Online apps crucial to energy efficiency awareness February 21, 2012
Posted by Will Adams in Utility Industry News.Tags: billing and payment, Chartwell, customer engagement, energy conservation, mobile communications, online energy information, Web-based customer service
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In a hyper-connected world with disappearing waiting lines, fewer phone calls and less face-to-face meetings, “There’s an app for that,” seems fitting for, well, everything these days. The proliferation of smartphone applications and social media has given the expectation of instant gratification. Why call when you can text? Who needs ‘real’ friends when you can have hundreds of Facebook friends? How many readers are buying hard copy books? Just download some and you won’t even have to leave the house.
Whether these innovations in technology are disconcerting or comforting to you or not, there’s no doubt they have changed the way people communicate and interact. The same is true for utilities. As demand shifts to more automated self-service channels online, web-based solutions are becoming increasingly popular and important for utilities looking to enhance customer communications and promote new products and services. (more…)
The industry keeps getting smarter and smarter: Hot topics at DistribuTECH January 31, 2012
Posted by Dennis Smith in Utility Industry News.Tags: Chartwell, Chartwell Blog, customer engagement, Customer service automation, demand response, DistribuTECH, electric vehicle, electric vehicles, energy conservation, energy usage, meter data, mobile apps, online energy information, plug-in electric vehicle, smart grid, smart meter, smart meters, utilities, utility, utility communications
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Analytics, metrics, meters, home automation gadgets, bucket trucks, plug-in electric cars, dog bite repellent and some remote control vehicle that looked like the Mars lander. Even Hooter’s girls. Yes, the 2012 DistribuTECH had something for just about everyone last week in San Antonio.
Once again, the exhibit hall was extensive, or, as one attendee quipped, “big enough to land a [Boeing] 747 on.” We at Chartwell couldn’t cover it all. So we stayed focused. What was there to improve the utility customer experience? And the answer: still plenty. Here’s a recap (more…)
Two Georgia utilities at forefront of digital paperless billing option October 18, 2011
Posted by Chris Brennaman in Uncategorized.Tags: billing and payment, CenterPoint, Chartwell, Cobb EMC, customer communications, customer engagement, digital mailbox, email, GasSouth, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, mail, online energy information, paperless billing, postal service, Southern California Gas Co., utilities, utility customer service, Zumbox
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A few weeks ago, while checking the mail at the community mail center of my apartment complex, I turned to the person next to me and repeated one of the overused clichés of mailbox small talk: “If not for bills, I would not get any mail.” While not completely true – after all I am still one of Netflix’s few DVD-only customers – there is some truth in the statement. However, we still need to receive birthday cards, holiday cards and (most importantly?) our credit cards – thereby securing a need for the postal service for at least the foreseeable future.
But is there really a need to continue receiving bills through the mail? (more…)
Answering the $64,000 question: customer engagement in energy usage data July 14, 2011
Posted by Stacey Bailey in Utility Industry News.Tags: biggest energy saver, Chartwell, Chartwell Blog, EMACS, energy, energy efficiency, energy usage, Google PowerMeter, Grid 21, Microsoft Hohm, online energy information, smart grid, smart meter, utility customer engagement, Utility Market Research Summit
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The exit of Google and Microsoft from the smart meter arena a few weeks ago was big news in our industry. Citing “inability to scale” (Google) and “slow overall market adoption,” (Microsoft) these technology giants were unable to engage customers in sufficient numbers to justify continuing these projects.
The ongoing mission to discover what makes customers want to manage their energy usage continues…
An interesting approach to this mission was announced at the Grid Modernization event hosted by the White House in mid-June – the launch of Grid 21, a nonprofit off-shoot of GridWise Alliance. Founding Grid 21 partners are utilities Oncor, CenterPoint and San Diego Gas and Electric as well asIBM, Landis+Gyr, Itron and GE. Grid 21 states its purpose as, “engaging electricity customers in using a new generation of tools and technologies to better manage their electricity consumption.” (more…)
Home energy management and customer engagement: Sprinters should avoid this marathon July 12, 2011
Posted by Scott Johnson in Utility Industry News.Tags: Chartwell, Chartwell Blog, Chartwell research, customer service, energy conservation, energy usage, Google PowerMeter, market research, meter data, online energy information, smart grid, smart meter, utility customer engagement
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Google and Microsoft’s low-key exit from the home energy management market after just two years underscores what many electric utilities are learning and Chartwell research shows – convincing large numbers of consumers to pay more attention to their energy use and act on that information will be a long, uphill journey. (more…)
The energy industry is quite complex, as some of the customer-oriented tech companies are learning June 15, 2011
Posted by Darren Epps in Utility Industry News.Tags: Apple, Chartwell research, customer communications, demand response, EMACS, energy conservation, energy usage, Google PowerMeter, in-home displays, Microsoft Hohm, online energy information, Oracle, Siemens, smart meter, Tendril, utilities, utility communications
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San Diego Gas & Electric is running a pilot this summer that will include in-home displays like this one and programmable communicating thermostats.
