NRG People Power: Meet Kevin Surgent

Welcome to the October 2024 edition of NRG’s People Power. This edition coincides with our annual Customer Experience (CX) Week, a time where we can celebrate the extraordinary behind-the-scenes individuals who redefine the essence of superior service. It’s our pleasure this month to feature Kevin Surgent, whose entire philosophy of service – to his country, his family and community, and his customers – not only enhances and supports our best-in-class Customer Experience , but also inspires his colleagues. Read on to find out how you’re never just another case number to Kevin.

Kevin is a Client Advocacy Analyst, and the details are really in the title. His day revolves entirely around the needs of NRG Business customers. He receives “cases,” stemming from inbound phone calls to customer service, the sales and broker teams, and direct email inquiries. The cases are usually complex, and the range of the requests is broad, encompassing almost any issue that can impact an account.

By the time these requests reach Kevin, it’s usually because the case requires additional investigation and resolution.That’s where both his advocacy and his analytical aptitude kick in to focus on a singular goal: to find a resolution that supports both the customer and the company’s needs correctly, the first time.

To accomplish this, he tries to “see things from the customer’s perspective” and assures them that their concerns are going to be handled. Kevin’s expertise, precision, and calm nature help bridge the gap between what could be a fraught scenario and a satisfying resolution.

Kevin’s approach to service is deeply personal, and lifelong. “Treat others as you would like to be treated,” is his personal mantra. This is evident not just in his interactions with customers, but also with his colleagues. An unofficial mentor who believes sincerely in the “teach a man to fish” philosophy, Kevin can frequently be found coaching his peers and equipping them with the knowledge they need to understand customer issues fully.

He doesn’t just give a one-and-done answer. He will share his screen, showing the step-by-step processes impacting account functionality in areas that affect the customer most: steady access to their account information, accuracy in billing and finance, and timely and correct contractual details. Kevin fosters a collaborative environment that enhances NRG’s collective ability to support our customers, and each other.

Kevin learned many of the skills that he carries with him professionally while serving in the United States Army. He served for six years — three on active duty and three as a reservist — with two tours to Korea. While enlisted, he learned patience, attention to detail, staying on task, and serving as part of a team dedicated to a shared goal. He carries these values with him today when faced with complicated customer cases.

Kevin’s professional life after the Army started in the wireless data industry in the 1990s, where he applied his tenacity and attention to detail in multiple roles, riding out numerous acquisitions. This taught him flexibility, loyalty, and how to be valuable — no matter the changes happening around you.

With the help of his wife, who had been in the energy sector for several years, Kevin made the leap to the energy industry in 2006. He found the industry was a good fit for his philosophy of service, as it was an opportunity to support quality of living in customers’ communities.

And, as the industry and the business evolved around him, Kevin learned all the intricacies of the operational “back office,” so that even during ongoing company and industry evolutions, the one “constant” customers could always rely on was excellent, proactive service.

Kevin is a New Jersey native, and jokes that he lives surrounded by rock-n-rollers. He grew up in Freehold, home of Bruce “The Boss” Springsteen, and currently resides in Sayreville, birthplace of Bon Jovi. He lives there with Gail, his wife of 31 years, and declares himself to be “the most happily married man you’ll ever meet.” They enjoy visits from their grown children, Andrew and Liliana, frequently cheering on the Mets together. When not hanging out with his family, Kevin can be found puttering in his garden, where he grows his favorite spicy jalapeños.

A man of deep faith, Kevin enjoys reading scripture, often finding new insights within familiar proverbs. He also volunteers in his local community through his church’s service fraternity, raising funds and providing meals for the needy. A thoughtful man, Kevin finds inspiration to continue his lifelong practice of service on long walks, and often comes up with his most creative problem-solving while getting in his 10K steps a day (a habit he’s completed daily for more than two years).

Kevin’s relentless dedication to putting customer needs front and center, and his gentle, knowledgeable collaboration style have earned him a 2017 Direct Energy Business President’s Club award and named him the NRG President’s Club "Client Services MVP” in 2023.

These accolades reflect Kevin’s profound example of the positive impact just one person can make. During CX Week and beyond, NRG is grateful for the example Kevin demonstrates daily, and to all our hard-working team members who embody NRG’s customer-first philosophy in everything they do.