Utility Customer Satisfaction Reaches New All-time High

Customers want easy interactions with their utility

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--()--Utility customer satisfaction reaches a record high according to new research published today. The research shows that electric and natural gas utilities post an all-time high score of 767 (on a 1,000-point maximum scale). However, there is a huge 138-point difference between the highest- and lowest-scoring utilities because the best utilities have created experiences with customer ease and convenience in mind.

More than 80% of Service Satisfaction scoring is derived from how easy it is for customers to do business with their utility, which is why industry leaders on the Service Satisfaction index also post the best scores on the Customer Effort index measurement. This means that utilities focusing solely on traditional service and satisfaction metrics will likely fall behind those that have also made it easy for customers to do business with them.

           
Utility Service Satisfaction scoring         Customer Effort index
High Service Satisfaction score         868
Low Service Satisfaction score 431
 

These findings are from the latest release of the Cogent Reports™ 2017 Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement™: Residential study offered by Market Strategies International. The Service Satisfaction index comprises utility customer ratings on safety, reliability, billing, payment, and customer and field service among 130 electric and natural gas utilities. The Customer Effort index is a modeled measure of how easy it is to interact with utilities across a number of utility-customer touchpoints.

“Utilities deserve accolades for the great work they have done improving operations. But customer expectations continue to grow each time utilities improve service,” said Chris Oberle, senior vice president at Market Strategies. “The next challenge for utility managers is to create convenient and easy experiences for customers. The best utilities are conducting customer journey and touchpoint enhancements that reduce customers’ efforts.”

Other significant utility service insights include:

  • Satisfaction with outage handling has increased significantly for electric utilities.
  • Satisfaction with safety events has increased significantly for natural gas utilities.
  • Only 10% of customers think their utility can keep its system safe from cyber or terrorist attacks.
  • 40% of customers think their utility can keep their personal information safe.
  • 85% of low-income customers do or want to select their own payment due date.
  • Paper bills remain the most-used billing channel while digital payment offerings cannibalize each other, with mobile payments gaining share over online and electronic billing.
  • Email and phone are the most preferred customer service channels at most utilities.

Following are benchmark Service Satisfaction index scores for all 130 utilities covered in the study.

               

East Region SERVICE SATISFACTION Benchmark Scoring

                     
Utility brand         Service Satisfaction index         Benchmark segment
NYSEG 795 Combination
BGE 779 Combination
RG&E 777 Combination
PSE&G 763 Combination
National Grid 752 Combination
Delmarva Power 748 Combination
PECO Energy 746 Combination
Con Edison 742 Combination
Eversource 739 Combination
PPL Electric Utilities 790 Electric
Penn Power 771 Electric
Central Maine Power 758 Electric
Duquesne Light 756 Electric
West Penn Power 753 Electric
Met-Ed 737 Electric
Penelec 736 Electric
Potomac Edison 734 Electric
Atlantic City Electric 726 Electric
PSEG Long Island 726 Electric
Monongahela Power 722 Electric
Appalachian Power 703 Electric
Jersey Central Power & Light 683 Electric
Pepco 680 Electric
National Fuel Gas 800 Natural Gas
UGI Utilities 798 Natural Gas
Philadelphia Gas Works 797 Natural Gas
Peoples 795 Natural Gas
New Jersey Natural Gas 793 Natural Gas
Columbia Gas – East 790 Natural Gas
Washington Gas 783 Natural Gas
Elizabethtown Gas 762 Natural Gas
South Jersey Gas Company 754 Natural Gas

Scoring is based upon a 1,000-point maximum scale.

Index score of 500 or greater reflects positive levels of Service Satisfaction.

