Do you feel as if you are paying way too much for energy that you don’t use?
Are your monthly utility bills outrageously high, as if you’re operating heavy machinery in your backyard?
Perhaps it’s time you considered monitoring your energy consumption.
Regrettably, most homeowners rarely take the time to scrutinize and monitor energy usage, let alone even think about it. They are unable to tell just how much electricity they are using at home.
Anyway, we don’t blame you! Most rented homes, especially apartments, include utilities in the monthly rent. This means you are less likely to think about monitoring your power consumption.
But if you fall into this category, then it is highly likely that you are paying for energy that you don’t consume.
According to a 2018 report of a survey done in 2015, nearly one third of homeowners were unable to pay their utility bills. Come to think of it, this could be the same households who don’t monitor their energy consumption.
DO NOT become a statistic!
By becoming a more engaged utility customer, you can learn a lot about measuring energy consumption and how to use energy efficiently. Your utility provider will share vital data that you can use to cut down on your energy costs.
In essence, you will have better control of your power consumption, hence saving thousands of dollars every year.
If this is something that you consider, we are here to help. This post explains the top reasons why you should become a more engaged utility customer.
Here’s an outline of what this article covers:
Definitions: What is customer engagement?
Reasons to become a more engaged utility customer
#1 Easy Access to Energy Data
#2 More Options to Control Energy Consumption
#3 Access to More Affordable Energy
#4 Enjoy Fast, Personalized Energy Services
#5 A Better Understanding of Energy Usage Patterns
#6 Learn Ways to Make Your Home Energy Efficient
#7 Gather Insights on Various Types of Energy Programs
#8 The Ability to Identify Consumption Trends
#9 A Better Understanding of Available Energy Financing Options
So, what is utility customer engagement in the first place?
Customer engagement in the utility space refers to the interaction between a utility provider and their customers through various offline and online channels.
It combines the concepts of customer experience and customer loyalty to ensure that clients enjoy a delightful and satisfactory interaction with their preferred utility provider.
The main aim of this type of engagement is to increase customer satisfaction through positive interactions. Apparently, customers who are more engaged tend to enjoy a high-quality experience when buying services from their preferred utility company.
In the past, utility providers have somehow been slow to embrace the concept of customer engagement. However, with an advancement in technology and the availability of various interaction channels, customers are now expecting utility companies to offer the same services as any other industry.
Homeowners should take advantage of these opportunities to become more engaged with their utility providers. A more engaged customer stands to gain a lot in terms of affordable energy options.
Here, we discuss some of the top reasons why you should become a more engaged utility customer.
#1 Easy Access to Energy Data
Did you know it is your right to access your energy usage data? However, due to privacy and cost issues, many utility companies are unable to provide customers with easy access to this information.
Nevertheless, by becoming a more engaged utility customer, it will be much easier for you to access this much-needed information. Your utility provider
will go out of their way to remove any barriers that prevent you from accessing your energy data.
With this information at hand, you can now benchmark and manage your energy usage much more efficiently.
Your provider should offer you a data access map and other resources that you can use to access and understand your overall energy usage. By comparing historical data with current usage, you can then take urgent steps to reduce energy costs and improve efficiency.
#2 More Options to Control Energy Consumption
With industry players projecting the cost of electricity going up in the coming years, you will more likely pay through the nose for higher electricity bills.
The latest stats from the Energy Information Administration indicate that electricity prices have continued to rise at a rate of over 15% in the last decade. This trend is set to continue unabated in the near future.
Therefore, you may have no other option at the moment, unless you go the solar way. Using natural energy, like solar power, gives you more control over your consumption.
The dream of every homeowner is to live a comfortable life without having to compromise on some of the most essential services, like energy. Owners want more control over how they use their energy.
Becoming more engaged with a solar energy company will give you more options as far as controlling your energy consumption is concerned. By installing a solar system in your home, your utility provider will give you tools that you can use to control consumption.
For instance, the latest solar systems allow you to respond to a utility alert easily via your smartphone or even through text. You can also adjust your thermostat remotely within seconds.
#3 Access to More Affordable Energy
Who wouldn’t want access to reliable, more affordable, clean energy?
With access to energy usage data and more control over your overall consumption, you can now enjoy cleaner, more affordable energy. However, for this to become a reality, must engage more with your utility provider.
Unfortunately, most electric utility companies focus on making profits rather than provide customers with affordable energy options. But as the energy sector pivots away from this outdated model toward a customer-engagement approach, clients stand to gain from more affordable energy offerings.
