Energy Spotlight Archives - Questline Digital

Energy Spotlight: Kelly Fikes

Kelly Fikes will be celebrating an extraordinary 24 years with Alabama Power in January. In her tenure, she has experienced many changes and worked in numerous facets of the utility.

Fikes began her career with Alabama Power as an Administrative Assistant. After a few years in this role, she worked as an Account Manager in the residential segment before moving to a position as a Residential Planner for the utility’s corporate office. Following this position, she was named the Mass Marketing & Events Manager before a company reorganization took place and she was asked to join the residential major accounts team. After this move, another reorganization occurred, and Fikes entered into her current role as Training Program Manager for the marketing and economic development organization.

Fikes has been in her current role for almost three years, with a goal to ensure new employees have the training they need and to refresh training courses for existing key account managers. Although each of her roles seem vastly different, they all had a common denominator — Alabama Power’s customers.

“Everything we do at Alabama Power is with our customers in mind,” Fikes says. “I’ve been lucky enough to work with account managers and customers in different sectors of the company, but the goal has always remained the same — creating the best customer experience we can.”

Fikes’ adaptability across different roles has made her open to changes. “You adapt and roll with it,” she says. Fikes began her current role just two months before the start of the pandemic, which led to her jumpstarting the marketing organization’s digital training efforts.

“There wasn’t someone in my position before me, so I was creating it as I went along,” Fikes says. “When COVID hit, I realized we had nothing [training-wise] that was online, on-demand or digital. I needed to build an online library and utilize digital content to not only have it available for our account managers to push out to customers as needed, but as a training resource for them as well.”

As she continues to choose content to add to the library, she takes inspiration from outside campaigns to connect with customers. “Content can be fun,” Fikes says. “It doesn’t always have to be educational. A lot of it can be creative and catchy, and that lets the customer tie the concept back to your utility and what you’re trying to promote. That sticks really well.”

When she’s not crafting content or training materials, Fikes enjoys spending time with her husband, two daughters and three cats. She loves any activities outside, including gardening, pool time or watching her youngest daughter play softball.

Questline Digital connected with Fikes to get her thoughts on changes in the industry as well as meeting and exceeding the needs of customers.

How did you get started in the energy utility industry?

I was recruited by a company recruiter in my senior year at college!

What has changed the most about your job working in the utility industry over the course of your career?

Throughout my career in marketing, technology has continuously changed how we communicate with customers, and more recently, how we train our employees.

What excites you the most about the energy utility space?

Using analytics to learn more about how our customers use electricity! In turn, taking that information to predict consumer usage patterns and customize products and offerings for customers.

What campaign or initiative are you most proud of?

I can’t cull it down to just one, but an initiative that stands out is a tankless water heater pilot that we did. Electric tankless water heaters are not very popular, and gas tankless water heaters were starting to eat up our market share. So, we wanted to test the electric tankless to see how it would hold on our system.

We went to a couple of different builders asking them if we could pilot this and put it in a few new homes. We looked at two cul-de-sac areas and in 24 houses we put electric tankless water heaters to see what it would do to our system in terms of distribution. We had some hiccups, but overall, the product was great. The manufacturer worked very closely with us, and it was successful. As far as I know, most of those houses still have electric tankless water heaters in them today. It was a fun research project.

What’s a marketing campaign you wish you’d thought of and why (inside or outside the energy industry)?

I love some of the old campaigns: Nike’s “Just Do It!,” Wendy’s “Where’s the Beef?” and “Yo Quiero Taco Bell,” but those are bit before my prime! Of the more recent ones, I love Farmer’s Insurance “University of Farmers” that successfully drives home the importance of being insured while depicting worst-case scenarios with a bit of sarcasm and humor.

What is the hardest part of working in the energy industry today?

Anticipating what’s next! Technology also changes how we serve our customers. Knowing what to expect and being prepared puts us in a positive position with our customers.

Finish this sentence: If I weren’t working in the utility industry, I would be…

Working in construction! I love everything about it.

How do you anticipate the world of energy evolving in the coming years?

Technology and customer demands will be big drivers in the evolution of the energy industry. I think we will continue to see innovations delivering smart energy (efficient, convenient and environmentally friendly) while expanding others, such as the electric transportation industry.

