5 fundamentals for a great
utility website
Roughly half of all consumers say the utility digital experience doesn't measure up to other web services. That reduces satisfaction, and it keeps customers on high-cost channels, like phone and paper.1
What can you do to make your web offering world class?
1. Get internal consensus
The Challenge: A typical web redesign involves at least five different departments — and often more.
The Solution: Success depends on a single, shared vision across the utility, where everyone plays their part in elevating the customer experience. Hear how E.ON UK built internal consensus to create a world-class web experience.
2. Design for every channel
The Challenge: Less than 15% of utility executives are very confident they can deliver a consistent, satisfying experience across channels — including web, mobile, email, and customer service.2
The Solution: Create new experiences with every channel in mind. Digital leaders ensure that no matter how customers choose to interact, they get a seamless experience — with the same insights and expert service across every touchpoint.
3. Build on a flexible platform
The Challenge: On average, utility websites get an overhaul once every 5 years. Inflexible, on-premise software makes it impossible to keep pace with customer expectations, which change much faster than that.
The Solution: Software-as-a-service is 4x faster to launch, allowing you to make web upgrades in weeks, not years. In fact, on the Opower platform, a single line of JavaScript can embed new tools or insights anywhere on your website.
4. Provide actionable insights
The Challenge: 72% of customers want their utilities to provide more insights into their energy use. But just 13% of executives say their IT can surface personalized content effectively.2
The Solution: Invest in analytics. Then catch customers' attention by embedding personalized insights alongside the digital transactions that matter most — like online bill payment.
5. Make it easy
The Challenge: Most utility software isn't designed to address common pain points, like poor usability — which explains why just 24% of utility executives feel confident about their digital transaction capabilities.2
The Solution: Accessibility and simple UX boosts adoption and keeps customers coming back. Features like authenticated login can help customers clear common hurdles, like forgetting usernames and passwords.