With utilities increasing their engagement with their customers more, everyone stands to benefit from this new approach.
#4 Enjoy Fast, Personalized Energy Services
Let’s face it. It is somehow difficult for traditional utility companies to provide personalized energy services to consumers. In any case, utilities fall among the lowest-performing sectors as far as personalized customer experiences are concerned
However, as many homeowners move towards natural, renewable energy like solar power, the personalization of services in the utility industry has now become a reality.
Personalization of services is a great tool for customer engagement. Consumers are more likely to stick with a utility company that provides distinct customer experiences.
Many solar utilities offer various personalized tools, such as Advanced Metering Infrastructure, allowing you to become and stay engaged. These tools are readily available and easily accessible through their online portals and websites.
With the personalization of services, each customer can access their real-time personal energy data, allowing them to compare historical data and monitor how costs vary according to their energy consumption behaviors.
The personalization of services does not stop there! When it comes to billing and other promotional information, your utility provider should communicate in your preferred format.
Some people prefer correspondence in digital formats while others love their bills and any info in the traditional paper format.
#5 A Better Understanding of Energy Usage Patterns
Becoming a more engaged utility customer allows you to scrutinize your home’s energy usage patterns since you have easy access to energy related data.
You can easily tell which appliances consume more energy than expected once your utility company provides you with access to your consumption data.
What is even more interesting, is that you can access all these info in real-time. Some providers offer their clients various monitoring tools they can use to assess energy usage on an hourly basis.
The best part is that you do not have to be an energy expert to learn how to use these monitoring tools. They work automatically to give you all the information you need in the palm of your hand.
#6 Learn Ways to Make Your Home Energy Efficient
We can never underestimate the importance of energy efficiency. In any case, energy efficiency plays a significant role in reducing greenhouse emissions, lowering utility costs, decreasing equipment maintenance costs, and above all, improving your quality of life.
Unfortunately, a 2015 study shows that American homes are becoming bigger, meaning that the energy efficiency advantages are slowly diminishing.
Then again, with the ever fluctuating economy, energy star homes are quickly moving beyond the reach of aspiring homebuyers. The cost of buying an energy efficient home is rising daily.
The good news is that you can learn how to make your home energy efficient by becoming more engaged with your utility provider. Most utilities are more than willing to provide you with various tips on how to transform your space into a more energy-efficient home.
But for this to turn into reality, you need to become a more engaged utility customer. It’s as simple as that!
#7 Gather Insights on Various Types of Engagement Programs
Various utility companies have a variety of programs tailored for their customers. These programs seek to create positive interactions between the utility company and the customers.
By becoming a more engaged customer, you will learn what these programs have to offer in terms of customer experience, sustainability, functionality improvements, and rate options.
Apart from engagement programs, you can access energy-related options, such as demand response, which is an incentive program that encourages customers to curtail the power usage temporarily due to stress on the national grid. In exchange, customers receive incentives for curtailment.
#8 The Ability to Identify Consumption Trends
Are your energy bills highly inconsistent? Then you need to monitor your consumption trends. You need to know how much you are spending on amenities like heating, refrigeration, and lighting, among others, so that you can adjust your budget based on your consumption trends.
Nevertheless, you can only access the information by engaging more with your utility provider. As mentioned so many times in this post, engaged utility customers have almost uninterrupted access to crucial energy-related data.
With this information at your disposal, you can make the necessary changes to reduce costs and receive consistent utility bills.
#9 A Better Understanding of Available Energy Financing Options
If you decide to take the solar route (which you should), then you need to browse through available energy financing options. The initial costs of installing a beautiful solar system in your home is on the high side.
However, this does not mean installing solar energy is out of reach. If you do the math, you will discover that solar energy is much cheaper in the long term and it offers a better return on investment.
Even better, many solar energy utilities provide financing options to prospective customers. By becoming a more engaged utility customer, you will be able to choose the ideal financing option that fits your needs and budget.
Utilities like Enlightened Solar are upfront about their prices, enabling you to know how much you will pay and how much you need to supplement with available financing options.
So what is next?
Now that you are aware of the benefits of becoming a more engaged utility customer, it’s time for you to take the next step and embrace modern energy options like solar power.
Most homeowners than ever before are now taking the solar route! The reasons for this are simple:
- Solar power is clean, natural energy
- Solar power gives you more control over your energy consumption
- Solar power is easy to maintain
- Solar power is more affordable in the long term
With all these benefits at your disposal, what more can you ask for? Consult Enlightened Solar today to learn why you should become a more engaged utility customer.
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is NOW” – Chinese Proverb