Customer Engagement Archives - Page 17 of 20

How to Welcome Business Customers to Your Energy Utility

At the start of their energy service, business customers need the right tools to succeed. By connecting with this target audience from day one, your energy utility can welcome business customers, help them better manage their account and take control of their energy use.

A Welcome Series is a great way to connect with hard-to-reach business customers in your service area and show them your energy utility is a helpful resource and energy expert. As Questline Digital’s performance metrics show, establishing a digital relationship at the start of service is the foundation of long-lasting customer engagement and future program participation. Read on for what to include in your personalized Welcome Series to business customers.

Share resources for easy bill management

With endless tasks on their to-do list, business customers want to save time and embrace convenience. That’s why they need an easy way to manage their bill. In your Welcome Series, promote programs and services that can make business customers’ daily lives a little easier, including:

My Account: Emphasize the ability to access all of their account information in one place online, similar to an electronic filing cabinet.
Paperless billing: Business customers are always on the go. Focus on 24/7 bill access from their smartphone or tablet.
Auto pay: Promote the convenience of never forgetting a payment. Auto pay is a valuable service for busy business owners.
Mobile app: Highlight the benefits of your mobile app as a fast and easy way to access account information, which improves business customers’ energy experience.

Promote efficiency upgrades and DIY solutions

Energy efficiency has a profound impact on a business, both on its bottom line and reputation. A business with a focus on energy efficiency is viewed favorably by customers, employees and the public. However, many business customers may not realize how to become more energy efficient. Help local businesses make valuable efficiency upgrades by promoting:

Rebate programs and upgrades: Promote programs that make it easy for businesses to improve their carbon footprint and bottom line, whether through an in-person site assessment or an online energy tracking tool.
Demand response programs: Show business customers how they can reduce the risk of grid overload and help their utility meet clean energy goals while also improving their bottom line by participating in demand response programs.
Your energy utility’s marketplace: Promote the offerings in your energy marketplace, such as LED lighting and ENERGY STAR appliances, along with the benefits of choosing your marketplace over a major retailer.
Energy efficiency tips and advice: Business customers appreciate upgrades they can do themselves to improve energy efficiency. Share simple, no-cost tips to help them transform their facility.
Electric vehicle information: Provide information on EV rebate programs specific to businesses, such as electric warehouse equipment. Many businesses are also looking to electrify their fleets.

Prepare businesses with safety and reliability information

For business customers, reliability and keeping their business running smoothly is top of mind. However, power outages can happen at any time. An outage has the ability to negatively impact business operations, including reduced output, decreased employee productivity and lost revenue.

We recommend sharing outage information at the start of energy service, so they are prepared before an outage happens at their facility:

How to report an outage: Provide customers with all the ways they can report an outage, whether online, by phone or via social media channels.
Online outage map: Business customers want to know the details of an outage, such as the number of customers affected, estimated restoration time and cause of the outage. This is why sharing a link to your website’s outage map is helpful.
Outage alerts: Encourage customers to sign up for outage text or email alerts to receive real-time updates throughout an outage. This is the best way to keep business customers informed, while improving customer satisfaction scores.
Gas leak information: Share helpful safety tips your business customers need to know, including what to do and what number to call if they smell or hear a gas leak.

Welcome business customers on day one

Your business customers have distinct needs — that’s why your energy utility benefits from a Welcome Series personalized to this audience. From easy ways to manage their account to energy efficiency upgrades, business customers are looking for ways to save time, improve their carbon footprint and increase cost savings. By reaching businesses at the start of service, your energy utility can help them get closer to their goals while achieving long-term customer satisfaction.

Learn how a Welcome Series from Questline Digital will build an effective digital relationship with your business customers.

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Our Story: A Look Back at Questline Digital Over the Years

For over 30 years, Questline Digital has been dedicated to helping energy utilities connect with their customers. Before changing our name to Questline and then Questline Digital, the company that started as “Tech Resources Inc.” was engaging energy utility customers through the latest technology at the time: the fax machine.

