How the Right Analytics Tools Boost Consumer Engagement

With analytics-based consumer engagement tools in place, utilities can share the responsibility for leaks and water conservation with customers—empowering them to monitor for leaks and better manage their usage. These tools establish an around-the-clock self-service option and improve the customer experience by reducing calls to the utility, resolution times and the need for high-bill adjustments.

Where to Begin When Identifying Tools

Automatic meter reading (AMR) technology allows utilities to take reads and alert customers of a potential leak. The downside is that because the reading only happens monthly, there can be a significant lag between when a leak starts and when it’s detected. That’s where advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) comes into play as a better solution because it collects readings several times an hour to provide immediately actionable information.

For example, soon after a utility customer in the southwest U.S. deployed an AMI system, its conservation manager looked to use new access to timely information to help his water customers. The manager began calling those accounts that the system flagged for leaks. Most welcomed the news, so they could address the issue, but one person—who happened to be a plumber—insisted he didn’t have a leak problem.

However, when the utility manager pinpointed the day and time the leak started, the customer remembered he left the water running on a tree that was just planted. Without that call, the customer would likely have not investigated the issue until he received a large bill at the next billing cycle.

Beyond the more immediate leak detection benefits of AMI compared to AMR, providing access to the data is what begins to shift the ownership and responsibility to consumers. This happens through the use of portals and smartphone apps.

Web-based portals can provide years of historical data for customers to dig into. They also allow access to weather data overlays, to determine how rain and/or temperature may have impacted water usage, and the ability to set up leak alerts. Smartphone apps have most of the same capabilities but are more convenient.

For example, BEACON^® Software as a Service (SaaS) provides a utility management and consumer engagement solution—EyeOnWater^®—when paired with its ORION^® Cellular endpoints.

Evaluating Your Consumer Engagement Options

Boosting consumer engagement requires an ongoing marketing effort that includes directing customer service callers toward the portal and app. As a result, the customer engagement tools need to be as cost-effective as possible for utility managers.

Consider these factors when evaluating solutions:

• There are two types of AMI systems—those that have consumer portals and apps as a part of the offering and those that rely on third parties to facilitate customer interactions. Does it make sense to purchase those separately? In many cases, having the portals and apps included is more cost-effective and avoids any compatibility issues since there is no need to integrate a third-party solution.
• Some AMI platforms include tons of bells and whistles for their consumer portals and apps. However, a utility doesn’t want to give consumers too much information because you risk the customer service line becoming a tech support line to help with deciphering the data. Consider a more targeted approach toward what your customer likely needs, such as consumption, history, trends, weather data overlays, leak alerts, leak notification and a button that points them toward the payment system.
• Does the solution offer customer service representatives the opportunity to log in—through a masquerade mode—and see exactly what the customer sees in real time?
• Does the solution offer the ability to track signups to the portal and app to determine the success rate of targeted marketing campaigns?

By deploying AMI and providing customers access to their account with easy-to-use tools, water utilities are more likely to improve customer service operations, customer relations and overall customer satisfaction.

Learn more about the benefits of consumer engagement and how your utility can improve operations by engaging with your customer base.