Utility Week

28 | 29TH JUNE - 5TH JULY 2018 | UTILITY WEEK Customers Market view N ow that the sun is out, summer is firmly on its way – bringing with it the annual spike in the number of people moving house in the UK. This year is set to be no different, with figures from the Office of National Statistics revealing that property transactions were up 7.6 per cent in May compared with the previous month. This means utility companies will spend the coming months managing a high vol- ume of requests from prospective and exist- ing customers – and the importance of these interactions should not be underestimated. The experience of moving house fre- quently tops "stress lists", with many peo- ple finding the experience more stressful than starting a new job. This combination of more interactions mixed with overly-stressed customers means it is vital that utilities pro- viders do all they can to get their customer service right in the summer months. A stress- free experience could see you gain or retain a long-term customer, while a poor experience can directly impact your bottom line. So, what customer service strategies should utilities companies adopt to boost their performance during this busy period? Get to know your customer The golden rule to delivering great customer experience is taking time to understand who your customers are. In the utilities sector, this is much less to do with stereotypical seg- mentation by age and geography. Everyone uses electricity and water – and it is much more valuable for utility companies to gain an understanding of their customers' typi- cal behaviours, which can then be grouped across every stage of the customer lifecycle. The idea of not only gathering but also understanding and analysing these insights can feel overwhelming. But the truth is it doesn't need to be a complicated process. What is important is to identify the right partner to assist in implementing the pro- cesses that can streamline and simplify the tools that are required to identify your cus- tomers' typical behaviours and draw out clear, actionable insights from the data. Plan your processes The past few years have seen a boom in the number of channels available for customer communication. Online and in-app chat, email and text have all joined the more tradi- tional methods of phone and post as options for companies when they communicate with their customers. This range of channels fits with the wis- dom that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to a customer journey. A customer's preference for communication can depend on anything from the weather to the time of day, or even what sort of mood they happen to be in. And these nuances in behaviour are particularly pertinent when it comes to cus- tomers who are moving house. While the fundamentals of the pro- cess may remain the same, one customer may begin the process of transferring their account and address with months to spare, others may leave it to the day of the move. So, while an omni-channel approach has a powerful draw, it has to be planned carefully if it is to satisfy, rather than frus- trate, customers. Not planning the customer journey across channels can lead to chan- nel bounce – where a customer is shunted from agent to agent and channel to channel until their problem is solved. For an already stressed customer in the midst of a move, this process could damage their relationship with the company in question. A key part of getting your channel mix right is to adopt data capture opportunities at each stage of the customer query or issue. By keeping a comprehensive record of previ- ous interactions with a customer, agents can ensure they are solving the problem at hand, rather than adding to its complexity. Keep the human touch Digital technology is playing an increas- ingly powerful role in customer service, but it comes with a warning. It is important that companies do not become over-reliant on technology; customer service agents should still be a central part of any good customer service strategy. When it comes to moving house, for every customer who would prefer to use a chat function to get a quick answer, there will be someone with a more complex issue who just wants to be able to talk it through with a real person. Do not assume that phone calls are a dying practice, solely used by over-65s. In our experience, nearly every customer will want to pick up the phone and give you a call at some point. This means utility com- panies need to invest in quality training for agents, making the most of the insights gath- ered about a typical customer journey, to prepare them to deal with the full spectrum of moving-house enquiries. It is important that an agent feels con- fident and comfortable in their knowledge because this will be reflected to the calling customer, whether intentionally or not. At the end of the day, a happy customer service employee oen equals a happy customer. Moving house may be a stressful experi- ence for your customers, but it isn't some- thing to be afraid of. Utility companies must see the summer peak as an exciting chance to use a great customer service strategy to both build relationships with existing cus- tomers and win over undecided house-mov- ers. Those that do can expect to see their business boom as a result. Siddharth Parashar, chief revenue officer, Solutions Keep calm and move house Moving house is often rated as one of life's most stressful experiences, but it offers utilities a chance to win over customers and boost business, says Siddharth Parashar. Key points The summer sees a spike in house moves, and therefore utility switching. For many people, moving house is one of life's most stressful experiences. House moves offer utilities a chance to impress new customers by offering great customer service. Understanding the customer journey is key, and digital technology can help. Online channels should not be pursued to the exclusion of telephone contact.

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