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Category: UtilitiesUnited States

  • 2023 Utility Brand Appeal Index (BAI) Study

    Utility Brand Appeal Wields Outsized Influence on Customer Satisfaction, JD Power Finds

    2023-08-28

    jillian.breska

    TROY, Mich.: 30 Aug. 2023 — Amid widespread disruption affecting all aspects of the utility marketplace—from rising system costs to environmental and energy efficiency goals to referendums on natural gas—the nation’s electric and gas utilities are quickly recognizing that branding is a critical component of successful customer-facing strategies. According to the inaugural JD Power Utility Brand Appeal Index (BAI) Study,SM released today, utilities with the most favorable brand perceptions among customers enjoy significantly higher levels of overall customer satisfaction. Strong brands also help smooth the path to rate case acceptance and improved customer support for important initiatives and special offerings and programs.

    “Brand appeal is the ability to engage customers to use and promote a utility company, its service quality, initiatives and offerings,” said Chris Oberle, managing director of utilities intelligence at JD Power. “For utilities, that’s much more than just reliable gas or electric delivery—it’s the whole experience from service interactions to engagement with the community and enhanced programs. When utilities get their brand formulas right, everything else falls into place. They face less resistance to rate increases; customers are more aware and willing to participate in special programs; and their community initiatives are infused with a sense of goodwill and trust.”

    Following are some of the key findings of the 2023 study:

    • Brand appeal associated with significant gains in customer satisfaction: Utilities with the highest brand appeal scores have average overall satisfaction scores that are more than 300 points (on a 1,000-point scale) higher than those with weak brand appeal scores. The utilities with the strongest scores rank in the top quartile in customer satisfaction and enjoy greater loyalty and advocacy. These brands also outperform on customer trust, marketing execution and company reputation metrics.
    • Gas utilities have stronger brands than electric utilities: On average, gas utilities have an overall brand appeal score of 712, which is 15 points higher than for electric utilities (697). More than half (51%) of gas utility customers have a fuel preference for natural gas in their homes, with 78% relying on natural gas for heat and 58% using it to cook.
    • Outreach and communications more effective with higher brand appeal: Among electric and gas utilities with strong brand appeal scores, community outreach and communications programs are more effective, and customers are more likely to adopt their products, options and services.

    The Utility Brand Appeal Index (BAI) Study analyzes how well U.S. utilities relate to their customers, evaluating the specific actions that influence overall brand experience, including scores for company reputation, marketing execution and customer trust among 149 electric utilities and 85 gas utilities. The index applies to all U.S. electric and natural gas utilities profiled in the JD Power Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction StudySM and the Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study.SM This year’s Utility Brand Appeal Index (BAI) Study captured the responses of nearly 80,000 utility customers and was fielded from September 2022 through May 2023.

    For more information about the Utility Brand Appeal Index (BAI) Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/utility-brand-appeal-index.   

    About JD Power
    JD Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, JD Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world’s leading businesses across major industries rely on JD Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

    JD Power has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The JD Power auto shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

    Media Relations Contacts
    Geno Effler, JD Power; West Coast; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
    John Roderick; East Coast; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

    About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

     

  • 2023 Sustainability Index

    Electric Utility Sustainability Targets Called into Question by Customers, JD Power Finds

    2023-07-25

    jillian.breska

    TROY, Mich.: 28 July 2023 — Nationwide, 82% of electric utility customers are served by a utility with a stated carbon-reduction target.1 However, only 19% of customers are aware of those targets, and just 26% believe U.S. utilities will ever achieve the goal of 100% clean energy, according to the JD Power 2023 Sustainability Index,SM released today. With imposed and self-imposed deadlines drawing nearer, consumer concerns about the seriousness of climate change remain high, and the nation’s electric utilities face a looming customer backlash about clean energy plans as more customers state the most important issue is affordability rather than the environment.

    “Electric utilities are in an incredibly tough spot when it comes to sustainability,” said Andrew Heath, senior director of utilities intelligence at JD Power. “They need customer support and participation in sustainability initiatives if they are ever going to reach their goals, but very few customers are even aware that these programs exist. In the long run, an inability to deliver on stated carbon reduction targets will negatively affect credibility and will give regulators and politicians a foothold for increased intervention and closer oversight. Now is the time for utilities to capitalize on widespread customer concern about climate change to proactively share the steps they are taking.”

