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E Source Utility Social Media Survey 2013: Data Sheets
May 30, 2013
These data sheets show results from the E Source Social Media Survey 2013, the most comprehensive survey in our industry. In early 2013, we surveyed 53 electric and gas utilities across the US and Canada to understand current- and future-state social media practices.
Content type: Data Resource | Document ID: ECS-DR-1 | Author: Matthew Burks
Reinventing the Utility Brand Experience: Starbucks or Just Plain Coffee?
February 21, 2013
Utilities are in danger of losing brand value as other industries become more important in peoples’ lives. But by following the path of successful brands both inside and outside the industry, utilities can revitalize their brand for the emerging market.
Content type: Focus Report | Document ID: ECM-F-3 | Author: Bill LeBlanc
Stormy Weather’s Silver Lining: Opportunities to Accelerate Energy Efficiency After Disasters
January 30, 2013
Natural disasters have the potential to wreak massive financial damages to properties and unquantifiable emotional and personal losses, but program administrators at ground zero are uniquely poised to help victims rebuild or renovate their damaged homes and businesses to be more secure, affordable, and ...
Content type: Focus Report | Document ID: EDRP-F-46 | Author: Melanie Wemple, Rachel Reiss Buckley, Dulcey Simpkins
Internal Communications at Utilities
January 24, 2013
What channels and strategies do utilities use to communicate to their employees?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: ECM-AskES-2 | Author: Felicity Tucker
Fun and Games: Using Facebook Apps for Marketing and Customer Engagement
January 14, 2013
Utilities that meet their customers on social media channels can achieve dramatic results in marketing and customer engagement. Online and mobile applications for games, sweepstakes, trivia contests, and other fun social activities abound and can be used to increase interest in energy efficiency.
Content type: Focus Report | Document ID: RES-F-47 | Author: Beth Hartman
Social Media for Outages and Beyond
How Utilities Can Respond to Emergencies and Improve Customer Communications
August 9, 2012
Increasingly, emergency management organizations are turning to social media to help with more-effective crowd-sourced communications during disasters. Utilities can use this approach to help better manage their own communication strategy during power outages and to build customer relationships.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: ECM-RB-3 | Author: Beth Hartman
Tammy McLeod Drinks Her Own Kool-Aid: A Conversation with APS' Award-Winning CCO
July 31, 2012
E Source spoke with Tammy McLeod, APS’ nationally recognized chief customer officer. Tammy’s sophisticated and nuanced perspective is built on decades of experience and provides invaluable strategic and tactical insights for any utility interested in building a customer-focused organization.
Content type: Interview | Document ID: ECM-INT-7-12-McLeod | Author: Maureen Russolo, Florence Connally
Online Rate Communications: Best Practices and Messaging
July 19, 2012
What are best practices in rate communications? Can you provide examples of utilities that have effectively used the web and other electronic media to educate customers about the electric ratemaking process and pending rate cases?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: ECM-AskES-1 | Author: Stephanie Spalding
How 50 Top Utilities Use Social Media
Key Findings from the E Source 2012 Social Media Survey
April 18, 2012
Utilities continue to realize the value in social media as a marketing, communication, and customer service channel. This report analyzes the results from our 2012 Utility Social Media Survey, the most comprehensive survey in our industry.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: ECS-RB-2 | Author: Stephanie Spalding
Communicating Natural Gas Safety
November 29, 2011
What taglines are utilities using to educate their customers about gas safety? Which communications channels are the most effective in getting this messaging out to customers?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: UCS-AskES-21 | Author: Rachel Cooper, Melanie Wemple
2011 E Source Utility Brand Strength Survey: Rankings and Drivers
November 14, 2011
To help utilities understand utility brand value drivers and to support the improvement of utility brand image and strength, E Source analyzed data from The Nielsen Company’s 2010 energy-use survey, conducted with more than 32,000 residential customers in the U.S.
Content type: Focus Report | Document ID: UCS-F-8 | Author: Rachel Cooper, Chuntian Lu, Dulcey Simpkins
Smart Grid Choice and Control
An Enticing Proposition, but Can It Deliver?
October 11, 2011
Is "choice and control" really the best message we can deliver to customers regarding the benefits of smart meters and grid modernization?
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: IGS-RB-7 | Author: Jonathan Nelson, Carol Stimmel
How to Measure the Value of a Conversation
July 14, 2011
How do we know if we're getting a return on our investment from our social media initiatives? Are there lessons to be learned from the experience of businesses outside the utility industry in determining whether social media is profitable?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: UCS-AskES-20 | Author: Carol Stimmel
The State of Utility Social Media
Results and Insights from Our 2011 Survey
May 4, 2011
E Source conducted its second national social media survey of utilities in early 2011 to find out more details about utility social media efforts.
