Many utilities have set up customer websites as a place where customers can view their energy usage, view recommendations, pay bills, and even contact the utility. These serve a critical need for customers, but often have much more potential. While digital offerings like these are table stakes for utilities, J.D. Power research concluded that “utilities continue to struggle to get digital right,” and utilities also have a lower digital satisfaction score compared to other industries. Added to this, many utilities have access to rich AMI data, but don’t have the resources to turn it into beneficial insights. 

For utilities, residential customer portals can be the centerpoint of a more personalized and connected digital customer engagement strategy. They can also help utilities connect the dots between multiple digital touchpoints to create a seamless experience, while also helping utilities derive maximum value from their AMI data. 

Portals are often the first place a customer can go to self-serve whether it be viewing their hourly disaggregated energy usage or paying their energy bill–reducing the amount of calls into the call center. Portals can also link other program components and channels. For example, QR codes on Home Energy Reports can direct customers to the portal and provide them an opportunity to learn more and take action. Finally, portals boost customer engagement and savings by providing more personalized recommendations. 

Convinced about the benefits of online customer portals? Get our eBook to learn about to get the most out of your portal–with or without AMI data.