While technology has certainly changed over the years, our mission has remained steadfast: to build long-lasting relationships between energy utilities and their customers. Read on for a look back in time at Questline Digital’s humble beginnings and how our company has transformed over the years.

Timeline showing the history of Questline utility customer engagement

The early years of Questline Digital

Questline Digital was officially born in 1990. Dr. Bob Hines, a Battelle employee in Columbus, Ohio, was training an energy utility client on economic development software he developed. The energy utility client asked Hines if there were any Battelle technologies in which their parent company, Dominion Power, might be interested in as an investment. This led to the creation of a 10-person spin-off company, Tech Resources Inc., owned by Battelle and Dominion Power to commercialize technologies at Pacific Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL).

Over the next four years, Tech Resources’ primary service was industrial energy audits and operating an Electric Power Research Institute hotline called Metaline for utility clients. While Metaline originally covered metallurgical-type inquiries, it soon expanded to cover almost any industrial operations issue. A fee was charged for each inquiry.

Dave Reim (now Questline Digital’s president and CEO) and engineer Jose Antommarchi were hired to answer these calls and conduct audits. After the Department of Energy (DOE) began providing industrial energy audits, this part of the business evaporated almost overnight.

Growing pains and new leadership

Ultimately, leadership at Dominion Power and Battelle believed that Tech Resources would not survive, so they offered to sell the company to the remaining employees. In 1994, seven employees bought the company. A new business model offered utilities an annual subscription to answer unlimited customer inquiries; the service was called Questline (Question Line), our company’s namesake.

To promote Questline, Reim had an idea to support utility account managers by developing a fax newsletter to send to their customers. Tech Resources sent out thousands of faxes per month with illustrations hand-drawn by Hines. This allowed the company to expand as a value-added informational service. After several years of moderate growth, the company added some research librarians, including Scott Miller (now Questline Digital’s content director), to help answer inquires.

A new millennium, a new focus

In 2001, Hines became president of Tech Resources. By 2003, utility newsletters had become the main focus of the company. Tech Resources started sending newsletters by email, which led to the growth of an electronically accessible library of Questline articles. The company soon developed the IntraQuest and RelationshipBuilder platforms for content creation and email delivery and tracking.

Throughout this decade, the company appeared every year in the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies in America. With Questline newsletters taking center stage, many energy utility clients began to refer to Tech Resources only as “Questline.” In response, the company formally changed its name.

A leader in content marketing

In 2013, Reim was elevated to president of Questline. Hines, who served an essential role in the start of Questline, retired in 2015.

The original RelationshipBuilder platform was also redeveloped into our proprietary Engage platform to give energy utility clients access to powerful content marketing capabilities, including deployment and reporting tools. Through Engage, the original content library was transformed into a catalog of 4,500 articles, videos, infographics, interactive quizzes and social media posts.

Today, Questline Digital works with hundreds of energy utility clients across the United States. The company’s focus is helping energy utilities transform their digital marketing strategy to achieve program results and increase customer engagement. Questline Digital’s content marketing, custom creative and technology solutions are designed specifically with energy utilities in mind.

The company has also become a leader in performance metrics for the energy utility industry. In 2014, Questline launched the Annual Energy Utility Benchmarks Report to share our robust data and insights with our clients and the industry. This valuable report has helped shape the marketing strategy and optimize campaign results for hundreds of energy utilities.

No matter how many years go by, the Questline Digital team remains focused on energy utilities and their customers. As our history demonstrates, our team continues to reinvent itself, adapt to new technologies and think of innovative ways to connect energy utilities with their customers.

We are proud of our track record of successful customer engagement and technological innovation over the years — and we’re just as excited about the next 30 years and what’s to come for our energy utility partners.

Learn how Questline Digital’s expertise in customer engagement can help your energy utility build long-term digital relationships.