 
               

Midwest Region SERVICE SATISFACTION Benchmark Scoring

                     
Utility brand         Service Satisfaction index         Benchmark segment
Wisconsin Public Service 790 Combination
MidAmerican Energy 789 Combination
NIPSCO 785 Combination
Black Hills Energy – Midwest 778 Combination
Consumers Energy 777 Combination
Ameren Illinois 775 Combination
DTE Energy 768 Combination
Xcel Energy – Midwest 768 Combination
Vectren 767 Combination
We Energies 764 Combination
Alliant Energy 762 Combination
Duke Energy Midwest 745 Combination
ComEd 778 Electric
Ohio Edison 770 Electric
Indiana Michigan Power 768 Electric
Indianapolis Power & Light 757 Electric
OPPD 756 Electric
Ameren Missouri 753 Electric
The Illuminating Company 747 Electric
Dayton Power & Light 746 Electric
AEP Ohio 745 Electric
KCP&L 741 Electric
Westar Energy 730 Electric
Toledo Edison 730 Electric
SEMCO Energy Gas Company 802 Natural Gas
CenterPoint Energy – Midwest 790 Natural Gas
Columbia Gas of Ohio 787 Natural Gas
Atmos Energy 785 Natural Gas
Nicor Gas 779 Natural Gas
Kansas Gas Service 776 Natural Gas
Missouri Gas Energy 769 Natural Gas
Laclede Gas 766 Natural Gas
Peoples Gas 756 Natural Gas
Dominion Energy Ohio 755 Natural Gas
Citizens Energy 747 Natural Gas

Scoring is based upon a 1,000-point maximum scale.

Index score of 500 or greater reflects positive levels of Service Satisfaction.

 
               

South Region SERVICE SATISFACTION Benchmark Scoring

                     
Utility brand         Service Satisfaction index         Benchmark segment
CPS Energy 768 Combination
SCE&G 765 Combination
Louisville Gas & Electric 764 Combination
MLGW 740 Combination
Florida Power & Light 807 Electric
Georgia Power 795 Electric
Public Service Company of Oklahoma 794 Electric
Kentucky Utilities 793 Electric
OG&E 787 Electric
JEA 783 Electric
Duke Energy Carolinas 782 Electric
Entergy 779 Electric
Gulf Power 778 Electric
Nashville Electric Service 771 Electric
OUC 771 Electric
Xcel Energy – South 766 Electric
Duke Energy Florida 764 Electric
Alabama Power 760 Electric
Duke Energy Progress 757 Electric
Dominion Energy Virginia 754 Electric
Southwestern Electric Power Company 749 Electric
Mississippi Power 749 Electric
TECO Tampa Electric 743 Electric
Austin Energy 731 Electric
El Paso Electric 719 Electric
Kentucky Power 691 Electric
PSNC Energy 818 Natural Gas
Piedmont Natural Gas 817 Natural Gas
Alagasco 809 Natural Gas
TECO Peoples Gas 809 Natural Gas
Columbia Gas 807 Natural Gas
Atmos Energy 806 Natural Gas
CenterPoint Energy 801 Natural Gas
Oklahoma Natural Gas 796 Natural Gas
Virginia Natural Gas 781 Natural Gas
Texas Gas Service 779 Natural Gas

Scoring is based upon a 1,000-point maximum scale.

Index score of 500 or greater reflects positive levels of Service Satisfaction.

 
               

West Region SERVICE SATISFACTION Benchmark Scoring

                     
Utility brand         Service Satisfaction index         Benchmark segment
Xcel Energy – West 793 Combination
SDG&E 770 Combination
Puget Sound Energy 755 Combination
NorthWestern Energy 749 Combination
Avista 746 Combination
Black Hills Energy – West 741 Combination
PG&E 728 Combination
Salt River Project 810 Electric
SMUD 808 Electric
Idaho Power 784 Electric
Seattle City Light 779 Electric
Pacific Power 777 Electric
APS 772 Electric
Portland General Electric 771 Electric
Southern California Edison 771 Electric
Tucson Electric Power 768 Electric
Rocky Mountain Power 767 Electric
NV Energy 755 Electric
Los Angeles Department of Water & Power 727 Electric
PNM 705 Electric
Dominion Energy – West 818 Natural Gas
SoCalGas 807 Natural Gas
Intermountain Gas Company 800 Natural Gas
NW Natural 790 Natural Gas
Southwest Gas 790 Natural Gas
Cascade Natural Gas 789 Natural Gas
New Mexico Gas Company 788 Natural Gas

Scoring is based upon a 1,000-point maximum scale.

