Location to be determined; advance registration required.

Doug Karl, Director, Mass-Market Services, E Source

Utility communicators are sharing a number of challenges these days, some of which are proving to be quite painful. But not all pain is inevitable! Some can be avoided or lessened using ideas and insights from your colleagues. We’ll start our day by sharing our most pressing communications challenge and identifying resources, in the room and out of it, that could help you meet your challenge.

Facilitated by Matthew Joyce, Associate Research Director, E Source

Customer satisfaction continues to be a hot-button issue for utilities, and effective customer communications is one way to increase that score. Having something of substance to communicate also helps immeasurably. Customers want to receive communications on topics they care about—rendered in understandable terms, illustrated with customer-friendly graphics, and delivered via their preferred channels. Aligning nonverbal, vocal, and verbal communications to customers is critical to building sincerity and trust.

Facilitated by John Egan, Research Director, E Source

Planning is a strong suit in some utility departments. How else would a long-term project like a transmission line or generating station get built? But strategic planning among utility communicators may be the exception, not the rule. How do utility communicators develop, periodically review, and most importantly, execute their strategic communications plans?

Facilitated by Doug Karl, Director, Mass-Market Services, E Source

In this highly participatory session, as a group we'll critique several utility print ads, pointing out strengths and improvement opportunities in the headlines, copy, layout, graphics, use of white space, and other elements. Whether we critique your ad or someone else's, you'll have a chance to learn from the combined wisdom of years of industry and communications experience.

Facilitated by Matthew Joyce, Associate Research Director, E Source

Now that we’ve established a community of utility communicators for sharing ideas and best practices, help us develop our next Communicators Council meeting around the format and topics that meet your interests and needs. Vote for the research topics you're most interested in learning about and share your ideas for making the E Source Utility Communicators Service even more useful in your work.

Facilitated by Doug Karl, Director, Mass-Market Services, E Source