I’m looking forward to seeing how utility operations embrace technology in generating and delivering service.

What advice would you give to those entering the utility space?

Buckle up and hang on tight! The utility industry is quickly evolving in fun and innovative ways.

Participation in Questline Digital’s Energy Spotlight series does not indicate an endorsement from utility partners.

Energy Spotlight: Sonja Britland

Sonja Britland has worn many hats at Taunton Municipal Light Plant (TMLP), from marketing to public communications. In her latest role as Sustainability and Commercial Development Manager, she is passionate about the environment and helping customers take advantage of renewable energy.

“I really hope to make a difference and put my energy toward something tangible to help our customers,” Britland says. “At the end of the day, I feel this role is so meaningful to me. I want to make an impact on our local community and future generations to come.”

Britland joined TMLP in 2004 as a marketing specialist for the internet side of the business. When they needed to cover a soon-to-be-open public communications position for the energy division in 2012, she was asked to fill in. It was supposed to be temporary, but ultimately it turned into a full-time opportunity for Britland, along with managing energy services and key accounts.

This past year, Britland took on the responsibility of managing TMLP’s newly created sustainability department, including hiring employees and crafting a sustainability plan. “It’s so much more than simply buying Renewable Energy Credits,” she explains. “It’s also about building vendor partnerships and finding ways to increase sustainability in the community.”

Throughout her tenure, Britland has been dedicated to increasing customer participation in renewable energy. One example is the Go Green 100% program, which she helped communicate to the public. This voluntary program gives customers a choice to have their electricity come from 100% renewable energy sources.

“We have customers who want their energy to come from renewable sources,” Britland explains. “But we live in an area with quite a few multi-dwelling units, and some customers are unable to take advantage of solar power. This is a way that we could make it economical for those that may have barriers to entry.”

For Britland, the biggest challenge for TMLP is the balance of providing competitive rates and reliable service, while also being an environmental steward. Some customers want their energy to come from 100% renewable energy sources, and others only care about energy costs. That’s why, she notes, it’s important to hear ongoing feedback from customers to develop new and equitable programs.

“Everything we do revolves around our mission to provide reliable, competitively priced services in an environmentally sensitive manner,” Britland says. “When you think about it, that’s a three-legged stool: If one of those pieces disengages, the stool won’t stand on its own. That mentality is what guides us.”

If she wasn’t creating sustainability goals for TMLP, you’d find Britland doing special effects makeup for horror movies. In her early 20s, she created makeup looks for various Fangoria Magazine events. Nowadays, you’ll find Britland in the great outdoors, whether hiking, kayaking or swimming. She also loves music and spending time with her friends, husband and 11-year-old son.

Questline Digital connected with Britland to get her thoughts on changes in the utility industry and what inspires her on a daily basis.

How did you get started in the energy utility industry?

With a background in business and marketing in the private sector, I joined the Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant (TMLP) in 2004 as a Marketing Specialist for the Internet Services Group. My primary role was to work with our commercial customers interested in bringing fiber optic internet access solutions to their facilities.

What has changed the most about your job working in the utility industry over the course of your career?
The most significant change was transitioning from general utility operations to a more strategic approach to decarbonization and sustainability, while balancing our rates and reliability to our customers. As a public power provider governed by our elected commissioners, our customers have an active voice in TMLP.

What excites you the most about the energy utility space?

Emerging technologies and tools being introduced to aid in decarbonization and electrification initiatives. It’s exciting to see what can help us achieve our federal, state and utility-provider goals to mitigate climate change.

What campaign or initiative are you most proud of?

Go Green 100% is a voluntary program that allows our customers’ electricity to come from 100% renewable fuel sources. Go Green 100% accomplishes this through the purchase of Massachusetts Class 1 Renewable Energy Credits (RECs).

What’s a marketing campaign you wish you’d thought of and why (inside or outside the energy industry)?

The Dos Equis “Most Interesting Man in the World” television commercials. They were so outlandish, but also creative. I always looked forward to the next installment. A close runner-up is Dr. Pepper’s Lil’ Sweet commercials because they make me laugh and I’m a HUGE Prince fan!

What is the hardest part of working in the energy industry today?

