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Utility service providers must keep up with changing customer experience trends, or they risk declining customer satisfaction, increasing contact numbers, and increasing no-access appointments.
Fremont, CA: Utility companies must communicate with their customers. Utility companies are not exempt from the trend of rising customer expectations for service experiences. Customers won't wait around for technicians to show up; instead, they demand clear, real-time information on their field service work status. Every time a utility calls and a consumer isn't home, the utility loses efficiency and money.
Utility service providers must keep up with changing customer experience trends, or they risk declining customer satisfaction, increasing contact numbers, and increasing no-access appointments.
Here are major trends that utility leaders need to be aware of:
Two-way communication
Sending SMS status reports or appointment reminders isn't the only way utility customers will communicate in the future. A support phone number or email address is no longer sufficient for customers who additionally want to be able to speak with their specialist.
While preserving everyone's privacy and personal phone numbers, customer engagement technology can facilitate two-way conversation. Depending on the customer's preferences, the finest systems will also provide a variety of channels (e.g., phone, text, email.)
Self-service
The outbreak has sped up the digitization process, and clients are now more accustomed to using digital self-service choices. Although digital customer care can't completely replace the human customer support team, one must present it as an alternative if users want to deliver excellent customer service.
It causes additional friction and increases call volume when only a phone call is necessary to postpone or cancel a service appointment. Instead of dealing with a call center, many clients will cancel an appointment. However, if given a chance, they would gladly choose self-service.
Post-appointment engagement
A shockingly big number of individuals are eager to provide feedback for free, which is like gold to customer experience specialists. According to research, 41percent of consumers desire to rate the services they receive. However, many customers find it difficult to criticize utilities constructively.
Contrary to popular belief, timing is crucial since consumers are more inclined to dwell on problems the longer it has been since an appointment. This may cast the data they get in a negative light and cause fewer answers.
Utilities can maximize the usefulness of this data and promptly address any unresolved concerns by automating the feedback process and collecting input right away after service visits. In addition, asking for feedback demonstrates overall concern for the client experience and the commitment to improving it.
