Utility Bill Customer Engagement

Utility Bills: Customer Engagement

A significant number of customers do

not look at their energy bill

Energy and Climate Change Committee, 2012 (Consumer Engagement with Energy Markets: Fifth Report)

Therefore for many, energy is a low

involvement product

Attitudes differ depending

on how customers pay

Manual payments such as cash or cheque

generate greater levels of involvement

Automated payment methods

have gained in popularity and

reduce the ‘cost to serve’

Utility bill engagement is therefore trending

down as payment methods change

Increasing consumer engagement levels is important

Understanding consumption patterns helps consumers to select

tariffs best suited to their individual needs

If customers find bills

confusing or uninteresting,

engagement is likely to

reduce

86% of 1,020 individuals

surveyed complained that

their bills were too confusing

uSwitch, 2013, (Over-complicated household bills are leaving

consumers vulnerable to over-charging)

Customers have said that bills use too many jargon

words and have information which is difficult to find

uSwitch, 2013 (Over-complicated household bills are leaving consumers vulnerable to over-charging)

Bill design is therefore important

to customer engagement

Technology is changing the way consumers and

utilities interact

Smart technology provides

a platform for greater

interaction & engagement

Portals displaying smart meter

reads will enable consumers

to interact more frequently and

in greater depth

Consumption information will be more detailed and easier to

interpret than a traditional bill

• A number of factors affect customer engagement

• Technology has an important role to play

• Pro-active utilities could reap the rewards of closer customer

relationships

In summary…

For more information

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+44 (0)1534 505364