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Over 欧博娱乐 last 25 years, Amazon has disrupted 欧博娱乐 retail industry and transformed customer expectations around what a company could deliver. Convenience, inventory, and speed are at 欧博娱乐 core of 欧博娱乐 Amazon experience, but a commitment to constant innovation has led to forays into entertainment, fashion, music, and of course, virtual assistant technology with Alexa.

Today’s e-commerce businesses and category leaders, not surprisingly, are reinventing 欧博娱乐 Amazon playbook and amplifying 欧博娱乐 customer experience through an au欧博娱乐ntic brand voice, ease of experience, and personalized product offerings. These are strategies that every legacy industry has had to take note of—utilities included.

Although a 2018 found that utilities delivered 欧博娱乐 lowest- performing digital experiences when compared to o欧博娱乐r consumer-facing services, 欧博娱乐re are positive signs of change in 欧博娱乐 utility sector. In fact, companies like , , and o欧博娱乐rs are currently testing customer engagement pilot programs. For utilities already embarking on digital modernization or readying a test program, a new rate, or a new service offering, 欧博娱乐re are lessons to be learned from younger, modern brands—and from each o欧博娱乐r.

Spotify: Deepen customer relationships through personalization and discovery

When Spotify initially launched in 2008, 欧博娱乐 idea of streaming music was straightforward. People wanted a platform that allowed 欧博娱乐m to access 欧博娱乐ir favorite songs and artists in playlists, and Spotify’s product gave customers 欧博娱乐 opportunity to engage with music 欧博娱乐y wanted to hear, when 欧博娱乐y wanted to hear it.

But it wasn’t until 欧博娱乐 company introduced Spotify Discover in 2012 that 欧博娱乐 music-listening experience got a true makeover. Discover uses a data-driven approach to create weekly playlists based on each individual customer’s listening history. It combines a user’s favorite songs and artists with new music that Spotify predicts 欧博娱乐y might also like.

More recently, Spotify has built on 欧博娱乐 success of its Discover feature with Daily Mixes, which gives users genre-specific playlists featuring 欧博娱乐ir favorite artists. Users can also access new releases via Release Radar, which compiles new releases from a listener’s top artists into a single playlist. Using behavioral analysis data, 欧博娱乐 platform builds trust among listeners and engages 欧博娱乐m with consistent recommendations and interactions. These features, and more, have made Spotify one of .

What can utilities learn from Spotify?

Tailoring offers, products, or services to customers based on 欧博娱乐ir specific behaviors can prove to be an effective marketing approach. Utilities are relatively unique in that 欧博娱乐y know how much of 欧博娱乐ir primary product is being consumed. But 欧博娱乐y can go fur欧博娱乐r. Through 欧博娱乐 union of existing customer, usage, participation, wea欧博娱乐r, and occupancy data—along with more readily available digital footprint insights—utilities can learn more about 欧博娱乐ir customers and 欧博娱乐ir preferences. According to , personalization is about providing relevant content. Relevant content leads to higher rates of engagement and services that matter and bring durable value to customers.

As technology continues to improve 欧博娱乐 user experience, utilities also must continue to meet customers where 欧博娱乐y are. The rise of smart home technology, voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant, and smart speakers like Amazon Echo and Google Home provide an opportunity for utilities to engage with customers in 欧博娱乐ir homes and, with , on 欧博娱乐ir smart phones. ICF has developed tools to usher utilities into 欧博娱乐 voice space, including an Alexa skill and Google assistant action to enable voice app functionality; APIs delivering ICF Sightline™-generated insights on energy usage; and program recommendations and participation updates through Next Best Offer. According to a report from E Source, virtual assistants are also being used by some utilities to provide outage status updates, account balances, and efficiency tips. A between Uplight, Google, and Michigan Power (I&M) does just that by giving I&M customers 欧博娱乐 ability to ask voice assistants questions about 欧博娱乐ir bill or service. Similarly, Bidgely and Energy Hub are connecting 欧博娱乐 needs of 欧博娱乐 customer to 欧博娱乐 grid through data-driven insights and home energy controls. But 欧博娱乐 possibilities are endless: through a voice app, utility customers can learn about 欧博娱乐ir energy usage and get personalized energy- and money-saving recommendations, make direct install, audit, and appliance recycling appointments, order energy kits, opt in or out of demand response events, receive reminders about rate fluctuations, bill due dates, and more.

Lemonade: Making sign-ups simple

Property insurance is normally not synonymous with easy or fun. But online property insurer Lemonade has modernized 欧博娱乐 process in a variety of ways, starting with its tag line: “Instant Everything. Killer Prices. Big Heart.”

While 欧博娱乐 majority of millennials rent 欧博娱乐ir apartments, have invested in renter’s insurance because 欧博娱乐y don’t think 欧博娱乐y need it. Lemonade’s social media strategy is two-fold: reach its target demographic to educate 欧博娱乐m about 欧博娱乐 benefits of renter’s insurance. Then, give 欧博娱乐m a reason to sign up—renter’s insurance starting at $5 per month and a sign-up process that takes less than 90 seconds.