The hardest part of working in the energy industry is the balance of providing reliable service with low rates, while also working toward decarbonization.

Finish this sentence: If I weren’t working in the utility industry, I would be…

Creating special effects for horror movies.

How do you anticipate the world of energy evolving in the coming years?

I believe we will come up with new technologies that will enable us to reduce our carbon footprint to help stall climate change.

What advice would you give to those entering the utility industry?

It’s amazing how quickly things can change in this industry. Always keep your mind open to new ideas and technologies, and how they can help our customers and our environment.

Participation in Questline Digital’s Energy Spotlight series does not indicate an endorsement from utility partners.

Energy Spotlight: Anna Smith

Every industry pulls success stories and learning opportunities from one another. As someone who worked in the banking and financial industry for 17 years, Anna Smith knows this all too well.

Smith, Key Account Manager for Arizona Public Service (APS), says there are many differences she’s noticed from her time in the banking industry. “I’ve seen more collaboration in the utility industry than I had ever seen,” she says. “Utilities are willing to share information and best practices for the greater good. When we go to utility conferences, we get to go in breakout sessions and hear thoughts, ideas and challenges from other utilities. That would never happen in the banking industry.”

However, as with most industries, she’s seen similarities as well. “Both industries are very in-tune with upcoming changes and leveraging technology. The utility industry is on the cutting edge of solar storage, green energy, electric vehicles and more,” Smith says. “Both industries are very in-tune to what’s coming, which is how you remain competitive. You don’t want to be behind the eight ball.”

While most U.S. energy utilities don’t serve customers in another country, Smith’s role has extended beyond the border to assist not only her Arizona-based customers but four business customers in Mexico as well. Originally brought into the project as a translator, Smith soon took over key account management for the customers. Through a presidential permit originally signed by President Bill Clinton, APS is allowed to serve electricity to Mexico as a U.S. entity.

“I went from being a translator to taking care of them fully, 100%. There’s been a lot of learning,” Smith says. “All of their equipment is south of the border, there are Homeland Security issues…it’s a highly unique situation. Nothing about the relationship with those customers is similar to my other customers except for wanting them to feel the same white-glove treatment that all of our other customers receive.”

Smith’s primary communication method with these customers is through email, as she works to both translate and share information and resources with them. “These customers are different because I can’t just pay them a visit,” she says. “You can’t just go there and fix their equipment if something happens. It’s fun, but has been a learning experience.”

Additionally, Smith serves as the president of an employee network group, the Hispanic Organic Leadership Advancement (HOLA). After the group was formed, the APS Promise was launched — an internal initiative that works to bring employees together and anchor them in the values of APS. As a committee, HOLA puts together events and professional development opportunities at least once a month for members. Currently, HOLA encompasses nearly 400 out of 6,000 employees.

“Our leadership is encouraged to look at their employees, see who is living our promise daily and being ambassadors for our company and the community,” Smith says. “I’m really proud of this initiative. APS doesn’t just say they’re inclusive or a great place to work, they make it happen. At APS, you can feel confident being who you are. You can feel confident to be accepted.”

Outside of work, Smith enjoys spending time with her family, including her husband and nine- and 14-year-old daughters. They love to travel together and most recently visited Utah, Texas and California. Her oldest daughter plays on a volleyball travel team, which keeps the family on the move.

Questline Digital connected with Smith to get her thoughts on changes in the utility industry and the evolution of energy.

How did you get started in the energy utility industry?

I worked in banking and finance for most of my career and the instability of the industry finally got to me. I grew tired of wondering if I was going to have a job next year or the year after that. The stability provided by working for a utility was what attracted me to the industry at first, as well as the many opportunities for a young professional. I also felt that utilities are “recession-proof” and there are not many industries that are like that. After 17 years in banking, I began my career in the energy utility industry and never looked back!

What has changed the most about your job working in the utility industry over the course of your career?

The shift to green energy. Years ago, there were not as many environmental concerns, such as the number of harmful gases emitted into the atmosphere from coal-fired power plants. The increased focus on generating power from renewable sources, such as wind and solar, has been great and having a plan in place to get us to carbon-free by 2050 demonstrates APS’s commitment to get there.

What excites you the most about the energy utility space?