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Natural Gas Utilities: Trends to Watch in 2021

What important energy trends should your natural gas customers be aware of in 2021? As their trusted resource, your energy utility should be prepared to answer customer questions and provide information that helps customers get up-to-speed on innovations and new technologies. To get started, here are five energy trends for natural gas consumption and end-use equipment for 2021 and beyond.

1. Natural Gas Consumption

While natural gas consumption in the U.S. dropped somewhat due to the pandemic, the share of natural gas for power generation has grown significantly. Natural gas-fired generators accounted for 43% of operating U.S. electricity generating capacity (GW) in 2019. These natural gas-fired generators also provided 39% of electricity generation (GWh) in 2019, more than any other source. McKinsey’s North American gas model shows that U.S. demand will continue to grow from 95 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) to 125 bcfd by 2035.

2. Natural Gas-Fueled Heat Pumps

Combined heat and power (CHP) may have to soon be renamed cooling, heat and power. These three outputs from natural gas are now available all in one box. A natural gas-fueled internal combustion engine (ICE) drives a heat pump, which produces both heat and cooling. The ICE also drives an alternator producing power (6 to 10 kW) that can be stored in its on-board batteries.

The number of manufacturers offering engine-driven natural gas-fueled heat pumps is growing. Higher performance gas-fired absorption heat pumps and heat pump water heaters and Vuilleumier cycle thermodynamic heat pumps are under development.

3. Condensing Boilers

New developments are improving condensing boiler performance. In a dual return system, two return ports, one above the other, receive return water, with each return port separated from the other by a baffle in the tube bundle. The cooler water enhances condensing before it is blended with higher-temperature return water on the other side of the baffle.

An advanced forced-air condensing natural gas-fired tankless water heater combi system can achieve 30% to 50% energy savings relative to separate best-in-class condensing furnaces and water heaters. These developments will drive faster market penetration of condensing boilers and more energy savings.

4. Boiler Control

Integrated support for BACnet, LONworks and ModBus connectivity facilitates many boiler control functions.

Remote control and diagnostics
Boiler-to-boiler communications
Burner modulation
Lead-lag rotation
Integration with building automation systems (BAS)

Boiler connectivity reduces maintenance response time and costs, improves visibility of operations and allows multiple boiler systems to work better together.

5. Boiler Modularity

Greater efficiency is shrinking the size of boilers. Manufacturers are allowing several smaller units to be (literally) bolted together to increase capacity. This allows replacing larger legacy boilers that are in otherwise inaccessible locations.

Natural gas trends for the new year

Is your utility’s customer engagement strategy ready for 2021? Keeping these emerging trends in mind will help your energy utility put its best foot forward in the new year, and help you better advise natural gas customers.

Educate your natural gas business customers about energy trends with a Questline Digital eNewsletter.

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5 Trends to Watch for Electric Utilities in 2021

The new year is here — and that means new trends for electric utilities to watch in the months ahead. It’s important to stay ahead of these innovations so your energy utility stand out as a trusted resource to customers. To help start the new year right, here are five energy trends for electricity consumption and end-use electric equipment for 2021 and beyond.

1. Electricity Consumption

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts electricity generation from renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, will rise from 17% in 2019 to 22% in 2021. The EIA also forecasts that total U.S. electricity consumed in 2021 will be similar to 2020 consumption. Further, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecast of fewer cooling degree days in 2021 will offset an increased demand for space heating.

2. Beneficial Electrification

U.S. renewable energy consumption recently surpassed coal for the first time in over 130 years. Replacing direct fossil fuel use (propane, heating oil, gasoline) with electricity is saving customers money while benefiting the environment. For example, even as beneficial electrification has become more popular, carbon dioxide emissions per MWh from electric power generation has decreased 28% from 2005 to 2018.