Index score of 500 or greater reflects positive levels of Service Satisfaction.

 

Following are benchmark Customer Effort index scores for all 130 utilities covered in the study.

               

East Region CUSTOMER EFFORT Benchmark Scoring

                     
Utility brand         Customer Effort index         Benchmark segment
NYSEG 788 Combination
BGE 777 Combination
PECO Energy 766 Combination
PSE&G 764 Combination
RG&E 750 Combination
National Grid 745 Combination
Delmarva Power 741 Combination
Eversource 734 Combination
Con Edison 733 Combination
PPL Electric Utilities 788 Electric
Duquesne Light 760 Electric
Penn Power 747 Electric
West Penn Power 745 Electric
Potomac Edison 737 Electric
Met-Ed 736 Electric
Penelec 736 Electric
PSEG Long Island 730 Electric
Monongahela Power 728 Electric
Atlantic City Electric 725 Electric
Central Maine Power 724 Electric
Pepco 704 Electric
Appalachian Power 699 Electric
Jersey Central Power & Light 687 Electric
UGI Utilities 802 Natural Gas
Philadelphia Gas Works 792 Natural Gas
National Fuel Gas 791 Natural Gas
Peoples 788 Natural Gas
New Jersey Natural Gas 787 Natural Gas
Columbia Gas – East 783 Natural Gas
Elizabethtown Gas 773 Natural Gas
Washington Gas 769 Natural Gas
South Jersey Gas Company 736 Natural Gas

Scoring is based upon a 1,000-point maximum scale.

               

Midwest Region CUSTOMER EFFORT Benchmark Scoring

                     
Utility brand         Customer Effort index         Benchmark segment
Black Hills Energy – Midwest 788 Combination
NIPSCO 788 Combination
MidAmerican Energy 782 Combination
Wisconsin Public Service 781 Combination
We Energies 772 Combination
Consumers Energy 766 Combination
DTE Energy 758 Combination
Ameren Illinois 755 Combination
Duke Energy Midwest 750 Combination
Vectren 749 Combination
Xcel Energy – Midwest 748 Combination
Alliant Energy 735 Combination
ComEd 768 Electric
Indianapolis Power & Light 767 Electric
Ohio Edison 765 Electric
Indiana Michigan Power 757 Electric
OPPD 755 Electric
Ameren Missouri 750 Electric
KCP&L 742 Electric
AEP Ohio 740 Electric
Toledo Edison 739 Electric
Dayton Power & Light 737 Electric
The Illuminating Company 734 Electric
Westar Energy 726 Electric
SEMCO Energy Gas Company 806 Natural Gas
Atmos Energy – Midwest 790 Natural Gas
CenterPoint Energy – Midwest 786 Natural Gas
Nicor Gas 778 Natural Gas
Columbia Gas of Ohio 774 Natural Gas
Kansas Gas Service 771 Natural Gas
Peoples Gas 761 Natural Gas
Dominion Energy Ohio 758 Natural Gas
Citizens Energy 757 Natural Gas
Missouri Gas Energy 755 Natural Gas
Laclede Gas 751 Natural Gas

Scoring is based upon a 1,000-point maximum scale.