All the technology that allows energy efficiency to be improved in the things we use and do every day, as well as all the exciting renewable energy projects that can be found across the world that shows why renewables are the future of energy. It is awesome to work in an industry where we get to be a part of amazing work that is making an impact not just locally, but on a global scale.

What campaign or initiative are you most proud of?

The introduction of the APS Promise. The APS Promise anchors all of us toward improving our processes by searching for new ways of doing things, respectfully challenging one another, and including different perspectives in our decision-making. It also reminds us to ensure we are doing activities safely and for the betterment of our community.

What’s a marketing campaign you wish you’d thought of (inside or outside the energy industry)?

The creation of a department specifically focused on diversity and inclusion. The introduction of this department has transformed our workplace and has encouraged collaboration and teamwork across the organization.

What is the hardest part of working in the energy industry today?

Keeping up with the explosive growth taking place in Arizona. Providing energy to Arizona residents as well as attracting new businesses now and into the future is no easy task. APS focuses on safety, reliability and resiliency to drive new investment in power-generating capacity in the coming years to support this growth.

Finish this sentence: If I weren’t working in the utility industry, I would be…

Making a difference in the lives of people — most likely working in the non-profit sector. Through Employee Networking Groups, APS offers many opportunities to volunteer and get involved in causes that are important to their employees. Since working here, I have been exposed to many wonderful organizations and have enjoyed volunteering and contributing to the great work they do in the communities we serve. I am a Big Sister with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Arizona, and I would have never been involved in this if I wasn’t made aware of it through APS.

How do you anticipate the world of energy evolving in the coming years?

I am looking forward to seeing how new technologies will be leveraged to drive market transformations and serve our customers in ways we never dreamed were possible. There is an enormous amount of innovation and investment in the clean energy space, and it is reassuring to see the positive signals from not only our government, but governments around the world making significant commitments to sustainability and a green agenda.

What advice would you give to those entering the utility space?

I have learned a lot from many leaders over the years, but one thing really resonated with me: “Get comfortable with the uncomfortable,” in other words keep challenging yourself. We work in a complicated industry with endless change. It can be stressful at times, but do not be afraid of it and make a commitment to continually challenge yourself.

Participation in Questline Digital’s Energy Spotlight series does not indicate an endorsement from utility partners.

Energy Spotlight: Laurel Gerdine

Laurel Gerdine, Head of Client Marketing at Franklin Energy, found her love for the energy industry right out of college, joining the team at San Diego Gas & Electric. Since then, Gerdine received her MBA, made a career in the advertising world, owned and operated her own marketing strategy firm and worked as the VP of a software firm. After so many ventures, Gerdine has found herself back in the utility industry and couldn’t be more thrilled about it.

“I know when I wake up in the morning the things that I’m working on bring value to communities and to the world,” says Gerdine. “That’s why I made the career change to come back to this industry.”

At Franklin Energy, Gerdine leads client and e-commerce marketing. However, during the early days of the pandemic, Gerdine and her team took a step back to reflect on what would truly be helpful to energy utility customers during the unprecedented times. Like many other businesses, COVID greatly impacted Franklin Energy’s services, such as delivering energy efficiency and grid optimization services and education to consumers and businesses.

“One of the themes COVID brought to the forefront for me in particular and our utility clients, is the meaning and value of community,” says Gerdine. “With COVID, we really needed to find other ways to deliver much-needed services to those in our communities for our utility clients.”

After conversations with the executive team, Franklin Energy decided to focus on ways to assist their customers beyond energy marketing. “We started to really brainstorm, ‘What are all of the things that we can do that would be helpful during this time?’” Gerdine says.

They took their services out to the community and began delivering resources like LED lightbulbs and energy efficiency educational materials to families served by food banks to help them save energy and money during the pandemic. The initiative eventually served several urban locations across the country.

“I think what’s really important is the connections to our community. Energy is a utility, it is a very basic commodity. Customers aren’t often very engaged. From a marketing perspective, you might see 70% of your audience not engaged at all. That’s changing, but in the meantime, we want to make sure our programs are impacting the community in as many positive ways as possible,” says Gerdine.

As communities settle back into more familiar routines, Gerdine and her team are focused on tackling common utility challenges head-on, including energy efficiency education and technology advancements.