    Following are some key findings of the 2023 index:

    • Low customer awareness for utility climate initiatives: Overall, just 19% of electric utility customers are aware that their utility has declared a goal to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. The overall sustainability scores for electric utilities evaluated in the study—which are based on customer awareness, engagement and advocacy for their local utility’s climate initiatives—is 28 (on a 100-point scale), unchanged from 2022.
    • Few customers feel utilities will reach their goals: Just 26% of electric utility customers say they believe utilities will reach their goal of 100% clean energy. Moreover, the number of customers who say they believe a lot can be done to reduce climate change has declined steadily to 37.3% this year from 40.3% in 2020. More than half (52.7%) of customers say they believe climate change is serious or very serious.
    • Highest-scoring utilities: Sacramento Municipal Utility District has the highest score for a third consecutive year at 35. Other top performers include NextEra Energy (34), Portland General Electric (34), DTE Energy (32) and Southern Company (32).

    The Sustainability Index evaluates electric utility customer awareness, support, engagement and advocacy for their local utility’s climate sustainability programs and goals. The index applies to the 35 largest U.S. electric utility companies and cities, each serving 500,000 or more residential customers. The study is based on responses from 70,486 business and residential electric utility customers and was fielded from June 2022 through May 2023.

    Following is the full list of electric utility companies and cities that were evaluated, along with their index score:

    Utility

    2023 Sustainability

    Index Score

    Sacramento Municipal Utility District

    35

    NextEra Energy

    34

    Portland General Electric

    34

    DTE Energy

    32

    Southern Company

    32

    CMS Energy

    31

    Edison International

    31

    Emera

    31

    Pacific Gas and Electric

    31

    Salt River Project

    30

    Con Edison

    29

    L.A. Dept. of Water & Power

    29

    Pinnacle West

    29

    Puget Energy

    29

    Berkshire Hathaway Energy

    28

    CPS Energy

    28

    Duke Energy

    28

    Xcel Energy

    28

    Ameren

    27

    Dominion

    27

    Entergy

    27

    Exelon

    27

    OGE Energy Corp.

    27

    PSEG

    27

    Sempra Energy

    27

    Alliant Energy

    26

    PPL Corporation

    26

    Evergy

    25

    National Grid

    25

    AEP

    24

    WEC Energy Group

    24

    Duquesne Light

    23

    Eversource

    23

    Avangrid

    22

    FirstEnergy

    21

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    For more information about the Sustainability Index, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/sustainability-certification-program..

    About JD Power
    JD Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, JD Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world’s leading businesses across major industries rely on JD Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

    JD Power has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The JD Power auto shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

    Media Relations Contacts
    Geno Effler, JD Power; West Coast; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
    John Roderick; East Coast; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

    About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

    1SEPA Utility Carbon-Reduction Tracker™. Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA). Retrieved July 21, 2023, from https://sepapower.org/utility-transformation-challenge/utility-carbon-reduction-tracker/ 

     

     

  • 2023 U.S. Water Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study

    Water Utilities Counteract Negative Effects of Inflation with Strong Customer Communication Strategies, JD Power Finds

    2023-05-02

    jillian.breska

    TROY, Mich.: 3 May 2023 — Significant increases in monthly utility bills are not typically met with open arms by consumers, but the nation’s water utilities have shown that it is possible to improve customer satisfaction in a rising rate environment with strong communications strategies. According to the JD Power 2023 U.S. Water Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study,SM released today, overall customer satisfaction with residential water utilities is up 3 points (on a 1,000-point scale), even as average monthly bills have increased 6% during the past year. This runs counter to the trend of declining customer satisfaction occurring among gas and electric utilities.

    “With monthly rates continuing to rise and the water supply running dangerously low in many parts of the country, there has never been a more critical time for water utilities to proactively communicate with their customers about what they are doing to protect our drinking water today and into the future,” said Andrew Heath, senior director of utilities intelligence at JD Power. “Many water utilities have heard that message loud and clear and are now setting the standard for effective customer outreach and communication. Along the way, they are also managing to buck the trend of declining customer satisfaction that we have seen in other utilities in this inflationary environment.”

