While many utility companies are investing in technology to improve operational efficiency and automate business processes, one of the most significant transformations we are seeing is in the customer experience. Business today revolves around customers more than ever, and the utilities industry is no exception. Customers’ expectation is that energy suppliers should be able to foresee their needs, make relevant suggestions before they even make contact and deliver a better experience than the industry competitors in the market.
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Impact of customer experience in the utility sector
While the rate of deregulation has varied across regions and industries, globalization, privatization, and market restructuring have led to new players entering the utility market bringing about a high rate of competitive pricing, and more customer choice. On top of that, customers have more knowledge than ever before. They don’t want a paper bill every month and no contact with their utility provider. Fueled by transparency, they know exactly what they want from their customer experience and won’t stick around if they aren’t getting it. Some of the basic services that customers expect from their energy and utility broker software provider is to track utility usage on a monthly basis, easy view and payment of bills online, regular communication and support from the provider, access to value-added services or tools and an effortless experience across all service channels. If you do not improve the customer experience and change the way you deliver services, it is possible that you will lose valuable customers.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) for utilities.
With effective customer-centric software and a strategy that has been kept in place, utility providers around the world are making an effort to improve service delivery and the customer experience. The following are areas that customer relationship management solutions that are making an impact in the utility sector today:
Customer Insight
Utility companies are uniquely positioned to collect and analyze quite a number of data from customers, from both individuals and businesses using software for energy brokerage. With a CRM solution in place, your employees can easily gather and use data in every interaction necessary. Not only does this help in gaining deep insight into your customer’s preferences, usage, behaviours, and service requirements but it also will help you grow your product and service offerings to meet their needs in a better and more efficient way.
Salesforce and Technician Management
While your sales team is responsible for acquiring new accounts and managing previously existing accounts, your energy broker software technicians are responding to outages and dealing with current customers. Using an integrated customer relationship management solution, every employee can get access to the real-time information they need to deliver exceptional service, manage potential accounts, and keep management informed on progress.
Process Integration
With customer relationship management and the right system in place, you can improve the flow of transactions, from meter reading to billing to online payments. This will really help to streamline your internal processes while making it easy for a customer to set up, change, or upgrade their services.
Customer Self-Service
Customers want to be able to manage their billing, payments, and consumption information on their own. Now, a lot more utility companies implement online services or self-service portals for usage tracking, payments, and complaint logging. This is done by empowering customers to manage usage, services, and payments on their own, as well as keeping them informed and prepared for outages.
Analytics and Customer-Case Metrics
To build a culture of continuous improvement, it is very important to establish metrics that track performance and impact. These metrics can measure customer satisfaction, job performance, customer insights, and operational performance. Anything that gets your company working towards a common goal or benchmark.
Communication
Your customers expect to engage on all levels and platforms, so you need essential software for energy brokers that allows you to track and respond to every inquiry. Improved communication between the utility provider and the end-user will put you on a clear path to improved transparency and a better supplier to buy customer relationship.
Win the utility market with leading utilities integrated customer relationship management (CRM) solution for energy suppliers that empowers you to design and execute marketing campaigns, generate leads and qualify opportunities, apply simple or complex pricing strategies, increase upselling and cross-selling potential with non-commodities, renew contracts, nurture customer relationships and explore capabilities.