At the start of their energy service, business customers need the right tools to succeed. By connecting with this target audience from day one, your energy utility can welcome business customers, help them better manage their account and take control of their energy use.
A Welcome Series is a great way to connect with hard-to-reach business customers in your service area and show them your energy utility is a helpful resource and energy expert. As Questline Digital’s performance metrics show, establishing a digital relationship at the start of service is the foundation of long-lasting customer engagement and future program participation. Read on for what to include in your personalized Welcome Series to business customers.
Share resources for easy bill management
With endless tasks on their to-do list, business customers want to save time and embrace convenience. That’s why they need an easy way to manage their bill. In your Welcome Series, promote programs and services that can make business customers’ daily lives a little easier, including:
- My Account: Emphasize the ability to access all of their account information in one place online, similar to an electronic filing cabinet.
- Paperless billing: Business customers are always on the go. Focus on 24/7 bill access from their smartphone or tablet.
- Auto pay: Promote the convenience of never forgetting a payment. Auto pay is a valuable service for busy business owners.
- Mobile app: Highlight the benefits of your mobile app as a fast and easy way to access account information, which improves business customers’ energy experience.
Promote efficiency upgrades and DIY solutions
Energy efficiency has a profound impact on a business, both on its bottom line and reputation. A business with a focus on energy efficiency is viewed favorably by customers, employees and the public. However, many business customers may not realize how to become more energy efficient. Help local businesses make valuable efficiency upgrades by promoting:
- Rebate programs and upgrades: Promote programs that make it easy for businesses to improve their carbon footprint and bottom line, whether through an in-person site assessment or an online energy tracking tool.
- Demand response programs: Show business customers how they can reduce the risk of grid overload and help their utility meet clean energy goals while also improving their bottom line by participating in demand response programs.
- Your energy utility’s marketplace: Promote the offerings in your energy marketplace, such as LED lighting and ENERGY STAR appliances, along with the benefits of choosing your marketplace over a major retailer.
- Energy efficiency tips and advice: Business customers appreciate upgrades they can do themselves to improve energy efficiency. Share simple, no-cost tips to help them transform their facility.
- Electric vehicle information: Provide information on EV rebate programs specific to businesses, such as electric warehouse equipment. Many businesses are also looking to electrify their fleets.
Prepare businesses with safety and reliability information
For business customers, reliability and keeping their business running smoothly is top of mind. However, power outages can happen at any time. An outage has the ability to negatively impact business operations, including reduced output, decreased employee productivity and lost revenue.
We recommend sharing outage information at the start of energy service, so they are prepared before an outage happens at their facility:
- How to report an outage: Provide customers with all the ways they can report an outage, whether online, by phone or via social media channels.
- Online outage map: Business customers want to know the details of an outage, such as the number of customers affected, estimated restoration time and cause of the outage. This is why sharing a link to your website’s outage map is helpful.
- Outage alerts: Encourage customers to sign up for outage text or email alerts to receive real-time updates throughout an outage. This is the best way to keep business customers informed, while improving customer satisfaction scores.
- Gas leak information: Share helpful safety tips your business customers need to know, including what to do and what number to call if they smell or hear a gas leak.
Welcome business customers on day one
Your business customers have distinct needs — that’s why your energy utility benefits from a Welcome Series personalized to this audience. From easy ways to manage their account to energy efficiency upgrades, business customers are looking for ways to save time, improve their carbon footprint and increase cost savings. By reaching businesses at the start of service, your energy utility can help them get closer to their goals while achieving long-term customer satisfaction.