG&E's Rule 17.1 on billing error, and each commission writes its own. A regulated company may also need its regulatory affairs lead to confirm nothing restricts the use. Note the jurisdictions and continue to gate 4.
Gate 4: Will the CEO take a short call?
- Yes: introduce the CEO, with the billing operations head as sponsor and counsel informed.
- Not yet: do not submit. Ask the sponsor to raise it with the CEO.
Who sponsors, who informs, who signs
| Person | What they contribute | Decision role |
|---|---|---|
| Billing operations head | Dispute types, coverage by year, client mix | Starting contact and sponsor |
| Billing system administrator | Which fields and histories are stored | Informs; no authority |
| Meter operations manager | Meter change and multiplier records | Informs |
| Customer service lead | Ticket tool, hold decisions, call notes | Informs |
| Contracts lead | Client service agreements and reuse terms | Informs counsel |
| Regulatory affairs lead (utilities) | Commission and tariff rules | Advises |
| General counsel | Ownership, client contracts, customer data rules | Advises; often gates |
| CEO | Authority over company records | Approves and signs |
Three company shapes, three routes (Illustrative)
| Company shape | Records it likely owns | Extra reviewer | Usual signer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billing and meter services firm serving several utilities | Its own workflow records; client data under contract | Contracts lead for each client | CEO |
| Investor-owned or private utility | Its customer, meter and billing records | Regulatory affairs lead | CEO |
| Meter installation contractor | Work orders, test results, photos it created | Utility client contract | CEO |
These shapes are fictional patterns, not findings about any company. The data controller versus data processor comparison helps when a client asks whether it acts for itself or for a utility.
What only SourceX's rights review settles
The tree points to the right introduction. It does not settle:
- which record classes the company has the right to license
- which client utilities' records are excluded under their contracts
- how account, address and customer identifiers are removed
- whether buyers want meter dispute histories, and on what terms
An introduced company needs 50+ full-time employees at peak (contractors excluded), a documented operating history, rights to license and an authorized contact. Companies in the U.S., Canada and the EU qualify, as do companies in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore, South Africa, Latin America, the UAE and Saudi Arabia when at least 90% of the data is in English. Partners sign the Channel Partner Agreement before submitting introductions; the first valid introduction within the 90-day window is credited when the company submits a verified application. The worked multiplier case shows what the records contain, the referral brief template has a field for the signer, and energy and utilities lists related candidates. Adjustment approvals behave much like the coding decisions on the GL coding history page.
Next step
Refer a company. Earn up to $100,000. Default reward: 25% of Actual Supplier Payout, capped at $100,000 cumulatively per referred company. Eligibility and payment conditions apply, and a signed Schedule A or addendum can differ. A lead, meeting or signature alone does not trigger payment.
Once the gates have named an officer willing to discuss the company's own dispute records, register as a partner, check the company against who qualifies and read the program terms before you make the introduction.