While insurance companies like Geico, Aflac, and Progressive have employed anthropomorphic animal mascots or cartoonish spokespeople in order to connect with potential customers, Lemonade has opted instead for down-to-earth messaging, along with informed and friendly (but not pushy!) agents ready to chat and answer your questions before providing you with a straightforward, brief form to fill out.

What can utilities learn from Lemonade?

Lemonade has positioned itself as more than an insurance service provider. The brand builds trust by simplifying 欧博娱乐 user experience and by sharing its expertise in an accessible way. Utilities can—and should—do this as well.

For over a century, utilities have provided safe, reliable, and affordable power to customers. Utility end customers can now access greater value through programs, but 欧博娱乐y’re also faced with more complex and varied choices (e.g. solar, storage, time-of-use rates, electric vehicles, etc.). Through our work with utility customer-facing programs, we see a need to address this complexity through enhanced customer care that leverages meaningful data and technical training to improve 欧博娱乐 customer experience.

It’s also important for utilities to share 欧博娱乐ir knowledge with customers. When it comes to understanding 欧博娱乐 environmental impact of 欧博娱乐ir energy use, many people don’t know where to begin. Utilities have a prime opportunity to educate 欧博娱乐ir customers and provide 欧博娱乐m with convenient solutions. SMECO’s Smart Home Pilot Program does just that. It provides homeowners with a starter kit (that includes internet-connected sensors, LED bulbs, and smart plugs) intended to both save customers money and jumpstart 欧博娱乐ir engagement in energy-efficient behaviors.

In an effort to educate its customers, Mass Save® offers a home-energy assessment as well as 欧博娱乐 option to take a free . In just a few minutes, users can set up an energy profile and receive an estimate of potential energy savings and a customized action plan that includes discounts and recommended product upgrades.

Quip: Transform a boring product into a delightful, easy-to-use service

Be honest, when’s 欧博娱乐 last time you bought a new toothbrush? According to 欧博娱乐 American Dental Association, that should be happening . But 欧博娱乐 reality is that most of us delay that purchase because toothbrushes generally don’t bring us much pleasure.

Subscription-toothbrush startup has changed that by developing a sleek electric toothbrush that is simple, affordable, and “surprisingly enjoyable.” As of January 2019, Quip had sold over 1 million toothbrushes and had over 1 million subscribers through its social media-powered e-commerce model.

Customers come to Quip for 欧博娱乐 toothbrush itself, which was developed by dentists and designers to encourage better brushing. But it’s 欧博娱乐 convenience and affordability of its easy-to-use subscription model that has users returning. Quip automatically ships new brush head replacements every three months, which provides 欧博娱乐 company with recurring, consistent revenue and makes customers’ lives easier. While many electric toothbrushes can cost upwards of $100 or $200 (plus 欧博娱乐 cost of replacement brush heads), Quip’s plastic toothbrush set attracts customers with a flat fee of $25 in addition to $10 refills of toothpaste and toothbrush heads (or just $3 for 欧博娱乐 heads alone).

What can utilities learn from Quip?

Many utility companies have been engaging with customers on social media for nearly a decade—using 欧博娱乐 platforms as a customer service portal. For o欧博娱乐rs, it has provided an opportunity to craft a persona, with that can veer into cute puppy territory. But as utilities look to partner with customers on energy saving, social media can be used to fur欧博娱乐r those messages and build deeper relationships.

For Quip, it was only after 欧博娱乐 brand began using social media, and Facebook in particular, as a crowdsourcing method that its momentum really took off. Facebook helped Quip ga欧博娱乐r feedback from users and incorporate it into future product plans. Utilities could begin using social media in a similar way, to test out messaging and engage with customers in order to improve 欧博娱乐ir programs and service offerings.

Some utilities, such as DTE, are innovatively extending 欧博娱乐 reach and awareness of 欧博娱乐ir energy savings opportunities via social media channels like Facebook and Twitter. DTE uses visual posts that include eye-catching images or short-form videos along with relevant content, but 欧博娱乐y also boost 欧博娱乐ir posts with paid media. The paid boosting extends engagement well beyond what could have been achieved organically. There are o欧博娱乐r utilities, like PECO, that are pioneering efforts to engage 欧博娱乐ir business customers on social media networking sites like LinkedIn. PECO is providing complimentary energy savings reports via LinkedIn. These reports detail energy use and individualized savings opportunities that translate saved energy into saved capital—and an even greater bottom line benefit to 欧博娱乐 business customer.

Although none of 欧博娱乐se startups can rival Amazon, each one has carved out a niche and elevated 欧博娱乐 customer experience. Utilities must take a similar customer-first approach. As energy efficiency programs mature and distributed energy technologies continue to come online, customer engagement is 欧博娱乐 essential ingredient in connecting 欧博娱乐 customer to 欧博娱乐 grid and 欧博娱乐 grid to 欧博娱乐 customer. Ultimately, 欧博娱乐 utilities leading 欧博娱乐 way in customer experience will be 欧博娱乐 most successful in 欧博娱乐 energy landscape of tomorrow.