Welcome to the Customer Care Group roundup, Customer Corner. As always, your fellow group members are paying close attention to utility customer care trends and sharing their insights. This month’s selection includes information about renters’ attitudes toward energy management activities, digital cost analysis platforms, and more. Be sure to like and comment on your favorite posts. Happy reading!
What Did Your Utility Accomplish in 2021?
Link to original article: https://energycentral.com/c/cc/what-did-your-utility-accomplish-2021
The beginning of a new year is a natural time to look back on the previous one. Utilities, like other entities and individuals, can use this time to reflect on what went well and what can be improved moving forward. In this article, Andy Gotlieb, a former public relations practitioner, describes how utilities should publicize such reflections. He explains that a press release in the form of a traditional holiday letter can let the public know what you’ve been up to and what your plans are for the new year.
What’s Stopping Renters From Engaging in Energy?
Link to original article: https://energycentral.com/c/cc/what%E2%80%99s-stopping-renters-engaging-energy
Renters make up a significant portion of many utilities’ customer bases. In this post, Nathan Shannon, President & CEO at the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC) explains that’s why the SECC conducted an online survey of 1,000 renters in the U.S. to better understand their attitudes, values, and preferences regarding energy management activities and utility programs. The study found that renters face unique barriers to saving energy at home, but that this demographic can be engaged with outreach that recognizes those limitations.
Energy Providers Need To Develop Digital Platforms With Personalized Cost Analyses To Transform the Customer Experience
Link to original article: https://energycentral.com/c/cc/energy-providers-need-develop-digital-platforms-personalized-cost-analyses
In this piece, Dominique de Wit, Ph.D., Business Analyst at GridX discusses the growing importance of the channels utilities use to present customers with rate and cost analyses. Specifically, customers increasingly expect to access information via digital platforms. Dominique urges utilities to think carefully about the design of these platforms, such as making comparisons not in kilowatt hours, but in financial terms that are easier for customers to understand. Utilities that have made these changes are being rewarded with greater customer engagement and trust.
Improving Customer Care With Technique or Technology?
Link to original article: https://energycentral.com/c/cc/best-customer-care-trends-technology-or-technique
Utilities looking to improve their customer care have many options for doing so. In this article, Nevelyn Black, Independent Writer considers two of the major paths, technique and technology. She explains how both are expected by customers and how both can go a long way toward meeting their needs. For example, on the technology side a recent study revealed that 63% of those surveyed welcome callback technology that eliminates the need to wait on hold. On the technique side, a simple move to empathetic language can considerably reduce customer effort.
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