“I think the biggest challenge that my teams face in terms of execution is the complex technology landscape that our clients have,” says Gerdine. “Making all of the systems work together to deliver the type of marketing that we want, getting the right offer and the right message to the right customer at the right time, is extremely challenging in this industry.”

Outside of work, Gerdine enjoys spending time with her husband, four children and two dogs. She travels around Massachusetts for her son’s baseball team and loves to take advantage of time outside, hiking and visiting national parks. She also has a love for skydiving and hopes to learn how to solo skydive one day.

Questline Digital connected with Gerdine to get her thoughts on impactful customer campaigns and opportunities within the industry.

How did you get started in the energy utility industry?

Working in this industry was my first job out of college (many years ago!). I helped start up an income-qualified program for San Diego Gas & Electric. I fell in love with it and stayed working in the industry for almost a decade before going to business school and switching careers entirely to advertising!

What has changed the most about your job in the utility industry over the course of your career?

A lot has changed for me — mostly because of the time gap and focus change between my first career 20 years ago and my new career in this industry today.

The biggest thing that has changed is our customers’ expectations — we live in the age of Amazon and Google — and these expectations accelerated even more in the last two years with COVID. These have evolved and accelerated to a level where our teams across implementers, consultants, service providers and clients have to include much more diverse skillsets and perspectives to meet them and succeed.

What excites you the most about the energy utility space?

The opportunities and impact that modernization and technology innovation have on the grid, energy supply and demand — and what these means for our customers and communities. This is also what scares me the most.

What campaign or initiative are you most proud of?

I am most proud of the pivot that our teams made to serve our clients’ customers through food banks and other central community organizations during COVID. This allowed our programs and services to make an impact with those in our communities that needed us most and provided our employees a way to deliver value in a time that was the most chaotic and uncertain for all involved. It was a win all around.

What is the hardest part of working in the energy industry today?

The rate of change and the headwinds on it created by technologies and structures not yet aligned with where we need to go.

Finish this sentence: If I weren’t working in the utility industry, I would be…

Getting my pilot’s license and learning how to be a skydiving instructor.

How do you anticipate the world of energy evolving in the coming years? What are you looking forward to?

I think we are going to see a lot of solutions for energy usage and management built into how we live (and work and manufacture and shop), solutions that learn from our behaviors and activities and adjust in the background to deliver energy when and how it is needed to our requirements, without our thinking about it or having to take any action.

This is exciting and I am looking forward to it, but it also has the potential for imbalance and inequity. For a needed item like energy, this has serious implications and must be addressed proactively and collaboratively.

What advice would you give to those entering the utility space?

Be ready for change and to think outside of the box. Be open to new ideas and bring new perspectives! This isn’t your mother’s utility anymore!

Participation in Questline Digital’s Energy Spotlight series does not indicate an endorsement from utility partners.

Energy Spotlight: Jessica Carthen

Public Service Company of Oklahoma’s Jessica Carthen helps customers understand and take advantage of energy efficiency programs — a responsibility she doesn’t take lightly.

“As a marketer, you don’t always have the opportunity to promote something that is truly a service for good,” Carthen says. “There is something really fulfilling about being able to promote energy efficiency. Not only are we helping the community, but we’re also putting money back in the pockets of our customers.”

As Consumer Programs Marketing Senior Coordinator, Carthen creates marketing campaigns and educational content to help customers benefit from PSO’s energy efficiency programs and services. Since energy efficiency is not a one-size-fits-all message, she utilizes customer data from various sources, such as smart meter usage data, to create personalized campaigns.

“I definitely see customers wanting more personalization,” Carthen says. “If you’re blasting marketing messages that don’t apply to them, they are going to lose interest very quickly. In my role, I’ll say, ‘Show me what data we have, and let’s see if we can refine our approach so we’re giving customers information that’s most relevant to them.’”

Last year, Carthen led an innovative campaign to help customers not only understand energy efficiency, but also engage with it in a new way. The goal of the Save the Watts campaign was to make the often-complicated topic of energy efficiency easy to understand. The campaign features cute characters that give a physical representation to the term “watts” to capture attention and increase engagement.

