High Satisfaction Achieved When Electric Utilities Deliver Convenience, Focus on Citizenship, J.D. Power Finds

COSTA MESA, Calif., Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Beyond reliability, a focus on convenience and citizenship separates top-performing electric utilities from competitors regarding business customer satisfaction. That's the central finding of the J.D. Power 2018 Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study,(SM) released today, which recognizes regional electric utilities that are setting the standard for the most satisfying customer experience.

"While the top-performing electric utilities have developed a strong formula for business customer satisfaction, performance can vary considerably from one provider to the next," said Adrian Chung, Director, Utilities Practice at J.D. Power. "The highest-ranking electric utilities make it easier to do business with them by offering customers online account management tools and products that drive cost savings. This service execution, along with a strong commitment to supporting local communities, plays a critical role in gaining satisfaction and building customer trust."

Following are some key findings of the 2018 study:

    --  Digital presence for account management improves satisfaction: Customers
        have higher satisfaction when they have an online account and choose to
        receive an electronic bill. On average, offering these options leads to
        a 47-point increase (on a 1,000-point scale) in overall satisfaction.
        Customers of award-recipient utilities are 7 percentage points more
        likely to receive monthly statements electronically and 6 percentage
        points more likely to access their accounts online when compared with
        customers of other utilities.
    --  Community presence is a differentiator: Among the highest-ranking
        utilities, 75% of customers say their utility supports the economic
        development of the local community, which is 7 percentage points higher
        than for non-recipient utilities. A similar gap exists in customer
        awareness of utility employees volunteering in the community.
    --  Utilities can support business customers with product and service
        offerings: Electric utilities that proactively communicate outage
        information, product offerings and other utility messages enjoy customer
        satisfaction scores that are 50 points higher than those that do not
        provide proactive communications. Overall, satisfaction is 11 points
        lower among customers who need to contact their utility to get
        information than among those who receive proactive communications.
    --  It pays to be proactive: Customers of the highest-ranking utilities are
        more likely to be aware of peak-time savings programs and real-time
        energy monitoring tools, both of which stand to offer sizable cost
        benefits.
    --  Dedicated account representatives positioned to build strong
        relationships: Businesses with an assigned key account representative
        receive significantly higher image ratings of being "customer-focused"
        and "trustworthy" compared with businesses that typically contact their
        utility through a business-specific services center or a general utility
        customer service telephone number.

Within each of the four geographic regions included in the study, utility providers are classified into one of two segments: large (serving 85,000 or more business customers) and midsize (serving 40,000-84,999 business customers).

The following utilities rank highest in business customer satisfaction in their respective regions:

    --  East Large: BGE
    --  East Midsize: Duquesne Light
    --  Midwest Large: MidAmerican Energy
    --  Midwest Midsize: Indianapolis Power & Light
    --  South Large: Georgia Power
    --  South Midsize: Entergy Texas
    --  West Large: SRP
    --  West Midsize: SMUD

All regional rank charts can be seen at http://www.jdpower.com/pr-id/2018229.

The 2018 Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study, now in its 20th year, measures satisfaction among business customers of 88 targeted U.S. electric utilities, each of which serves more than 40,000 business customers. In aggregate, these utilities provide electricity to more than 12 million customers. Overall satisfaction is examined across six factors (listed in order of importance): power quality and reliability; corporate citizenship; price; billing and payment; communications; and customer service.

The study is based on responses from more 19,000 online interviews with business customers who spend at least $200 a month on electricity. The study was fielded from February through June 2018 and July through October 2018.

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable J.D. Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, J.D. Power has offices serving North America, South America, Asia Pacific and Europe.

Media Relations Contacts
Geno Effler; Costa Mesa, Calif.; 714-621-6224; media.relations@jdpa.com
John Roderick; St. James, N.Y.; 631-584-2200; john@jroderick.com

About J.D. Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: http://www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

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SOURCE J.D. Power