When the pandemic first emerged, Apogee Interactive conducted a survey asking their utility clients to identify their biggest challenges. The most common answer was communicating with their customers, followed by the need to assist customers financially. In response, Apogee offered its personalized video messaging service AT NO COST to any clients that would like to deploy it. And fortunately, many of them stepped up and leveraged the solution.
This article is adapted from Apogee’s August 2020 newsletter.
Customers Like Personalized Communications
By taking a proactive approach, Apogee adapted its service as needed, providing utilities a four-to-six month communication plan around COVID-19 messaging configured to each utility’s needs. With regards to its flagship solution, the Targeted Video Bill Explanation combined with clips that promote utilities’ heartwarming initiatives in response to COVID-19, customer engagement and satisfaction levels have been outstanding:
- 29% click-through rates, 14X higher than the industry standard
- 99% request they continue receiving videos
- 95% of customers found the video messages easy to understand
- 91% rate them very or somewhat useful
- 50% of customers report their perception of their utility improved
- 89% reported they don’t need to contact call center about their bill
Energy consumers’ feedback has also been very rewarding, revealing how important it is for end-users to receive proactive, personalized and thoughtful communications that can help them manage their energy and bills, especially under the current circumstances! Here are just a couple of comments that came in via a follow-up survey:
- “It was great to see how having additional guests have affected our bill.”
- “Excellent customer service communication. Very much appreciated.”
- “The information was positive and encouraging.”
- “Thank you for taking the time to send me that.”
During these challenging times, utilities are deploying remarkable programs, communications, and outreach that customers greatly appreciate and need. The industry’s response to the pandemic helped it achieve the highest level of customer trust and advocacy ever measured (Source: Cogent Syndicated Utility Response to COVID-19 Pandemic by Escalent), and Apogee is here to play its part until we eventually get back to normal!
About Apogee Interactive, Inc.
Apogee Interactive, Inc., is a privately held, woman-owned business and one of the nation’s leading full-service provider of proactive customer engagement SaaS services for utilities. As a partner with the utility industry since 1993, Apogee’s digital engagement platform delivers proactive, targeted, relevant, and personalized communication for hundreds of North American utilities, including some of the largest and most progressive, such as Southern Company, ConEd, LADWP, and Jackson EC. For more information visit www.apogee.net or on LinkedIn.