Many people are conditioned to believe that, due to all their resources and innovations, giants like Google and Microsoft can immerse themselves into any industry, exploit the current products, improve them and cash the large check. It’s like the kids in high school who could effortlessly dominate every sport. That would be the script, some thought, for customer engagement in energy management. Here come the jocks. Everyone move aside. (more…)
When it comes to energy conservation, energy consumers consider their wallets first June 8, 2011
Posted by Dennis Smith in Uncategorized.Tags: Chartwell Blog, Chartwell research, energy conservation, energy efficiency, energy usage, market research, online energy information, smart grid, utilities, utility customer engagement, utility market research
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Chartwell’s Smart Grid Customer Engagement Council is well into its second year of studying the behaviors of North American consumers concerning their energy usage and attitudes. With a focus this year on energy usage tools and behaviors, the Council, which is made up of utility companies that work with Chartwell, has already made a couple of important findings. Among those:
- Consumers are interested in their energy usage and see the long-term need to stay abreast of it; but
- Engaging them with the right tools is the real challenge. In other words, utilities will have to offer energy monitoring products that are easy to use and which add value to their customers’ lives.
One thing is clear, however, from Chartwell’s years of research and thousands of consumer interviews: (more…)
One utility is getting the picture on customer engagement May 6, 2011
Posted by Darren Epps in Utility Industry News.Tags: CEIVO, Chartwell, customer communications, demand response, energy efficiency, energy usage, Glendale Water and Power, in-home display, marketing, online energy information, smart grid, smart meter, utility communications, utility customer engagement, utility customer service
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The effort to engage customers in their energy usage is prompting utilities to test web portals, direct mail inserts, in-home displays and other dashboards to determine the most effective strategies.
Glendale Water and Power, a California municipal serving 84,500 electric and 32,500 water customers, presented a different idea at Chartwell’s Smart Grid Customer Education Summit in Phoenix last week – coupling utility messaging with pictures of Mom. (more…)
Just how much data do customers want when it comes to their energy usage? Chartwell council aims to find out April 7, 2011
Posted by Dennis Smith in Utility Industry News.Tags: Chartwell, Chartwell Blog, Chartwell research, customer communications, demand response, energy usage, online energy information, smart appliances, smart grid, smart meter, utilities, utility communications, utility customer engagement, utility customer service
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Paper or plastic? It was a common question heard every time one checked out at the grocery store of the ‘80s and ‘90s. There was a time when the brown paper bag was king. Then it became plastic, but lots of people – my mother, for example – didn’t like moving away from paper, hence the question was always posed by the grocery bagger.
This question, of course, was asked to ensure that customers had a good experience – even those resistant to change.
Then about 15 or so years ago, shoppers started hearing that question less and less. It was assumed by the grocery baggers that plastic was what most people wanted, and most people didn’t complain. Sure, you could still request a paper bag, but not many did. Now, there’s often not even a bagger present. In fact, you can check yourself out in many stores, and the only option is plastic – unless you’ve bought one of those environmentally friendly reusable bags.
Much the way customer service and programs in other industries evolve over time, utilities will see customer attitudes and perceptions evolve. (more…)
Five takeaways from DistribuTECH February 8, 2011
Posted by Darren Epps in Utility Industry News.Tags: customer service, demand response, DistribuTECH, electric vehicles, energy efficiency, energy usage, market research, online energy information, privacy, security, smart grid, smart meter, utilities, utility communications, utility customer engagement, utility customer service, utility marketing
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The Oracle cars and Elster bike cabs crossing paths in front of the San Diego Convention Center confirmed the hype surrounding DistribuTECH 2011 last week… and that people were tired of walking. I took a break from traversing the USS Midway of San Diego exhibit halls to identify five trends from the show:
(more…)
