An Increase in Corporate Citizenship Communication Boosts Satisfaction, JD Power Finds
2018-12-18
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COSTA MESA, Calif.: 19 Dec. 2018 — Overall customer satisfaction with gas utility business customers increases slightly in 2018, according to the JD Power 2018 Gas Utility Business Satisfaction Study.SM The increase in satisfaction is due to an increase in communication from utilities regarding community involvement and social responsibility, in addition to increasing satisfaction with the billing and payment process.
“Although gas utility companies have made an effort to increase communication within their communities, it is imperative they do not forget about other areas of communication such as products and services available especially for the more tenured customers,” said Carl Lepper, Director of the Utility Practice at JD Power. “The study finds that 55% of customers that have been with a utility for up to two years participate in new product and service offerings. However, only 38% of customers that have been with a utility for 20 years or more sign up for new products or services. There’s potentially lost revenue with long-time, stable customers. At the same time, the level of satisfaction among those long-time customers is declining.”
Study Rankings
The industry results for the 2018 study are reported across four U.S. geographic regions: East, Midwest, South and West. The following utilities rank highest in customer satisfaction in their respective region:
- East: BGE
- Midwest: DTE Energy (for second consecutive year) / Xcel Energy
- South: Spire (for second consecutive year)
- West: NW Natural (for third consecutive year)
Now in its 14th year, the Gas Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study measures business customer satisfaction with gas utility companies in four regions: East, Midwest, South and West. Each of the 61 brands included in the study serve more than 25,000 business customers, representing more than 4 million business customers in total. Overall satisfaction is measured by examining six factors (listed in order of importance): safety and reliability (25%); billing and payment (17%); corporate citizenship (15%); customer service (15%); price (15%); and communications (13%).
The study is based on responses from more than 9,500 online interviews with business customers who spend at least $150 monthly on natural gas. The study was fielded in two waves: February-June 2018 and July-November 2018.
JD Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable JD Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, JD Power has offices serving North America, South America, Asia Pacific and Europe.
Media Relations Contacts
Geno Effler; Costa Mesa, Calif.; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
John Roderick; St. James, N.Y.; 631-584-2200; [email protected]
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