    Following are key findings of the 2023 study:

    • Customer satisfaction rises with price increases: Overall customer satisfaction with residential water utilities is 734, up 3 points from last year’s study. The improvement comes despite a $5.80 (6%) increase in the average monthly bill amount vs. 2022. Water usage has been roughly flat compared with last year.
    • Communications and customer service drive customer satisfaction: This year’s increase in customer satisfaction is driven largely by improvements in communications, which have risen 7 points vs. last year, and customer service, which has increased 6 points vs. last year. The communications factor continues to show improvement across each wave of the study, suggesting that utilities are proactively reaching out to customers throughout the year to provide updates on pricing, safety and supply issues.
    • Fragility of the underlying resource in the spotlight: Even as dangerously low water levels in the Colorado River system have spurred the federal government to propose cutting water allotments in several states, 44% of utility customers perceive their utility is properly ensuring the future water supply. That sentiment is consistent across states supplied by the Colorado River as well as in those that are not.

    Study Rankings

    The study measures customer satisfaction with water utilities in eight geographic regions. Highest-ranked utilities and scores, by region, are as follows:

    • Midwest Large: Illinois American Water (781) (for a fourth consecutive year)
    • Midwest Midsize: Aqua (752) (for a second consecutive year)
    • Northeast Large: NYC Environmental Protection (784) (for a second consecutive year)
    • Northeast Midsize: Boston Water and Sewer Commission (761) (for a second consecutive year)
    • South Large: Miami-Dade County (786) (for a second consecutive year)
    • South Midsize: Cobb County Water System (791)
    • West Large: California Water Service (797)
    • West Midsize: Irvine Ranch Water District (766) (for a second consecutive year)

    The U.S. Water Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study, now in its eighth year, measures satisfaction among residential customers of 92 water utilities that deliver water to populations of at least 400,000 and is reported in four geographic regions and two size categories: Midwest Large; Midwest Midsize; Northeast Large; Northeast Midsize; South Large; South Midsize; West Large; and West Midsize. Overall satisfaction is measured by examining 33 attributes in six factors (listed in order of importance): quality and reliability; price; conservation; billing and payment; communications; and customer service. The study is based on the responses of 36,833 residential water utility customers and was conducted in four waves from June 2022 through March 2023.

    For more information about the U.S. Water Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study, visit
    https://www.jdpower.com/business/utilities/water-utility-residential-customer-satisfaction-study.

    About JD Power
    JD Power     is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, JD Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world’s leading businesses across major industries rely on JD Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

    JD Power has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The JD Power auto shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

    Media Relations Contacts
    Geno Effler, JD Power; West Coast; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
    John Roderick; East Coast; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

    About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

     

  • 2023 U.S. Utility Digital Experience Study

    Lagging Behind: Utilities Need to Update Mobile App Strategies

    2023-02-21

    jillian.breska

    TROY, Mich.: 22 Feb. 2023 — Across virtually every industry and nearly every type of customer interaction, digital customer engagement via mobile apps has surged, raising customer satisfaction and increasing brand loyalty for companies with superior digital strategies. Utilities, apparently, are not getting the message. According to the JD Power 2023 U.S. Utility Digital Experience Study,SM released today, the number of large utilities currently offering mobile apps has declined in the past two years, with 30% of the nation’s largest utility providers currently offering no mobile app.

    Now in its sixth year, the study assesses how customers interact with their utility website and mobile app as well as with the online social, email, chat and text functions offered by the 36 largest electric, natural gas and water utilities in the United States.

    “When utility mobile apps and websites work well, they become vital communications tools for utilities, helping them alert customers to storms and potential outages, providing useful information on sustainability initiatives and energy saving tools and dramatically improving customer satisfaction,” said Jon Sundberg, senior digital manager at JD Power. “At a time when rates are hitting record highs, catastrophic weather and outages are frequent, and the need to communicate effectively is paramount, utilities cannot afford to ignore implementing a digital strategy.”

    Following are some key findings of the 2023 study:

    • Number of large utilities offering consumer mobile apps declines: Among the 36 largest utilities in the nation, 30% do not currently offer a mobile app for their customers. That represents an increase in the number of app-less utilities from 27% in 2020, which means that a handful of utilities developed apps, but abandoned the initiatives either due to unsuccessful implementations, low customer adoption rates or as cost-saving measures.
    • Digital adoption surging: Among consumers, digital channels have become the first line of communication, with digital traffic surging when consumers have a question. More than half (56%) of utility customers use the mobile app provided by their utility, up from 38% in 2022.
    • Some utilities deliver exceptional customer experience, but digital laggards pull industry down:  The five-year trend in overall customer satisfaction with utility digital experience has been largely flat, declining a single point (on a 1,000-point scale) to 843 in this year’s study. That flat industry-wide performance, however, includes a handful of utilities delivering exceptional digital solutions and several delivering particularly low levels of customer satisfaction.
    • New customer onboarding presents challenges: There is a learning curve associated with utility mobile app usage. Overall satisfaction scores are 68 points higher (867) among tenured app users than they are among first-time app users (799).

