5 ways utilities can boost customer engagement in record time

In today’s rapidly evolving energy landscape, utilities face a critical challenge: staying competitive and responsive to market dynamics while boosting customer engagement. At the heart of this challenge lies the power of data – the ability to harness information quickly and effectively.

5 ways utilities can use data to boost customer engagement

Fast and efficient data sharing and analysis holds numerous advantages across different domains:

1.

Instantly respond
to technical issues

The combination of real-time data and historical insights can help you predict workload, allowing for proactive and optimized resource allocation. This data-driven approach also empowers you to make timely decisions, which is crucial in responding to issues such as power outages, equipment failures, or fluctuations in energy demand.

2.

Answer customer
questions quickly

Efficient data sharing enables a proactive approach to your customer communication, e.g. by using chatbots or creating FAQs. It also allows you to increase sales effectiveness, resolve billing issues, and provide real-time energy consumption information quicker than ever before. This improves overall customer satisfaction.

3.

Personalize your
customer support

With centralized data, you’ll have a comprehensive 360° customer view that empowers your Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) to offer enhanced and more personalized customer support, and it enables AI to address up to 28% of customer inquiries automatically.

4.

Unlock new revenue streams

By using data in an intelligent way, you can also identify new opportunities for revenue generation, and speed up time to market for new products & services. For instance, by considering data sources like weather predictions and energy consumption trends, it becomes possible to forecast energy usage accurately. Moreover, data can help you diversify your offerings and introduce innovative solutions such as dynamic energy contracts, which will also incentivize your customers to consume energy during periods of high production when prices are at their most favorable.

5.

Share real-time data with brokers

You can enable brokers to take swift and proactive actions by providing them with real-time data on leads, prospects, and even engaged customers.

On top of all this, efficient and accessible data also facilitates compliance and reporting tasks.

Key drivers for efficient data sharing

As a utility you can make data-sharing and analysis fast and efficient through a combination of technology, well-defined processes, and best practices. Here are 5 key aspects to keep in mind:

Data Integration: Invest in robust data integration platforms that can seamlessly collect, aggregate, and integrate real-time data from various sources within your organization. This includes data from smart meters, customer billing systems, and more. Machine learning and AI can help automate tasks and identify patterns in data.
Cloud Computing: Utilize cloud-based infrastructure and services for scalable storage and processing of your data. Cloud platforms can handle massive amounts of data and provide on-demand resources, making analyses faster and more efficient.
Data Standardization: Establish standardized data formats and protocols to ensure consistency and compatibility across different systems and departments. This simplifies data sharing and analysis.
Data Visualization: Use data visualization tools to create intuitive dashboards and reports that make it easy for decision-makers to understand complex data. Visualizations can speed up the interpretation of data.
Automated Alerts: Set up automated alerts and notifications to proactively identify irregularities or trends in data. This allows you to respond quickly to issues or opportunities.

Implementing these strategies will allow you to enhance data sharing and analysis, leading to increased operational efficiency through faster, well-informed decision-making.

How we can support you on this journey

For seamless and effective data sharing and visualization, consider the adoption of a modern Customer Information Solution like Itineris’ UMAX.

UMAX is a flexible CRM & CIS solution, built on the powerful and secure Microsoft Dynamics 365 platform. This platform, known for its low-code and cloud-based nature, is seamlessly integrated with Microsoft Azure and incorporates robust toolsets, including Microsoft PowerBI.

Because of UMAX’ unique utility data layer, it is the perfect solution for energy companies.

It empowers your organization to monitor real-time business performance, facilitating informed and compliant decision-making.

The visibility of end-to-end processes, from pricing and contracts seamlessly through to billing and collections, enables you to provide an extraordinary level of customer service with a reduced cost to serve.
UMAX also offers automatic alerts, that can be used to notify customers, detect irregularities in the backoffice, such as invoice delays, and highlight security incidents.
UMAX is natively integrated with Opinum’s renowned Data Hub, a cloud-based platform for utility data analytics and visualization. This integration allows advanced analytics and AI-driven insights.

Want to learn more about our solutions?
Let’s talk!

Get in touch