The utility business model is in the midst of many rapid and substantial evolutions, and the relationship between utilities and their customers is shifting in tandem. While U.S. customers are largely reliant on a single, local monopoly for their vital power supply, customer feedback is still important for how these businesses make crucial decisions. After all, the ones shouldering the cost and the downstream effects of every decision a utility makes is the end user. In order to understand what that relationship looks like at this moment, Zpryme surveyed over 100 utilities about their customer relation expectations and strategies.
Key Findings:
- The top three customer service strategies utilities want to improve are proactive communication (58%), smart device interaction (42%), and digital communications (40%)
- Asset failures and outages are the largest drivers for change in customer expectations according to 53% of respondents
- Utilities are engaging customers with rate changes (80%), reliability (76%), and personal energy conservation (70%), at much higher rates than anything else, with the next highest issue of power generation/supply only pushed by 36% of respondents
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Residing in Austin, Zpryme is a research, media, and events agency with a focus on energy. Based on the creative direction of our associates Zpryme, produces influential research, Energy Thought Summit (ETS), and premium branding experiences that challenge the status quo.