    The 2023 U.S. Utility Digital Experience Study is based on evaluations from 8,368 customers of the 36 largest electric, natural gas and water utilities in the United States. To be included in the study, utilities must serve 1,250,000 or more residential customers. The study was fielded in November-December 2022.

    For more information about the U.S. Utility Digital Experience Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/resource/utility-digital-experience-study.

    About JD Power
    JD Power     is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, JD Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world’s leading businesses across major industries rely on JD Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

    JD Power has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The JD Power auto shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

    Media Relations Contacts
    Geno Effler, JD Power; West Coast; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
    John Roderick; East Coast; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

    About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

     

  • 2022 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study

    Customer Satisfaction with Electric Utilities Declines Due to Increased Monthly Bills, JD Power Finds

    2022-12-12

    TROY, Mich.: 14 Dec. 2022 — Overall residential electric utility satisfaction drops as more customers are experiencing higher monthly bills and feeling worse off financially, according to the JD Power 2022 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study,SM released today. Specifically, overall satisfaction is 731 (on a 1,000-point scale), a decrease from 748 in 2021.

    “Overall satisfaction is lower  primarily because of a big drop in price satisfaction nationally,” said John Hazen, managing director of utility intelligence at JD Power. “Utilities need to be sensitive to the financial challenges that some customers are experiencing. Increasing communications regarding assistance programs that may be available, along with energy efficiency programs, can increase overall satisfaction by as much as 72 points.”

    Study Results

    The following utilities rank highest in customer satisfaction in their respective region:

    • East Large Segment: PSE&G
    • East Midsize Segment: Delmarva Power
    • Midwest Large Segment: MidAmerican Energy
    • Midwest Midsize Segment: Kentucky Utilities (for a seventh consecutive year)
    • South Large Segment: Georgia Power
    • South Midsize Segment: EPB (for a seventh consecutive year)
    • West Large Segment: SRP (for a 21st consecutive year)
    • West Midsize Segment: Clark Public Utilities (for a 15th consecutive year)
    • Cooperatives Segment: Sawnee EMC

    See the rank charts for each region at http://www.jdpower.com/pr-id/2022184.

    The 2022 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 102,879 online interviews conducted from January 2022 through November 2022 among residential customers of the 145 largest electric utility brands across the United States, which represent more than 105 million households.

    For more information about the Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/resource/electric-utility-residential-customer-satisfaction-study.

    About JD Power
    JD Power     is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, JD Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world’s leading businesses across major industries rely on JD Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

    JD Power has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The JD Power auto shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

    Media Relations Contacts
    Geno Effler, JD Power; West Coast; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
    John Roderick; East Coast; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

    About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

     

  • 2022 Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study

    Despite Successfully Navigating Effects of Pandemic, Gas Utility Customer Satisfaction Remains Lukewarm , JD Power Finds

    2022-11-21

    TROY, Mich.: 30 Nov. 2022 — With the price of natural gas increasing in the past year and utilities shifting away from billing forgiveness, price satisfaction is the lowest it has been in since 2016, according to the JD Power 2022 Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study, SM released today. Specifically, price satisfaction is 677, down from a pre-pandemic level of 688 in 2019.

    “In an effort to counteract the satisfaction with natural gas price increase, gas utility providers can elevate satisfaction through effective customer communications,” said Mark Spalinger, director of utilities intelligence at JD Power. “Utility companies that communicate pricing programs, ways to save and usage awareness tend to have higher satisfaction. Effective communication is only part of the equation. Along with increasing prices, we also see an increase in customers contacting their utility and the majority are using digital channels which are highly satisfying. Continuing to enhance and optimize the website and mobile app experience will help boost overall satisfaction.”

    Study Rankings

    • East Large Segment: PSE&G
    • East Midsize Segment: Elizabethtown Gas (for an eighth consecutive year) 
    • Midwest Large Segment: DTE Energy (for a third consecutive year) 
    • Midwest Midsize Segment: Atmos Energy
    • South Large Segment: Piedmont Natural Gas 
    • South Midsize Segment: TECO Peoples Gas (for a 10th consecutive year) 
    • West Large Segment: Southwest Gas (for a third consecutive year) 
    • West Midsize Segment: Cascade Natural Gas 

    The 2022 Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 57,239 online interviews conducted from January 2022 through October 2022 among residential customers of the 84 largest gas utility brands across the United States, which represent more than 64.6 million households. 

