Utilities
Issues
The utility business, like most others, is undergoing major changes. Deregulation,
fluctuating energy costs, diminishing resources, the revival of nuclear
production, rising public interest in renewable energy sources, and global
climate change are all interacting to make the utility manager's job more
difficult. It is increasingly imperative for utilities to monitor the pulse of
their stakeholders and understand the ways in which their markets are
evolving.
Pioneer has conducted stakeholder research and market studies for a wide range of producers, from regional utilities to small electric
coops. We have developed residential and business customer satisfaction
programs to link utility managers to their customers. We have explored
customer perceptions of new community programs. And we have assessed the
collective mood of stakeholders affected by crises and emerging issues.
We use a range of data collection
methodologies to generate knowledge for our clients, including mail-back stakeholder magazine inserts,
web surveys, and mystery shopping. Pioneer also has a team of
Spanish-speaking and bilingual telephone interviewers to augment our highly
experienced main team in our in-house CATI facility.
Stakeholder Research
Customer
Satisfaction/Loyalty Programs
Baseline
and tracking satisfaction studies are the core tools used by most
utilities to connect with their residential and commercial customers.
Additionally, we can
set up real-time 'red alert' notification systems to allow managers to quickly
respond to critical customer situations, especially with key commercial
accounts.
Employee Loyalty/Retention Programs
Maintaining a committed and loyal employee base is essential to the success of
an ongoing operation. Our research can determine
the factors that drive employee
loyalty and retention, and how these factors affect customer satisfaction.
Transaction Feedback Surveys
Measure
stakeholder satisfaction with utility or contractor performance in specific
interactions, including power restoration and tree-trimming. Use the results to
better manage customer expectations and quality of experience.
Issues Management Surveys
In the interconnected world, it is critical for utility managers to stay
on top of new challenges. We conduct special, ad hoc research to measure stakeholder attitudes toward emerging issues and
crisis situations, especially as they affect customer satisfaction, retention,
and corporate image.
Market Studies
Customer Segmentation
Not just on traditional rate class
distinctions, but strategically on generational and cultural /demographics and
changing customer expectations and needs. Customers are being exposed to
innovations in other sectors. They are growing concerned over increasing energy
prices. They increasingly expect digital customer service interfaces and more
service offerings. Segmentation allow utilities to use a more modern marketing
approach to the creation of new customized products and services to meet the
special needs of segments emerging from the old mass market.
Service
Packaging Research
Determine
bundles of business and home products and services, including electricity,
natural gas, CATV, telecommunications, security monitoring,
etc. We use sophisticated choice-based conjoint modeling applications to
determine the relative attractiveness and pricing of different bundles to
different customer segments.
Market
Potential/Evaluation Studies
Assess the prospects or performance of new products and services, such
as energy
efficiency programs, community-oriented programs, sponsorships, etc. In
particular, Pioneer has worked with a number of electric coops to
facilitate and evaluate their customer billing 'Round Up' programs.
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