Are you in the process of redesigning your utility website or prioritizing which website features to focus on first? E Source can help! Our research shows that providing a positive experience for the most important website features makes a good first impression with customers and keeps them coming back.
In 2019, we completed the Website Benchmark, which measures how well utility websites engage residential customers and assesses website improvements as they relate to customer needs. The utilities with top-rated websites respond to changing customer needs and expectations by providing a web experience that’s simple and mobile-optimized, offering options that are easy to read and select.
We surveyed residential customers to understand what features or tasks are most important for them to access on their energy provider’s website. Our research, conducted as part of the 2019 Residential Utility Customer Survey, revealed that the feature customers consider most important when accessing their utility’s website is viewing a summary of their account information (figure 1).
Figure 1: Customers’ preferred website features
About the study
In April 2019, E Source conducted the Residential Utility Customer Survey, which surveyed a representative sample of 2,000 residential utility customers in the US about various energy-related topics. Respondents had to meet the following criteria:
- 18 years or older
- Responsible for paying household bills
- Users of electricity, natural gas, or solar energy
After fielding, we applied a weighting scheme on the data using US Census divisions. We also applied quotas on gender, age, region, and income to ensure national representation.
Who is E Source?
For over 30 years, E Source has been providing market research, data, and consulting services to more than 300 utilities and their partners. This guidance helps our clients advance their customer energy solutions and enhance their relationships, while becoming more innovative and responsive in the rapidly evolving market.
Have questions about how this data plays out with your customers? Members should submit inquiries to the Ask E Source service and we’ll dive further into the data for you.
If you’d like to become a member, Contact Us. And to be notified when we publish more information like this, create an account and set your preferences for alerts and newsletters.
