6.2 Emerging Customer Tools

Utilities use many kinds of tools for understanding and communicating with their customers.

Introduction to Customer Tools

Customer tools refer to a range of services, processes, and technologies that utilities use to better understand their customers.

Surveys and Benchmarks

It is common practice for utilities to survey their customers regularly to benchmark performance and take steps to continually meet and exceed customer expectations. Through Electricity Canada, the utilities can jointly share their best practices for the benefit of all electricity professionals.

Key Accounts

Many utilities have also engaged in the best practice of serving their key accounts—typically the largest and most influential customers—with a key accounts program. This entails personalized and customized products and services for large commercial and industrial customers. Some utilities use their key accounts program to serve the MUSH sector—municipalities, universities, schools and hospitals—as well as for the benefit of critical service providers such as fire, ambulance, and police services.

Emerging Customer Tools

To help deliver an excellent customer experience, utilities are providing diverse customer-focused tools. Let’s look at some examples:

• Many utilities offer websites and smartphone apps that allow users access to information about their accounts, including billing, payment, conservation and demand management programs, and usage trends and prediction options.

• Many utilities now offer online power outage maps, providing information and restoration estimates.

• Some utilities employ biometric identification tools in their customer contact centre, which allow customers to use their voice to securely identify themselves.

• Some utilities have integrated with smart speaker services such as Alexa and Google Home.

Customer Communication

Utilities recognize that one size does not fit all when it comes to communicating with customers. Utilities are taking an “omni-channel” approach as they seek to meet their customers where they are. These channels can include voice, web, print, social media, and chat (among others), in addition to traditional face-to-face interactions such as focus groups and community meetings.

To support these types of customer-facing tools while delivering efficient service, internally utilities are turning to technology solutions such as Robotic Process Automation (BOTS) and Artificial Intelligence.

With the overall digitization of the grid, and the ongoing progression of the “Internet of Things,” more customer-facing and internal tools will be delivered to help make the overall experience as seamless as possible for customers.

Knowledge Check

Surveys and benchmarks allow utilities to gather feedback from their customers and improve their processes and best practices. Giving important customers key accounts allows them to design a more personalized customer service experience. Websites and smartphone apps can enable all customers to access their account information, including balances, at any time. Biometrics, such as voice recognition technology, allow customers to securely access their accounts. Online outage maps can provide customers with real-time information about power outages and estimated restoration times.