Welcome to the Customer Care Group roundup, Customer Corner. As always, your fellow group members are paying close attention to utility customer care trends and sharing their insights. This month’s selection includes the benefits of real-time bill payments, what to post on social media, and more. Be sure to like and comment on your favorite posts. Happy reading!
Tips for Talking to Customers About Rising Energy Rates
Link to original article: https://energycentral.com/o/questline/tips-talking-customers-about-rising-energy-rates
Given the high cost of gas and inflation in general, now is a great time for utilities to proactively talk to customers about rising energy prices. In this post, Bethany Farchione, Marketing Director at Questline Inc. offers some suggestions for effectively delivering this difficult news. They include acknowledging customers’ feelings, being transparent, and providing resources to help people reduce energy consumption.
Why Consumers Want Real-time Bill Payments – And Why Utilities Should, Too
Link to original article: https://energycentral.com/c/pip/why-consumers-want-real-time-bill-payments-%E2%80%93-and-why-utilities-should-too
Real-time payments include tools like mobile bill presentment in which the utility bill is delivered through a customer’s digital wallet, and Request for Pay in which payments are matched to available funds. In this article, Christopher Johnson, Head of Biller Solutions at Fiserv explains the value of this type of billing for both customers (such as not having to worry about late fees) and utilities (such as happier customers and cost savings). He also provides steps for utilities to get started with and overcome barriers around real-time payments.
Your Utility on Social Media: Avoid the Controversy
Link to original article: https://energycentral.com/c/cc/your-utility-social-media-avoid-controversy
In the polarized world of social media, people and companies that don’t want a big fight on their hands should stay away from controversial subjects – a list that’s growing longer by the day. In this piece, Andy Gotlieb, editor of a specialty publication and former public relations practitioner explains what topics to avoid (hot-button issues include politics, gun control, and COVID) and those that are more likely to be well-received (including holidays, weather-related information, and energy-saving tips).
Utility Billing – There’s an App for That!
Link to original article: https://energycentral.com/c/cc/cc62922
Everyone knows how useful apps can be, yet one-third of large utilities still don’t have one. Here, Nevelyn Black, independent writer explains that many of these companies are in the process of changing that. The apps they’re offering include payment solutions that help to reduce payment-related customer service calls and improve customer satisfaction, and chatbots to help customers get immediate answers to their questions.
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