    For more information about the Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/resource/us-gas-utility-residential-customer-satisfaction-study. 

    About JD Power
    JD Power     is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, JD Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world’s leading businesses across major industries rely on JD Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

    JD Power is headquartered in Troy, Mich., and has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The JD Power auto shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

    Media Relations Contacts
    Geno Effler, JD Power; West Coast; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
    John Roderick; East Coast; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

    About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

     

  • 2022 Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study

    Business Customer Satisfaction with Electric Utilities Deteriorates as Rates Rise, JD Power Finds

    2022-11-16

    TROY, Mich.: 16 Nov. 2022 — More than half (52%) of U.S. businesses say they are aware of electric utility rate increases this year, spurring a significant decline in overall customer satisfaction. According to the JD Power 2022 Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study,SM released today, a combination of rising rates, inadequate communication and lack of visibility on corporate citizenship initiatives have caused overall satisfaction scores to decline 12 points (on a 1,000-point scale) year over year.

    “Businesses are facing a tough economic environment right now as they confront the effects of inflation, talent scarcity and continued supply chain challenges,” said Adrian Chung, director of utilities intelligence at JD Power. “Blanket increases in their electric utility bills—without clear corresponding communications and adequate support from their utility on how to manage these costs—are simply adding to an already difficult situation for many businesses. But rising rates do not necessarily have to result in lower customer satisfaction. In fact, the handful of electric utilities that are getting the business customer engagement formula right are able to maintain or even drive higher levels of satisfaction and affordability perceptions.”

    Following are some key findings of the 2022 study:

    • Business customer satisfaction short circuits: Overall business customer satisfaction with electric utilities this year is 774, down 12 points from a year ago. Lower satisfaction is primarily driven by 20-point declines in price and in awareness of utility corporate citizenship efforts, and a 19-point decline in satisfaction with utility communications.
    • Majority of customers see rate increases: More than half (52%) of business customers say they are aware of a rate increase from their electric utility this year, up 15 percentage points from a year ago. Nationally, rate increase awareness has risen but it is most prevalent in the East and West regions.
    • Account representatives to the rescue: Overall satisfaction scores are 79 points higher and price satisfaction is 113 points higher when business customers indicate they have an assigned account representative. Likewise, business customer perceptions of power quality and reliability, corporate citizenship and communications all increase significantly when a dedicated rep is assigned. Currently, just 34% of business customers say they have an assigned account representative.
    • Customer engagement crucial: Additional proactive customer relationship management strategies that help offset the negative effects of a price increase include participation in special product and service offerings; awareness of energy efficiency and conservation programs; and frequent communication on energy conservation tips and special offers. There is a 74-point increase in satisfaction with price when business customers participate in three or more product and service offerings with their electric utility.

    Study Rankings

    Within each of the four U.S. geographic regions included in the study, utility providers are classified into one of two segments: large (serving 90,000 or more business customers) and midsize (serving 50,000-89,999 business customers).

    The following utilities rank highest in business customer satisfaction in their respective region:

    • East Large: BGE
    • East Midsize: Atlantic City Electric
    • Midwest Large: Ameren Missouri
    • Midwest Midsize: Kentucky Utilities (for a fourth consecutive year)
    • South Large: Georgia Power 
    • South Midsize: Entergy Texas
    • West Large: SRP (for a second consecutive year)
    • West Midsize: Seattle City Light

    The 2022 Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study, now in its 24th year, measures satisfaction among business customers of 78 targeted U.S. electric utilities, each of which serves more than 50,000 business customers. In aggregate, these utilities provide electricity to more than 12 million customers.

    Overall satisfaction is examined across six factors (listed in order of importance): power quality and reliability; price; billing and payment; corporate citizenship; customer contact; and communications.

    The study is based on responses from 18,694 online interviews of business customers in decision-making roles related to their utility company. The study was fielded from February through October 2022.

    For more information about the JD Power Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/utilities/electric-utility-business-customer-satisfaction-study.

