We’ve entered an era in which utilities must adapt to an increasingly connected and informed consumer marketplace. Moving beyond the meter to interact with customers can represent unknown territory for some utilities. “Rate payers” will become “customers,” and customers have increasing access to information and expectations of customer service and technology performance. The same service levels expected from companies such as Amazon and Apple will be expected from electric service providers.

So, where does a utility begin? They may be aware that they need to do something differently, but may not have the knowledge or the staff to develop and implement a plan. This is where a strategic partner can step in to help define the product, identify the market and primary motivators, and develop and deliver the right message with the right method to achieve success. Spending the time and effort up front will make implementation much easier down the road.

Consert has developed a comprehensive marketing toolkit with templates for everything a utility needs to implement an effective recruitment and retention campaign, including Gantt charts and flow charts, how to identify and reach out to customers, social media strategy, PR and media recommendations, and multiple survey templates to gauge the program. The complete toolkit is included as part of Consert’s value-added customer service.