Customer engagement

Tale of Two Grids

What a review of PUC cases tells us about the future of consumer technology and grid modernization.

There may be a more fundamental schism that raises fundamental questions about the role of the distribution utility and footprint of the natural monopoly.
Byline: 

Cameron Brooks

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Accentuate the Positive

A practical guide to explaining the value of the smart grid.

Despite challenges, grid modernization is paying off for customers. Smart grid progress depends on clarifying the vision and communicating value.
Byline: 

Patty Durand

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Value Co-Creation

Submitted by mburr on Thu, 2013-05-30 13:30
Utilities are no longer a one-way business. The industry’s future growth will be found in value co-creation with customers.
Utilities are no longer a one-way business. The industry’s future growth will be found in value co-creation with customers.

Connecting Before the Storm

Submitted by mburr on Wed, 2013-02-27 11:40
Effective crisis communications requires laying groundwork long before the damage happens. Successful engagement calls for consistent, positive messaging when the lights are on.
Effective crisis communications requires laying groundwork long before the damage happens. Successful engagement calls for consistent, positive messaging when the lights are on.

Franchise Fracas

Will Boulder be the last city to go muni? Don’t bet on it.

When the goals of a utility and its host community aren’t in sync, breakups happen.

Byline: 

Michael T. Burr, Editor-in-Chief

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Set and Forget

Submitted by mburr on Thu, 2013-01-24 12:57
The underlying premise of demand response hasn’t changed in 30 years, but the technologies and approaches to executing DR programs today are worlds away from the basic, one-way load control programs of yesteryear. Engagement and automation are changing everything.
The underlying premise of demand response hasn’t changed in 30 years, but the technologies and approaches to executing DR programs today are worlds away from the basic, one-way load control programs of yesteryear. Engagement and automation are changing everything.

Learning from Retailers

Submitted by mburr on Thu, 2012-09-27 14:58
Success in retail energy markets requires providing customers with the best choices and the best service. Utilities can learn valuable lessons from the experiences of competitive electricity retailers.
Success in retail energy markets requires providing customers with the best choices and the best service. Utilities can learn valuable lessons from the experiences of competitive electricity retailers.

The Fortnightly 40 Best Energy Companies

A challenging year brings a change in the rankings.

(September 2012) Our annual financial ranking shows some remarkable shifts among the industry’s shareholder value leaders. Despite flat demand and low commodity prices, investor-owned utilities are investing heavily in capital assets. Investment discipline and operational excellence distinguish leaders on the path to financial performance.
Byline: 

Michael T. Burr

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Getting Hitched

Marrying customer engagement and profits.

New channels for communicating with customers not only allow utilities to provide better service; they also create opportunities for utilities to reduce expenses and generate revenue. An integrated strategy that focuses on customers can lead to new value for utilities.

Byline: 

Alan Denton

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