    About JD Power
    JD Power     is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, JD Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world’s leading businesses across major industries rely on JD Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

    JD Power has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The JD Power auto shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

    Media Relations Contacts
    Geno Effler, JD Power; West Coast; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
    John Roderick; East Coast; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

    About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

     

  • 2022 U.S. Gas Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study

    Price Satisfaction Biggest Contributor to Decrease in Gas Utility Business Satisfaction, JD Power Finds

    2022-10-18

    jillian.breska

    TROY, Mich.: 19 Oct. 2022 — Driven by perception of price, overall gas utility business satisfaction is down to 808 (on a 1,000-point scale), a drop of 9 points from 2021, according to the JD Power 2022 U.S. Gas Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study,SM released today. Notably, satisfaction with price is down 20 points to 766 in 2022.

    “Pricing is the factor in which we’re seeing the greatest decline in customer satisfaction, an effect of inflationary pressure,” said Ramah Vaughn, director of utilities intelligence at JD Power. “To mitigate this issue, gas utility companies can benefit by updating their messaging to show the value of gas. For many other products that consumers enjoy, price satisfaction is not low when consumers know what they are getting for that price. An essential utility provides plenty of value, if providers can shift the conversation away from price and focus instead on value, an increase of customer satisfaction will follow.”

    Study Rankings

    The industry results for the 2022 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: Atmos Energy
    • South: TECO Peoples Gas (for a fourth consecutive year)
    • West: Southwest Gas (for a third consecutive year)

    Now in its 18th year, the U.S. 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 59 brands included in the study serve more than 25,000 business customers, representing more than 4.4 million business customers in total. Overall satisfaction is measured by examining six factors (listed in order of importance): safety and reliability (22%); billing and payment (17%); corporate citizenship (17%); price (16%); communications (14%); and customer contact (14%).

    The study is based on responses from more than 9,220 online interviews of business customers in decision-making roles related to their utility company. The study was fielded from January through September 2022.

    For more information about the U.S. Gas Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/utilities/gas-utility-business-customer-satisfaction-study

    About JD Power
    JD Power     is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, JD Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world’s leading businesses across major industries rely on JD Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

    JD Power is headquartered in Troy, Mich., and has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The JD Power auto shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

    Media Relations Contacts
    Geno Effler, JD Power; West Coast; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
    John Roderick; East Coast; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

    About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

     

  • 2022 Sustainability Index

    Electric Utilities Lack Customer Support They Need to Meet Sustainability Goals, JD Power Finds

    2022-07-20

    crescent.seward

    TROY, Mich.: 21 July 2022 — Judging solely by their annual reports, press releases and public talking points, the nation’s electric utilities are all-in on carbon reduction. A significant majority (81%) of electric utility customers[1] are now served by a utility with a stated carbon-reduction target. However, many utilities do not have plans that are disclosed or validated by independent groups such as CDP or the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). According to the JD Power 2022 Sustainability Index, released today, even fewer utilities have the customer awareness and support they will need to make their goals a reality.

    “If the aggressive carbon reduction goals most utilities have in place are ever going to be achieved, customers are going to need to play a key role, both in terms of modifying their current energy use habits and supporting the funding required to improve infrastructure and deliver the clean energy sources,” said Andrew Heath, senior director of utilities intelligence at JD Power. “Right now, even the best-performing utilities are not where they need to be in terms of customer engagement, awareness and support for sustainability initiatives.”

    Following are some key findings of the 2022 index:

    • Persistently low consumer awareness for utility climate initiatives: The overall sustainability scores for electric utilities evaluated in the study—which are based on consumer awareness, engagement and advocacy for their local utility’s climate initiatives—is 28 (on a 100-point scale), up just one point from 2021.
    • Engagement and awareness of utility sustainability initiatives remains stubbornly low: Just 6% of residential electric utility customers and 28% of business customers are using environmental products and services. Similarly, just 41% of residential customers and 56% of business customers are aware of their utility’s efforts to improve their impact on the environment.
    • Despite low engagement, many customers care about climate change: More than half (53%) of electric utility customers believe that climate change is either a “serious” or “very serious” issue. Utilities serving coastal customers in the Northeast and West have the greatest percentage of customers who are concerned about climate change, with many serving 60% or more customers who believe climate change to be a serious issue.
    • Few utilities have clear carbon reduction plan/targets meeting highest level of ambition: According to the CDP,[2] just 23 of 65 electric utilities evaluated receive a score of B- or better for their disclosed plans to reduce carbon emissions. Only two have committed to set science-based targets, according to the SBTi.[3]
    • Highest-scoring utilities: NextEra Energy and Sacramento Municipal Utility District have the highest scores for a second consecutive year, each with a score of 34.