Beneficial electrification applications in transportation, space heating, cooking and water heating is improving consumer quality of life and increasing grid resilience. Comparatively, propane and heating oil are twice as expensive as a fuel for space and water heating. Electric vehicles are also saving consumers about $1,000 per year on fuel costs while offering lower maintenance costs, decreased emissions and better acceleration.

3. Lighting Functionality

Fixture efficacy in the range of 200 lumens per watt is becoming more common. With energy efficiency of LED lighting reaching a plateau, the relationship between light and health is receiving even greater emphasis. As a result, the quality of light is replacing efficacy as a major discriminator for lighting specifiers.

The DesignLights Consortium’s (DLC) Networked Lighting Controls program is supporting a major shift toward interconnectivity. Lighting is also serving multiple functions from sound deadening to asset management to wireless internet connectivity to sanitation. Platforms like DALI-2 and PoE++ are enabling software-defined connected lighting that is more flexible and scalable. Lighting as a Service (LaaS) is allowing companies to better focus on their core competencies, rather than on energy infrastructure.

4. Indoor Air Quality

Building owners are realizing the importance of indoor air quality (IAQ) on employee health and productivity. Electric device manufacturers are answering the call. Ultraviolet (UV) light is being used to sanitize and disinfect spaces and mass transit vehicles. Fiber-based air filters are now built with an electrostatic charge and integrated UV lights to achieve better filtration from impingement, charge attraction and UV disinfection.

Plasma generators produce a stream of ions in supply ducts that make microscopic particles clump together and fall out of the air. These ions also enter the conditioned space to kill bacteria and germs before dissipating. Humidity is being removed by desiccant wheels or added using steam, ultrasonic or high-pressure misting systems.

5. Battery Energy Storage

The U.S. energy storage market is set to grow from 1.2 GW in 2020 to nearly 7 GW in 2025, representing sixfold growth. Front-of-the-meter battery storage is helping utilities with frequency regulation, voltage support and black start. Behind-the-meter battery storage is enabling time-of-use bill management, demand charge reduction, increased PV solar self-consumption and backup power resiliency.

Lithium-ion (Li-On) batteries provide higher-capacity storage, longer rated life and lower maintenance costs. Standards like NFPA 855 Installation of Stationary Storage Systems and the 2018 International Fire Code (IFC), Section 1206, have given users guidelines for safer operation of batteries.

Electric utilities: New trends for the new year

Now is the time to prepare for the trends your electric utility’s customers should be focused on in 2021 and beyond. Forecasts about electricity consumption and beneficial electrification can help your utility plan how to market your programs in the new year. Plus, understanding the changes in lighting and indoor air quality is especially important in helping customers push through the coronavirus pandemic and return to a “new normal.” A lot is in store for electric energy use this year — is your energy utility ready?

Want to keep your customers informed of new trends in energy technology? Add a Questline Digital eNewsletter to your engagement strategy.

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Webinar: Diversity and Inclusion Strategies for Energy Utilities

Concerns about racial justice, diversity and inclusion have taken on renewed importance this year with a national dialogue that was long overdue. For energy utilities this issue is critical, not just as large employers, but as institutions in your communities and in the way you serve and represent your customers.

In Questline Digital’s Plugged In webinar, “Diversity & Inclusion: Strategies for Energy Utilities,” industry experts from the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative, Heidrick & Struggles and Duquesne Light Company shared their insights and tactics for creating a more inclusive energy utility workplace and community.

Improving workplace diversity and inclusion at energy utilities

Patty Durand, president and CEO of SECC, started the webinar by discussing ways that energy utilities and clean tech companies can increase diversity within their workforces. She emphasized that the energy efficiency sector is the largest employer in the clean energy economy. However, not everyone is benefiting from this economic powerhouse.

For example, Hispanic, Black and women employees represent a smaller share of the energy efficiency workforce than the national workforce. That’s why it’s vital to expand energy efficiency job opportunities to low-income or marginalized communities.

