The biggest challenges facing customer care in the utilities sector

What are the biggest challenges companies in utilities face when it comes to customer care? And what are the most appropriate solutions to use to create a satisfying customer experience?

The utilities sector, which includes essential services such as water, gas and electricity, presents unique challenges for customer care. As customer expectations evolve and new technologies are adopted, companies face a number of obstacles to ensuring effective and satisfactory customer service.

Changing customer expectations

As is evident, the first hurdle to overcome in the world of utility customer care is the customer relationship. Being able to meet users’ needs and expectations is increasingly complicated and requires the use of specialized, state-of-the-art technologies and interaction methodologies.

Evolving consumer needs

In recent years, customer expectations have changed dramatically. Today, consumers expect quick and accurate answers, access to detailed information, and service with a strong emphasis on personalization. There is also an increasing desire to resolve issues themselves, without having to go through long waits or endless referrals to different operators.

The impact of digitization

Digitization has made customers more informed and, consequently, more demanding. They expect to be able to obtain information and assistance through different channels of interaction, such as telephony (operators and voicebots), websites (chat), social media and messaging, all seamless, that is, without interruption. This involves, on the part of companies, an effort to manage and integration with software to create a seamless customer journey.

Crisis and emergency management

In an area such as utilities, service interruptions or emergencies are the order of the day:
breakdowns, maintenance, adverse weather conditions, safety difficulties (gas leaks, power lines with power loss…etc.), each of these instances requires management marked by speed and qualified personnel to respond properly to customer requests.
At the same time, everyday inefficiencies and complaints are equally important in customer care utilities: responding effectively to dissatisfied customers allows for loyalty and building trust in the company.

Strategies for emergency management

How, then, can a service company cope with these instances? What strategies and ways should be implemented to best handle moments of customer friction or real need for help?

• Proactive planning: prepare clear contingency plans and communicate well in advance to customers what will happen.
• Timely communication: use all available channels to inform customers about outages and recovery times.
• Skilled workers: it is essential to have agents who are constantly trained to handle specific requests and can respond to people in difficult situations.

Complaint management

Customer complaints can increase during crises. Therefore, it is important to have agents who can actively listen and who can show empathy and compassion.
It is equally critical to take up requests promptly and offer quick solutions.
Integrate automation and the use of hybrid technologies along with human input may prove to be the right solution for an optimal customer experience.

Sustainability and social responsibility

The utilities sector is also facing a momentous shift in the ethical approach to its services. Increasingly, customers are demanding transparency in information and green choices when it comes to energy and gas. Sustainability of energy sources is becoming something to focus on to satisfy customers, as are policies more inclined toward social and environmental support from distribution companies.

Growing focus on sustainability

In this landscape of increased ethical and environmental efforts, it is therefore important for distribution and service companies to embark on a path that leads to:

• Communicate their sustainable initiatives: inform customers about eco-friendly practices and their own activities.
• Encourage responsible behavior: offer incentives for responsible use of resources, promote subsidized rates for those who choose green in utilities.

Corporate social responsibility

Companies must demonstrate their commitment to the community by including “noble” practices: social responsibility projects such as investments in local initiatives and to support the community, and include an attitude of transparency regarding their business practices and fees.

Integration of technology into customer care

Cutting-edge technologies are increasingly important in customer service. Not only do they make up for management difficulties and take on peak demands, but they can become an extremely important analytical tool for improving customer care in toto.
Therefore, it is now clear that choosing the right technologies is a must for utility companies.

The importance of digital platforms

Digital platforms are key to improving the efficiency of customer care. Implementing suitable tools is the right way to create a satisfactory customer journey.

• Chatbot and Voicebot: to answer frequently asked questions and provide 24/7 assistance.
• Customized IVRs: to direct customers to the most appropriate service at that precise moment.
• CRM (Customer Relationship Management): to manage customer interactions and personalize communications.

Choose technologies best suited to business needs

Every company should be able to choose and implement the technologies that are most consistent with the type of customer experience it wants to create.
Default options, high-tech packages do not always match with corporate realities that are still outdated or in flux.
This is why it is important to choose the most suitable partner, who knows how to create a tailor-made project, after a careful assessment of the business reality with which they are interfacing.

INGO’s customer care solutions for the utilities sector

INGO therefore aims to be the ideal partner in this technological transition and ethical and environmental development, offering highly innovative customized solutions, including services based on automation and the use of AI:

• Automatic availability: with the Automatic Availability INGO ensures seamless connection interaction between companies and their customers.
• Chatbots and voicebots: leveraging advanced algorithms and intelligent conversation patterns, the chatbots and voicebots anticipate users’ needs by personalizing the customer experience.
• Mail assistant: by automating the handling of emails with immediate and accurate responses, you can improve operational efficiency and reduce waiting time.
• Contact Center Software: through XCALLY, the omnichannel platform for customer care, INDO enables optimal process management, allowing scalable solutions to be structured to meet customer needs.

INGO Benefit Society

INGO is not only at the forefront of using solutions designed to improve the customer experience, it is also attentive to the world around it, and has been on a path for years that has led it to become a Benefit Society, with initiatives aimed at the community but also at environmental protection.

Adapting to changing needs, managing crises effectively, integrating technology, and maintaining a commitment to sustainability are key steps in ensuring high-quality customer service.
Investing in these areas not only improves the customer journey, but also helps build lasting customer relationships and ensure the long-term success of companies in the utilities sector.