               

South Region CUSTOMER EFFORT Benchmark Scoring

                     
Utility brand         Customer Effort index         Benchmark segment
CPS Energy 768 Combination
SCE&G 765 Combination
Louisville Gas & Electric 761 Combination
MLGW 754 Combination
Georgia Power 796 Electric
Florida Power & Light 793 Electric
Kentucky Utilities 790 Electric
Public Service Company of Oklahoma 786 Electric
OG&E 784 Electric
JEA 781 Electric
Duke Energy Carolinas 777 Electric
Xcel Energy – South 776 Electric
Alabama Power 769 Electric
Gulf Power 768 Electric
Duke Energy Progress 766 Electric
Duke Energy Florida 766 Electric
OUC 765 Electric
Entergy 755 Electric
Dominion Energy Virginia 753 Electric
Mississippi Power 751 Electric
Nashville Electric Service 747 Electric
Austin Energy 738 Electric
TECO Tampa Electric 732 Electric
Southwestern Electric Power Company 729 Electric
El Paso Electric 711 Electric
Kentucky Power 687 Electric
PSNC Energy 814 Natural Gas
Atmos Energy – South 811 Natural Gas
Piedmont Natural Gas 810 Natural Gas
Columbia Gas – South 809 Natural Gas
TECO Peoples Gas 800 Natural Gas
Alagasco 798 Natural Gas
CenterPoint Energy – South 791 Natural Gas
Oklahoma Natural Gas 790 Natural Gas
Texas Gas Service 772 Natural Gas
Virginia Natural Gas 767 Natural Gas

Scoring is based upon a 1,000-point maximum scale.

               

West Region CUSTOMER EFFORT Benchmark Scoring

                     
Utility brand         Customer Effort index         Benchmark segment
Xcel Energy – West 789 Combination
SDG&E 762 Combination
Puget Sound Energy 754 Combination
NorthWestern Energy 738 Combination
PG&E 729 Combination
Avista 729 Combination
Black Hills Energy – West 725 Combination
Salt River Project 807 Electric
SMUD 805 Electric
APS 774 Electric
Idaho Power 772 Electric
Southern California Edison 766 Electric
Tucson Electric Power 765 Electric
Seattle City Light 764 Electric
Portland General Electric 761 Electric
Pacific Power 760 Electric
NV Energy 759 Electric
Rocky Mountain Power 757 Electric
Los Angeles Department of Water & Power 720 Electric
PNM 690 Electric
Dominion Energy – West 820 Natural Gas
SoCalGas 811 Natural Gas
Intermountain Gas Company 787 Natural Gas
NW Natural 784 Natural Gas
New Mexico Gas Company 784 Natural Gas
Cascade Natural Gas 764 Natural Gas
Southwest Gas 759 Natural Gas

Scoring is based upon a 1,000-point maximum scale.

About the Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement: Residential report

Cogent Reports conducted surveys among 58,556 residential electric, natural gas and combination utility customers of the 130 largest US utility companies (based on residential customer counts). The sample design uses US census data and strict quotas to ensure a demographically balanced sample of each evaluated utility’s customers based on age, gender, income, race and ethnicity. Utilities within the same region and of the same type (e.g., electric-only providers) are given equal weight in order to balance the influence of each utility’s customers on survey results. Market Strategies will provide the exact wording of any survey questions upon request.

About Market Strategies International

Market Strategies International is a leading provider of research and consulting services to utility management, trusted by the world’s most successful organizations to help them thrive. We blend primary research with data from our syndicated, benchmarking and self-funded studies to provide clients with exceptional research insight that helps solve their challenges. Our research specialties include brand, communications, CX, product development and segmentation. Our syndicated products, known as Cogent Reports, help clients understand the market environment, explore industry trends and monitor their brand within the competitive landscape. Founded in 1989, Market Strategies is one of the largest market research firms in the world. Read Market Strategies’ blog at FreshMR, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Contacts

Market Strategies International
Anne Denz, 617.715.7611
anne.denz@marketstrategies.com

Release Summary

New research finds utility customer satisfaction hits a record high.

Contacts

Market Strategies International
Anne Denz, 617.715.7611
anne.denz@marketstrategies.com