When the phone bill arrives in January, don’t be alarmed. It’s the same thing, but with an updated look.

Whidbey Telecom has developed a new monthly statement that will be easier to read and provides multiple bill payment options. The new statement will be sent to customers for the first time in early January.

The statement will look a bit different though.

The new paper format will be 8½ by 11 inches folded into thirds, with a bottom payment slip, and standard envelope stock. The old bills were printed on smaller paper.

“The breakdown of the information will be similar, but the grouping and totals will be even easier to identify,” said Julia DeMartini, vice president of Whidbey Telecom. “Customers requested that we utilize a highlight color to emphasize important information.”

The company conducted a series of focus group events that brought business and residential customers together to share their thoughts on how Whidbey Telecom could improve their current billing statement.

“When we focused on our billing format, our goal was an even clearer and easy-to-read format,” DeMartini said. “We decided to hold focus group meetings with both our residential and business customers to gain feedback on the things that are important to our customers in relation to our bill format. Then we went to work utilizing that input to put together an improved invoice.”

The new invoice will allow the company to use color to highlight important areas on the invoices.

“We also wanted to make sure that our statements would take us into the future as we roll out new product offerings which the new billing structure will allow us to do,” she said. “We received some excellent ideas from both business and residential customers in our community that were used to drive the new statement design.”

Improved features will make it easier to navigate the statement and will include information about online bill paying through Whidbey Telecom’s Website, www.whidbey.com, or through the new automatic bank deduction feature that eliminates the use of paper and speeds payments.

Another feature will be a “Did You Know?” column that will provide information on current services and explain new ones as they become available and provide helpful information.

“We believe our efforts to meet the needs of our customers by providing a statement that excels in its easy-to-read format, overall clean looks and use of color will make this new format an additional benefit to our customers,” DeMartini said.

As Whidbey Telecom adds products and services to their offerings, the statement is designed to accommodate that new information and allow for expansion. The new statement will include a “How To Read Your Invoice” diagram on the second page that will provide an easy step-by-step definition of each section of the bill.

“We have learned that our customers appreciate having information readily available and the ability to quickly identify all the payment options that are offered,” DeMartini said. “It continues to be our mission to make life easier for our customers and this new billing statement format is another positive step in that direction.”

Whidbey Telecom encourages customers who want more information about Whidbey Telecom’s new statement to call the Customer Service Center at 321-1122, or the Billing Department at 321-3333.