Content type: Focus Report | Document ID: UCS-F-7 | Author: Stephanie Spalding
The Next Wave of Smart Meter Resistance
February 2, 2011
In 2010, E Source wrote about organized resistance to smart grid. Have people’s concerns changed since that report was published? Can you identify new issues that have come up in the popular media?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: IGS-AskES-25 | Author: Melanie Wemple
Creating a Dialogue with Customers
December 15, 2010
Aside from social media and focus groups, what are some ways utilities can create an ongoing, face-to-face dialogue with customers?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: UCS-AskES-18 | Author: Stephanie Spalding
Smart Meter Messaging Comes of Age
December 2, 2010
The messaging that utilities use to educate customers, address questions and concerns, and manage expectations about smart meters influences the overall success of the system deployment. We examine the key messages that utilities are using to effectively convey information about smart meters.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: UCS-RB-9 | Author: Kim Burke
Using Social Media to Communicate About Rate Cases
Avista’s Wake-up Call and Recovery
July 27, 2010
Following a 2009 rate increase, Avista Utilities faced negative media attention and customer backlash. Unwanted attention prompted Avista to launch a proactive social media communications strategy, and a new approach for an increase in 2010 has yielded positive press and support from the community.
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Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: UCS-RB-11 | Author: Kim Knox
Nashville Under Water
Crisis Communications During a Flood
July 23, 2010
In the spring of 2010, Nashville, Tennessee was hit with a powerful storm that flooded the city and created widespread electricity outages. Laurie Parker of Nashville Electric Service (NES) shares with us how social media helped NES communicate to customers and the media during the crisis.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: UCS-RB-12 | Author: Stephanie Spalding
Energy Price Guidance
An Innovative Price Communication Strategy
July 16, 2010
Are there any new and innovative ways that utilities are communicating with their customers about rate cases?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: UCS-AskES-17 | Author: Maggie Boys
Reaping the Benefits of Smart Grid Through the Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative
June 8, 2010
The Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative was recently created in response to concerns that customers are rejecting smart grid technology. Will this effort help my utility prepare to meet the needs of our customers as we roll out smart technologies?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: IGS-AskES-19 | Author: Carol Stimmel
Social Media Policies
June 8, 2010
Do many utilities have social media policies? Can you provide some guidance on what to include in ours?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: UCS-AskES-14 | Author: Kim Knox
Got Energy?
A Snapshot of 100 Utility Brands
May 19, 2010
We provide an analysis of 100 utility web sites, focusing on themes, tag lines, color, and other brand elements found online.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: UCS-RB-8 | Author: Stephanie Spalding
Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting and Communication
April 2, 2010
How are utilities reporting and communicating to the public about their corporate social responsibility efforts?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: UCS-AskES-12 | Author: Stephanie Spalding
The State of Social Media Marketing
March 31, 2010
Corporate use of social media took off in 2009. But although its popularity has grown over the past year, there are still many questions surrounding social media and its benefits for utilities. We answer your most pressing questions based on our analysis of a large social media marketing study.
Content type: Best Practice | Document ID: UCS-BP-7 | Author: Stephanie Spalding
Layoff Communications
February 18, 2010
How are companies handling internal communication regarding layoffs?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: UCS-AskES-11 | Author: Florence Connally
A Quick Comparison of Survey Methods for Residential Customers
December 22, 2009
What techniques do utilities use to survey customers on such topics as corporate reputation and brand awareness?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: UCS-AskES-13 | Author: Sarah Weldon and Matthew Joyce
Communicating with Customers About Payment Assistance Programs
Entergy's Outreach Efforts
December 10, 2009
Entergy faces a particularly daunting challenge: More than 25 percent of its residential customers qualify for hardship assistance. Because providing assistance information is critical, the utility uses a blend of traditional and nontraditional outreach efforts to communicate with its customers.
Content type: Research Brief | Document ID: UCS-RB-6 | Author: Alexandra Behringer
Communicating Energy Prices to Your Large Industrial Customers
November 24, 2009
What are some effective ways to provide energy price communications to large industrial customers? Do you have any examples of how price communications have positively influenced customer satisfaction?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: BCO-AskES-5 | Author: Alexandra Behringer
How to Measure Your Advertising Efforts
November 2, 2009
How do utilities measure the effectiveness of their advertising?
Content type: Ask E Source | Document ID: UCS-AskES-8 | Author: Matthew Joyce
