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…)
It’s tough to please everyone … but you have to try January 12, 2012
Posted by Chris Brennaman in Utility Industry News.Tags: Chartwell, customer satisfaction, customer service, J.D. Power and Associates, pricing, reliability, utility
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Now that the BCS National Championship is in the books, the “powers that be” are gathering to discuss the future of the Bowl Championship Series. For years, advocates of the BCS have claimed the system puts the two best teams on the field against each other at the end of the year, while opponents argue the system is not fair for all teams in the NCAA.
Regardless of the decisions made over the next few months, when the new contract goes into place prior to the 2014 season one thing will be certain: there will be some people that are happy … and some that are not. The truth of the matter – in sports or in any other facet of life – is that you can’t please all the people all the time. (more…)
The Top 10 Chartwell member requests of 2011; and other stuff to look back upon December 28, 2011
Posted by Dennis Smith in Utility Industry News.Tags: 2011, billing and payment, call center, Chartwell, Chartwell Blog, Chartwell member requests, Chartwell research, customer engagement, customer satisfaction, customer self service, customer service, electric vehicle, mobile communications, smart grid, utilities, utilities in 2011, utility, utility customer engagement, utility customer service, utility marketing, Web-based customer service
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It has been an interesting year to say the least. 2011 was a year of more positives for Apple and Google and negatives for BlackBerry and Netflix (remember its Qwikster fiasco). It’s been a year marked by the deaths of Osama bin Laden, Muammar Gaddafi and Kim Jong Il, a devastating tsunami and accompanying earthquake, political protests at home and abroad, and Republican presidential hopefuls rising and falling faster than a roller coaster at Six Flags. And in keeping with year’s past, Congress failed once again … and again (You can’t even cut spending when you’re this deep in debt?!), and another NFL team made a run at undefeated glory only to stumble toward the finish line. Maybe the Green Bay Packers will still repeat with another Super Bowl win – 2012 will tell that tale.
Oh, and the financial struggles of recent years continued.
The year is also one that’s been big for the utility industry. It’s been marked by several high-profile merger proposals, continued smart meter protests and the mass market introduction of the plug-in electric vehicle (EV). It will be interesting in the coming year to see (more…)
Customers rise up against banks; Should utilities care? November 16, 2011
Posted by Dennis Smith in Utility Industry News.Tags: Chartwell, Chartwell Blog, Chartwell research, customer satisfaction, customer service, EMACS, EMACS - The Customer Experience Conference, utilities, utility, utility customer engagement
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It was interesting to watch last month as Bank of America (BOA), SunTrust and the other major banking institutions that sought to impose debit card fees had to retreat from their high ground and reverse course after customers finally rose up in revolt.
Despite this consumer victory, these are still tough times for customers. (more…)
Do you live in a barn?! October 6, 2011
Posted by Stacey Bailey in Uncategorized.Tags: cfl, Chartwell, Chartwell research, customer engagement, energy, energy conservation, energy efficien, energy efficiency, energy usage, marketing, Residential Energy Efficiency, school-based programs, utility
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Last week I was sifting through 1500+ responses on one of Chartwell’s recent residential consumer surveys and laughed out loud at a response with which I strongly identified.
The question was “How likely are you to use the following tools to monitor and control your energy use in the future”. We gave respondents choices of website, programmable thermostat, smart phone app, etc. and also gave them an “other” field with a text box to see what they would come up with.
One respondent had written: “a way to get my kid to close the front door.” I can’t even imagine the ROI on that one.
Panelists share recipes for successful customer engagement with demand response October 3, 2011
Posted by Scott Johnson in Utility Industry News.Tags: Chartwell, Chartwell Blog, Chartwell research, customer engagement, demand response, energy efficiency, energy usage, market research, smart grid, smart meter, utilities, utility, utility customer engagement, utility customer service
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Consumers’ fears about smart meters have generated more than their share of headlines over the last few years. The resulting misinformation and noise has made it harder to hear the success stories that continue to define the majority of smart meter deployments. (more…)
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s … the new world of utility customer contact? September 22, 2011
Posted by Allison Herdic in Utility Industry News.Tags: Chartwell, CSRs as Energy Advisors, customer contact, customer service, EMACS 2011, energy efficient behaviors, mobile applications, satisfaction, smart meter, utility, web-based portal, websites
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If you have a leadership role in utility customer contact, there’s probably more than enough in your world to keep you up at night. Today’s contact center is rapidly morphing from what was already a busy channel for utilities into a new era of customer service air traffic control.
Given the level of responsibility and on-the-job challenges, managing air traffic is frequently cited as one of today’s most stressful job functions. While utility customer contact professionals aren’t literally overseeing the comings-and-goings of busy airports, their environment is evolving into a changing landscape that can look different from one moment to the next. And, like the airline industry, utility customers’ needs and expectations are changing and increasing. (more…)
Go Ogres! Beat those Hogs! September 19, 2011
Posted by Stacey Bailey in Uncategorized.Tags: Chartwell, customer engagement, EMACS, energy, energy efficiency, FPL, mascot, NJNG, PECO, TVA, utility, Westar
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College football season has (finally) begun and bulldogs, tigers, and elephants are appearing all over my community –which unfortunately for an ACC girl is SEC country. In honor of the most wonderful time of the year, I thought it would be fun to take a look at a few of the most interesting utility mascots I’ve come across.
Will evolving banking industry standards be a game-changer for utilities? August 31, 2011
Posted by Chris Brennaman in Utility Industry News.Tags: banking, billing and payment, Chartwell, convenience, customer service, debit card, fees, utility
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There is some debate over which bank issued the first debit card in the United States depending on what website you see – some sources say the Bank of Delaware, while others say First National Bank of Seattle. Regardless of who did it first, almost every bank now offers the service. And for years, utility customers have been using the cards to pay their bills … but could this form of convenience be coming to an end?
Earlier in August, Wells Fargo announced it was joining a group of other financial institutions that would begin testing the waters of charging monthly debit card fees. It is still too early to tell exactly how customers will ultimately react to being charged a convenience fee for swiping their plastic, but an Associated Press story reported a poll taken earlier this summer “found that about two-thirds of consumers use debit cards more frequently than credit cards. When asked how they would react if they were charged a $3 monthly fee for their debit card, 61 percent said they’d find another way to pay.” The reaction is to be expected in this economic recession as families look for ways to cut unnecessary expenses. (more…)
