Improvement in Business Customer Engagement with Utilities: Escalent Report Highlights Brand Trust Gain

Business customer engagement with utilities has seen a significant improvement, according to a new report from Escalent. The report, titled the 2024 Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement (UTBCE): Business study, tracks the performance of 78 gas, electric, and combination utilities to identify brand and customer experience trends in the industry.

The report reveals that after a decline in business customer engagement that began in 2021, there has been a notable recovery in the Engaged Customer Relationship (ECR) score. This improvement is attributed to a significant gain in Brand Trust, with utility company reputation and business community support playing a key role in the score increase.

Despite the challenges faced by the industry, the ECR score has rebounded to 784 by the end of 2024, showing a positive trend compared to previous years. The report also highlights that even during periods of decline, the scores have not dropped below levels seen before the pandemic, indicating resilience in the industry.

The report identifies 24 utilities as the 2024 Business Customer Champions, with ECR scores well above their industry peers. These utilities have excelled in engaging with smaller business customers, who historically reported lower engagement levels. By developing focused programs, customer service options, and communication tailored to smaller businesses, these utilities have seen higher engagement scores.

The report also highlights regional peer benchmark scores among the 78 utilities surveyed, showcasing the performance of utilities in different regions. The report provides insights into customer engagement performance in the East, Midwest, Southern, and West regions, as well as among natural gas utilities.

Overall, the report underscores the importance of customer engagement in the utility industry and the positive impact it can have on brand trust and customer relationships. The recognition of the 2024 Business Customer Champions highlights the efforts of utilities to improve engagement with their business customers and enhance their overall customer experience.