    The JD Power Sustainability Index evaluates electric utility customer awareness, support, engagement and advocacy for their local utility’s climate sustainability programs and goals. The index applies to the 35 largest U.S. electric utility companies and cities, each serving 500,000 or more residential customers and is based on responses from 71,959 business and residential electric utility customers and was fielded from June 2021 through May 2022.

    Following is the full list of electric utility companies and cities that are evaluated, along with their index scores:

    Utility

    2022 Sustainability Index Score

    NextEra Energy

    34

    Sacramento Municipal Utility District

    34

    DTE Energy      

    33

    Portland General Electric

    32

    Salt River Project

    32

    Puget Energy  

    31

    Xcel Energy

    31

    OGE Energy Corp.

    30

    Pacific Gas and Electric

    30

    Southern Company

    30

    Berkshire Hathaway Energy   

    29

    CMS Energy    

    29

    CPS Energy

    29

    Edison International   

    29

    Emera 

    29

    L.A. Dept. of Water & Power

    29

    Pinnacle West

    29

    Ameren

    28

    Con Edison

    28

    Dominion

    28

    Entergy

    28

    Sempra Energy

    28

    Industry Average

    28

    Duke Energy

    27

    Exelon

    27

    Alliant Energy

    26

    Evergy

    26

    PSEG  

    26

    WEC Energy Group

    26

    AEP

    25

    PPL Corporation

    25

    Eversource

    24

    National Grid

    24

    Avangrid

    23

    Duquesne Light

    21

    FirstEnergy

    21

    For more information about the JD Power Sustainability Index, visit
    https://www.jdpower.com/business/sustainability-certification-program.

    About JD Power
    JD Power     is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, JD Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world’s leading businesses across major industries rely on JD Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

    JD Power has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The JD Power auto shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

    Media Relations Contacts
    Geno Effler, JD Power; West Coast; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
    John Roderick; East Coast; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

    About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

    [1] SEPA Utility Carbon-Reduction Tracker.™ Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA). Retrieved July 10, 2022, from https://sepapower.org/utility-transformation-challenge/utility-carbon-reduction-tracker/.
    [2] Source: www.cdp.net 2021 climate change ratings for U.S. electric utilities, July 2022.
    [3] Source: www.sciencebasedtargets.org Companies taking action, July 2022.

     

  • 2022 U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance Study—Volume 2

    Failure to Load: More Device Usage by Wireless Customers Means More Streaming and Data Problems, JD Power Finds

    2022-07-12

    crescent.seward

    TROY, Mich.: 14 July 2022 — As wireless customers continue to increase their phone and device usage, more problems in network quality are being cited and the perception of network quality is declining. The most common reported problem is slow or failure to load content, according to the JD Power 2022 U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance StudySM—Volume 2, released today.

    “An uptick in wireless and device usage was bound to catch up to network quality,” said Ian Greenblatt, managing director at JD Power. “Wireless customers are increasingly adept in data usage and streaming, meaning they’re less inspired and more aware of problems. While the number of problems is significantly lower when 5G is available, the most influential problems on network quality ratings continue to be streaming audio and video quality, slow loading times and calls not going through.”

    Study Results

    Verizon Wireless ranks highest in five regions evaluated in the study, achieving the fewest network quality problems per 100 connections (PP100) in call quality; messaging quality; and data quality in the Mid-Atlantic, North Central, Northeast, Southeast and West regions.

    AT&T ranks highest or is tied in all factors in the Southwest region with a score of 11 PP100, achieving the fewest network quality problems in call quality in the region.

    The 2022 U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance Study—Volume 2 is based on responses from 34,174 wireless customers. Carrier performance is examined in six regions: Mid-Atlantic, North Central, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest and West. In addition to evaluating the network quality experienced by customers with wireless phones, the study also measures the network performance of tablets and mobile broadband devices. The study was fielded from January through June 2022.

    For more information about the U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance Study, visit
    https://www.jdpower.com/business/resource/jd-power-wireless-network-quality-performance-study.

    About JD Power
    JD Power     is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, JD Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world’s leading businesses across major industries rely on JD Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

    JD Power has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The JD Power auto shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

    Media Relations Contacts
    Geno Effler, JD Power; West Coast; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
    John Roderick; East Coast; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

    About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info