Q:What utility contact center best practices can you implement to reduce calls and better support customers during the anticipated growth of solar and electric vehicle (EV) demand?
A:Here are some of our recommendations to help prepare your contact center for a projected increase in customer demand for solar and electric vehicle products, programs, and services.
Read best practices based on industry-level findings from the E Source Review of North American Electric and Gas Company Residential Websites. The study analyzes website features, tested on computers as well as mobile devices, that are important to residential utility customers.
Q:What are some examples and best practices for using testimonial videos to promote energy-efficiency programs to the residential market?
A:Testimonials can be an authentic, empathetic, and trust-building way to promote your energy-efficiency programs and offerings. Best practices include:
Q:What are some effective ways to market paperless billing in terms of timing, behavioral tactics, and bundling with related offerings?
A:Behavior-change themes should be integrated into any paperless billing marketing strategy.
Market research by at least three utilities, including BC Hydro, Entergy, and Union Gas, found that customers don’t switch to paperless billing because their paper bills serve as reminders to pay.
What are utilities doing to plan for the wants and needs of their future customers? To help answer this question, E Source is holding its annual Executive Roundtable for Customer Innovation in Boston on April 16, 2019. This meeting for the executive leadership of utilities’ customer-facing departments provides participants with the opportunity to hold frank, closed-door discussions with their peers.
Did you know that US households, on average, pay about 13 bills per month? And because e-billing is growing as a billing and payment option, consumers have more online accounts, cards, alerts, and notices to track than ever before. And when you consider the paper bills many customers still receive, you’re seeing a web of channels, choices, and options customers can choose from to make payments.
For the 11th consecutive year, E Source will be recognizing and rewarding creative excellence in utility advertising with the annual E Source Utility Ad Awards Contest. The contest is now open and accepting entries until May 3, 2019.
Q:How many utilities have employees using brand-affiliated handles for social media outreach?
A:The results from the 2016 E Source Social Media Survey show that 48% of the 31 utilities that participated have brand-affiliated handles outside of their main channels, whether they’re public affairs officers, members of the social media team, executives, or others (figure 1).
What challenge is top of mind for your team right now? Reach out to start a focused conversation about your priorities and explore solutions shaped around your specific goals.