How utilities are successfully educating customers and boosting enrolment in energy efficiency programs
WRITTEN BY ANGELICA PEREIRA ∙ TORONTO, ONTARIO
Customer engagement is not easy. Investor owned utilities, publicly owned municipal utilities and cooperatives deliver essential energy products and services to customers from coast to coast, but educating and engaging those customers can be slow and laborious. This struggle is valid -- over 40% of utility customers are unlikely to respond to a utility’s online and digital marketing(1). This is because customers are no longer interested in simply buying commodity or saving kilowatt hours, they expect to be presented with opportunities that align with their personal priorities(1).
To address this challenge, utilities often turn to online self-assessments to check the ‘customer engagement box’. A self-assessment alone won't solve this problem unless it can reach customers by providing personalized messaging, useful information and real customer benefits. Now more than ever there is an opportunity to use technology tools to push the envelope and drive real action.
Utilities across North America are engaging with customers and generating data insights about their homes using the MyEnergyXpert (MEX) platform to complete online energy assessments. But it’s not about simply providing an assessment -- customers need to be enticed to take action and be supported throughout the process.
“MyEnergyXpert was a pleasure to use. I was looking for ways to reduce my heating bill even further. I have new windows, weather-stripping around the doors, but I believe we need newer insulation blown into the walls of my 1920s home. The tool was able to figure that out and give me a useful recommendation on the money I would save from doing so. I was easily able to apply for the rebate for the insulation and a heat pump from the tool. No paperwork. It was neat.”
- David Thompson, MyEnergyXpert User
By focusing on data analytics paired with user experience, MEX provides industry-leading customer engagement outcomes for the utilities we partner with. Following launch, 30% of visitors to the homepage become users on the platform (compared to an industry average of 5%), and they achieve Net Promoter Scores of >80. NPS measures customer experience and loyalty. For context, Tesla’s NPS is 96, Costco’s is 78 and Amazon’s is 62. Most importantly, 80% of customers who sign up for an account complete an online energy audit, in comparison to an industry average of 15%. MEX allows small utilities to make a big splash and build positive, ongoing relationships with their customers.
EnergyX achieves these industry leading conversion numbers through methodological product development and data-driven user interface design. MyEnergyXpert guides users through a highly interactive and simple to understand process. Throughout each step of the online energy assessment, users are provided with instant feedback based on their responses, which drives further action. The MyEnergyXpert journey is tailored to each unique user; less pertinent sections can be skipped and at any point in time recommendations can be viewed and acted upon. Once the assessment is complete, call to actions are clear and rebate application processes are streamlined and unambiguous, reducing the potential for frustration-triggered customer churn.
“The tool really made it easy for me to understand my home. I was pleasantly surprised to not just find energy-saving tips but recommendations on the upgrades I should undertake. It charted out the cost, the savings, the GHG emissions, and the utility incentives I was eligible for. It also allowed me to apply for the incentives, get financing, contact contractors, or buy a discounted product from the marketplace. A wholesome experience that makes me keep coming back. I review my items and check the status of my incentive applications. It is a powerful energy management platform for a home.”
- Sarah Malloy, MyEnergyXpert Artificial Intelligence Engine User
MyEnergyXpert allows utilities to act as the trusted advisor, and gives customers a place to return to and manage their energy opportunities and savings plans. MEX only suggests programs that are timely and relevant for each individual customer, and it stays up to date ensuring utilities can provide consistent, reliable information as programs evolve over time.
By using MyEnergyXpert, utilities don’t stop at customer engagement. They provide guidance along the entire customer journey, sharing personalized messaging, useful information and delivering real customer benefits.