“When we developed the Save the Watts campaign, we started with customer research,” Carthen explains. “Customers told us, ‘I understand that my home could be using energy more efficiently, but I don’t really think about it.’ When we got that research back, we worked with an agency to help us make energy efficiency top of mind for our customers.”

The Save the Watts campaign started with video as the primary tactic and expanded to social media, broadcast television and even radio ads. Now, Carthen says people will stop by their booth at various community events and mention how much they love the campaign. In addition to being well-received by customers, the Save the Watts campaign won a 2021 E Source Utility Ad Award, an industry honor that recognizes creative excellence.

“A good portion of our demographic is families, so if you can catch their attention you’ve won half the battle,” Carthen says. “The brand recognition from the Save the Watts campaign has really helped us increase consumer awareness of energy efficiency.”

Even with widespread marketing campaigns, Carthen acknowledges it can still be a challenge to reach some customers. That’s why Carthen is working to ensure energy efficiency is available to all customers in PSO’s service territory, especially those with limited income. She regularly looks at program participation data to see where they should be focusing their marketing efforts to best reach customers in need.

“Maybe we served a community really well in the past, but now we need to focus our efforts in a different community or geographical area,” Carthen says. “Our mission is to ensure we are serving all customers that can be served. We are always looking for ways to improve parity among our programs.”

When Carthen isn’t marketing EE programs and services, you’ll find her enjoying the great outdoors with her 6-year-old son or working on home projects with her husband, who is a project manager for AEP, the parent company of PSO.

Questline Digital connected with Carthen to learn more about what inspired her to work in utility marketing, how best to promote energy efficiency and some of her favorite campaigns.

How did you get started in the energy utility industry?

I was working in an advertising agency and was looking for a position that would let me leverage my brand strategy experience in a more meaningful way. I have family in the utility industry so when the opportunity in the energy efficiency group at Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) came available, I knew I wanted to apply. Luckily, they were looking for someone with agency experience to lead their energy efficiency marketing efforts, and it was a great fit for both of us.

What has changed the most about working in the utility industry over the course of your career?

My career in the utility industry is still fairly new, especially when you consider that many people at my company have worked here for 30-plus years. In the three-and-a-half years I’ve been with PSO, the emphasis on data integration and analysis has really shaped how we do business and respond to the needs of our customers as the industry continues to evolve.

What excites you the most about the energy utility space?

The impact our work has on our communities. We literally power people’s lives, which is something I don’t take lightly. The ability to market something like energy efficiency is exciting because it truly helps customers. As a marketer, it’s really fulfilling to promote something that serves a greater purpose.

What campaign or initiative are you most proud of?

We’ve launched some really creative and effective marketing campaigns, including the Save the Watts campaign that was awarded first place at the E Source Utility Ad Awards. However, our smaller day-to-day initiatives are some of my favorites.

When I started, I went on a ride-along with one of our small business lighting consultants and literally watched them go door-to-door and offer free lighting audits to local businesses. Not long after that, we implemented a marketing campaign that delivers customer leads directly to the lighting consultants. Now they have more time to spend doing actual lighting upgrade projects. The lighting consultants appreciate the campaign, and it helps our company meet its energy-saving goals.

What’s a marketing campaign you wish you’d thought of (inside or outside the energy industry)?

There are so many campaigns I wish I had thought of, but the most recent one is Progressive’s “Becoming Your Parents” campaign. It’s fun, relatable and a great fit for their target audience. I always appreciate when a brand doesn’t take themselves too seriously because, at the end of the day, marketing is about building connections with people.

Finish this sentence: If I weren’t working in the utility industry, I would be…

I would be doing marketing in some shape or form because it’s what I love to do. Regardless of where I was working, I know I would be having fun and hopefully making an impact.

How do you anticipate the world of energy evolving in the coming years?

In my role, I anticipate that our energy efficiency programs and offerings will continue to evolve as there are advances in technology. And with that, customer education will continue to be an important part of my job. As energy efficiency programs adapt, content creation will become even more important — more videos, blogs, etc. to help customers understand new technologies and the impact they have on their homes and businesses.

What advice would you give to those entering the utility space?

First, take the time to understand the industry and how you can make an impact in your role. And second, don’t be afraid to speak up and cause healthy disruption. Sometimes, we have to question things for us all to get better.