Durand shared the results of a recent ACEEE report highlighting exemplary programs operated by utilities, state agencies and community-based organizations to increase diversity and inclusion. To engage underrepresented workers, ACEEE identified the following strategies:

Engage people from underrepresented groups with training and internship programs. To increase the pipeline of workers from underrepresented groups, stakeholders can offer training programs to contracting firms.
Focus on supplier diversity and inclusive procurement. Utilities can choose to work with minority, women, disabled and veteran-owned businesses to design, administer and implement their programs.

How diversity and inclusion can transform energy utilities

The world is changing fast, resulting in fundamental differences in today’s global markets and talent pools. Grappling with these changes, every company has their own unique diversity, equity and inclusion journey. Kay Fuhrman, partner and leader with Heidrick & Struggles, shared eye-opening statistics showcasing workforce inequalities and why companies need to take steps to improve diversity, equity and inclusion.

According to Heidrick & Struggles data, people of color will soon account for 120% of total net workforce growth, representing the largest share of U.S. workforce growth. But today, they only make up 13% of U.S. and U.K. executive leadership. Similar inequalities exist for women who make up 80% of all consumer purchasing decisions, but only make up 25% of C-level executives at the top 1,000 U.S. companies.

Fuhrman shared that companies who make diversity a core part of their culture experience these benefits for inclusion:

17% increase in team performance
20% increase in decision-making quality
Two times more likely to meet or exceed organizational targets
Six times more likely to be innovative and agile as an organization

All organizations are located on a continuum of diversity and inclusion, Fuhrman explained. Over the past three to five years, the majority of companies fall between “supportive” and “engaged.”

Supportive companies are focused on recruiting and hiring from underrepresented groups. With engaged companies, the concept of DE&I is embedded in their core values. At the top of the continuum are companies that are considered change agents. These leaders in DE&I have a deep understanding of what it takes to make change happen and leverage diversity.

To help energy utilities start making positive change in their workforces and culture, Fuhrman shared the ABCs of key diversity best practices:

Accelerate DE&I impact and results by aligning and preparing leaders
Build visual representation by attracting external talent
Create an inclusive culture with leadership advocacy

A commitment to being a DE&I change agent

For energy utilities, the workplace should reflect the communities they serve. Sarah Oliver Carter, Chief Diversity Officer at Duquesne Light Company, shared how a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion is the foundation of the Pittsburgh-based energy utility’s workplace and mission.

To deliver on a commitment to attract and retain highly skilled talent from underrepresented communities, this year Duquesne Light Company launched a full DE&I strategy that will span the next three to five years. The utility also created a supplier diversity program to support local minority-owned businesses.

According to Carter, a commitment to DE&I started with leadership and cascaded down to other parts of the organization. The first step was aligning diversity, equity and inclusion with company strategy, then inviting employees to get involved and determine what equity means to them. The utility’s DE&I guiding principles were broken down to five main pillars:

Workforce Talent: Identify as an employer of choice. Attract, develop, retain and mentor a workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve. Enhance our employer brand to ensure that DLC is recognized as a trusted and inclusive organization.
Workforce Culture: Lead in driving and sustaining “Culture Growth.”Cultivate an environment of workplace inclusion where voices are heard, respected, valued and engaged, resulting in a workforce that sparks new and bright ideas for business success.
Customer: Support procurement in efforts to mainstream supplier diversity.
Community: Strive for excellence in customer service. Support and suggest innovative customer and business solutions through alignment with company strategy and framework.
Supplier Diversity: Lead in community impact by focusing on sustainable workforce initiatives and investing locally in the success of diverse small businesses.

As these insights illustrate, a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion needs to be an ongoing effort. Equipped with this knowledge, your energy utility can take steps to create opportunities for underrepresented populations — and create positive change in your workplace and community.

Share your energy utility’s community efforts with a customer engagement strategy from Questline Digital.

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