Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | 23RD - 29TH MARCH 2018 | 27 Customers Market view F or retail brands, customer engagement seems easy, because people are look- ing for a product they actively want to buy rather than a necessary utility, which consumers tend not to get too enthusiastic about. That is starting to change with a num- ber of new energy suppliers entering the market, disrupting the big six and offering consumers an alternative experience. This may be through offering a green energy product, a shiny mobile site or app or even being able to easily communicate with their supplier through social channels. A lot of these strategies are similar to how retail brands build consumer trust and ultimately brand loyalty. So what can utility companies learn from retailers when it comes to search and social? Social searching SSE has relied extensively on its social chan- nels to build relationships with its custom- ers. Using Facebook and Twitter has allowed it to engage with its customers, reacting quickly to any issues that arise. It's impor- tant to remember that social channels are much more than a platform for businesses to communicate with their customers, they are also a vitally important search tool. Search is no longer confined to the likes of Google and Yahoo. It now includes Amazon (more relevant for retail brands) and social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Consumers will search on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter for information on companies, and this is no different for utili- ties. Brands need to be aware of how com- munication with consumers is changing and ensure that this is taken into consideration when making strategic decisions. This not only affects existing customers but will also affect new customer acquisition. However, it is important not to have a presence on social media just because you feel you should. There has to be a clear strategy and purpose for the specific social platform and the communication has to add value to your customers. By simply having a presence and not engaging with users, you may actually damage your brand reputation. SSE has a successful presence on social media because it decided this would be a great way for customers to get in touch with it with any questions and would enable it to respond swily. This provides value to cus- tomers, who may otherwise be calling a call centre for the same information. To prove worth with this strategy, SSE would have had to look at metrics such as call centre call levels and how they may have been reduced since the introduction of the social strategy, as well as the general senti- ment around its brand on social media to see if this increases a positive attitude among consumers. Traditional measurement, such as meas- urement of engagement, wouldn't be appro- priate in this scenario. Instead, it would need to look at the information these platforms are allowing it to gather on its consumers and then decide on the value of this informa- tion – that's if brands do decide that measur- ing engagement is the option for them. Using data effectively With the launch of the General Data Protec- tion Regulation (GDPR) coming on 25 May this year, companies across all industries are struggling to get to grips with what the new regulation may entail. Although these guide- lines may decide how companies collect and store data, it's important to remember the value of this data if it is collected responsibly. For utility brands, there are a limited number of touch points both online and offline that produce useful data that can be used to inform business decisions and shape strategies. By taking a cross-channel approach for all customer journeys, not just those that result in a conversion, brands can ensure they are gathering all the valu- able insight they need to understand their customers. These seemingly unimportant interactions with customers that don't con- vert can be just as valuable to provide vital information including engagement factors, content triggers and other potential audience variables that could assist with targeting in the long term. The benefit of data on digital touch points is that it is much easier to understand con- sumer behaviour due to the detailed infor- mation brands now have access to. New technology is assisting with data processing and is allowing brands to quickly analyse the data they are collecting. Brands can then use artificial intelligence to optimise campaigns in real time, which would not be efficient to do manually. Learning from retail Retail brands have been seen as experts in these practices and have been using these methods for a number of years to attract and retain new customers. For utilities, it is slightly more difficult because it's not a product people normally get excited about purchasing. Despite this, it's clear the utility sector could benefit from using some of these methods to engage with their customers. Building a relationship with customers over a longer period gives companies the chance to build brand loyalty. Darren Fullerton, head of SEO, Forward3D Lessons from retail Utilities can learn a lot from the methods retail brands use to build trust and brand loyalty with consumers – and digital touch points also offer insight into their behaviour, says Darren Fullerton. Key points Social channels are much more than a platform for businesses to communicate with their customers, they are also a vitally important search tool. It is important not to have a presence on social media just because you feel you should – there has to be a clear strategy and purpose. Although the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) may decide how companies collect and store data, it's important to remember the value of this data if it is collected responsibly. By taking a cross-channel approach for all customer journeys, not just those that result in a conversion, brands can ensure they are gathering all the valuable insight they need to understand their customers.

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