Utilities, like other industries, must keep up with changing customer contact needs February 15, 2012
Posted by Sarah McElmurray in Utility Industry News.Tags: call center, Chartwell, contact center, Contact Management, CSRs, customer communications, customer contact management, Customer Service Representative, Energy Advisors, utility communications
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The stereotypical monotony of customer contact centers has now, humorously, found its way into modern pop culture. One TV ad by Discover Financial features Peggy, a CSR struggling to answer simple questions, and captures the position in all of its clichéd ineptitude. State Farm’s ad though, leaves out bulky and boring policy details and has a funny take on its quality of customer contact service, “even at 3am.”
Why are mega-companies like State Farm and Discover spending advertising dollars to promote customer service rather than showcasing a product or service? Perhaps it’s because they realize that a company’s CSRs are its customers’ primary touch-points. While these kinds of ads are both entertaining and humorous, they are also are indicative of the levels of personalized service, knowledge and demand that modern consumers not only expect, but also require. (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…)
What do utilities have in common with Nordstrom? August 5, 2011
Posted by Dennis Smith in Utility Industry News.Tags: billing and payment, call center, Chartwell, Chartwell Blog, Chartwell research, contact center, customer experience, customer service, Customer service automation, EMACS, EMACS - The Customer Experience Conference, utilities, utility, utility communications, utility customer engagement, utility customer service, utility marketing
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I moderate a panel of executives from leading utilities each year at EMACS – The Customer Experience Conference http://bit.ly/hU7eX. One year, a member of the audience – a customer experience consultant as I recall – asked the panelists: “What is it you really want to be – the best utility, or the best overall?” It seemed she had become exasperated with some of the discussion among the executives about the challenges they face around regulation, cost containment, customer engagement, etc. and so forth.
It was an intriguing question that brought into perspective the challenges faced by utilities that are not known in other industries. (more…)
The challenge with electric vehicles, like the smart grid, is customer communication July 28, 2011
Posted by Darren Epps in Utility Industry News.Tags: charging stations, customer communications, customer service, electric vehicles, Plug-In 2011, plug-in electric vehicle, utility communications, utility customer engagement, vehicle-to-grid
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The first Plug-In conference, according to those who attended the 2008 show in San Jose, more closely resembled a science fair than an electric vehicle showcase. Several companies unveiled projects and prototypes. People shared really cool ideas. One of the sessions was called, “Progression Toward EVs.”
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…)
Consumer advocate provides smart-meter reality check to utilities at Chartwell summit May 27, 2011
Posted by Scott Johnson in Utility Industry News.Tags: Chartwell, Chartwell Blog, Chartwell research, customer communications, energy usage, market research, meter data, privacy, security, smart grid, smart meter, utilities, utility communications, utility customer engagement, utility customer service, utility market research
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Arizona’s advocate for residential utility consumers delivered a clear message to industry leaders attending Chartwell’s Smart Grid Customer Education Summit in Phoenix late last month: Increased outreach and education can only improve customers’ perceptions of smart meters and smart grid.
Jodi Jerich, director of the state’s Residential Utility Consumer Office, which represents the interests of residential ratepayers before the Arizona Corporation Commission, noted that public understanding of smart grid technologies is low. She backed this up by citing research from several firms and as I noted previously on this blog, Chartwell research shows about 40% of consumers familiar with their home energy costs say they have not heard of smart meters; about three in four say they have not heard of smart grid. (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…)
Silent running or loud and proud: What’s your smart meter approach? April 18, 2011
Posted by Scott Johnson in Utility Industry News.Tags: Chartwell, Chartwell Blog, Chartwell research, customer communications, smart grid, smart meter, utility communications, utility customer engagement, utility market research
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You’ll find more enthusiasts than wallflowers among electric utilities planning to engage their customers during smart meter rollouts.
A clear majority of utilities tell Chartwell they plan to proactively involve customers in the rollout of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and smart metering systems. (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…)
