Marrying customer engagement and profits.
Alan Denton is executive director at CSG International.
The evolution of communications technology has drastically changed the way utility companies can communicate with customers. One-way dialogue that begins and ends at the meter is no longer acceptable; customers demand a two-way conversation. From the phone to email, text messaging, print, and mail, there are many more channels to communicate with customers today. Maximizing those opportunities can seem overwhelming, but the reality is all of these communication channels present an unprecedented opportunity for utilities.
Customer engagement strategies and technologies enable utilities to better connect with their customers, learn more about what they need, how they consume energy, and turn that knowledge into new revenue opportunities. It also can lead to more on-line interaction and payment acceptance.
A better understanding of customers’ pain points and demands leads to better solutions and services, which in turn improves customer satisfaction and loyalty. It also cuts expenses, which makes proactive customer engagement the perfect marriage of engagement and profits.