The new technology allows them to offer better service, transparency of billing and pricing, support services for inquiries, complaints and requests, promote water conservation, inform customers about planned maintenance disruptions, and engage communities.
Water utilities can benefit greatly from developing a stronger relationship with their customers. They can improve the process of setting prices that reflect the true cost of service and achieve positive results in demand management. Strong relationships are also beneficial after service failures. Customers with a positive image of the utility are more likely to be understanding of unavoidable emergencies.
Traditionally, water utilities operated under a model that prioritized water supply and infrastructure, with less focus on the customer experience. However, a recent Harvard Business Review Analytic Services Survey¹ (2020), revealed a significant shift in priorities. A survey that included 73 utility executives identified improving customer experience (CX) as the top business priority for the coming year.
This newfound focus aligns perfectly with the priorities listed by water utility customers interviewed by ERSAR, the Water Regulation Agency of Portugal. The respondents emphasized the importance of their satisfaction in several key aspects:
- water quality,
- water pressure,
- the number of interruptions,
- problem resolution time,
- service and product quality for the price paid,
- value for money in comparison with other essential service (electricity, electronic communication, post),
- transparent billing of drinking water services.
Further underscoring the growing importance of customer experience, the WAREG² (Association of European Regulators in the Drinking Water and Wastewater Sector) has identified the key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure customer perception of service quality and reliability. These KPIs encompass a wide range of factors, including water quality, water continuity and bursts, water pressure, sewage system performance, and most importantly, customer complaint handling and communication.
In addition, indicators that monitor how operators communicate with their customers and the process of treating, analyzing and answering customer complaints complete the list of indicators in this category. Around 23% of all indicators have been associated with service quality. By leveraging the power of data, utilities can unlock a customer-centric future, ensure long-term success, and meet the evolving needs of a more empowered and environmentally conscious customer base.
Customer experience therefore depends heavily on data. The proliferation of smart metering systems gives utilities extremely granular information about usage patterns, which the companies connect to customer-preference data, third-party customer-behavioral data, internet of things (IoT) data, and other emerging information sources³.
Customer engagement theory
Countries that are in the process of creating KPIs for customer satisfaction
- Brussels: CS-Compl09: Satisfaction level of customers about drinking-water work-sites
- Brussels: CS-Info01: Waiting time to reach the operator by phone call
- Kosovo: Customer complaints/site inspections
- Albania, Hungary, Kosovo: Customer complaints
- Azores: Reply to written complaints and suggestions
- Bulgaria: PK13: Customer complaints answers
- Flanders: Number of first-line complaints per year per 1,000 customers
- Flanders: Average number of days between the date of receipt of the complaint and the date of notification of the attitude and measures
- Ireland: Ease of telephone contact: Speed of telephone response
- Italy: Managing contractual relations and service access (MC2)
- Montenegro: Number of Complaints per 1,000 Consumers
- Portugal: AA05 – Response to complaints, suggestions and information requests
By combining our industry-leading smart water meter solutions and the powerful data management platform Symbiot, Iskraemeco empowers water utilities to achieve success: exceptional customer experiences, operational efficiency, and sustainability. We are committed to helping water utilities navigate the changing landscape and secure a brighter future for themselves and their customers.
Iskraemeco technology: Smart solutions for a data-driven water future
It is evident that the landscape of water utilities is undergoing a rapid transformation. Customers are no longer satisfied with the status quo. They require transparency, control, and a commitment to environmental responsibility from their water providers. At Iskraemeco we recognize this shift and stand at the forefront of the industry, providing innovative solutions that empower water utilities to thrive in this new era.
Our approach is centered around the power of data. We believe that by harnessing the extensive amount of information generated by smart meters and digital twins linked with artificial intelligence engines, water utilities can gain an unprecedented understanding of their customers and operations. This data-driven approach unlocks a wealth of benefits, allowing utilities to not only meet the rising expectations of their customers but also ensure the long-term sustainability of their business.
Water scarcity is a pressing global concern, and Iskraemeco is not blind to this challenge. Our smart water meter solutions go beyond simple measurement, providing a comprehensive suite of features designed to tackle water scarcity head-on. These features include operational visibility platform to understand how the water distribution systems can integrate leak detection engines, allowing for swift identification and repair of leaks and minimizing water loss. Additionally, operational efficiency monitoring grants valuable insights into the performance of water distribution networks, empowering utilities to optimize operations and ensure smooth water delivery. Revenue protection measures are another key feature, helping water utilities to mitigate revenue loss through advanced detection and prevention. Our digitalized water solutions leverage the power of the Internet of Things (IoT) to equip water utilities with the tools they need for efficient water management, conservation, and long-term sustainability.
At the core of our offering lies Symbiot, a secure and automated platform that seamlessly integrates with utilities’ existing infrastructure, transforming raw water data into actionable insights. Symbiot boasts not only flexibility and versatility but also industry-leading security protocols to safeguard valuable data. Most importantly, Symbiot is designed to facilitate data-driven decision making. Complex data sets are transformed into clear, actionable information, giving utilities the power of knowledge.
References:
¹ hbr.org/resources/pdfs/comm/salesforce/ImprovingtheCustomerExperienceintheUtilitiesIndustry.pdf
² https://www.wareg.org/documents/kpis-report-2023-wareg-pdf/
³ James, K. (2021). Improving the Customer Experience in the Utilities Industry, Harvard Business Review Analytic Services hbr.org/resources/pdfs/comm/salesforce/ImprovingtheCustomerExperienceintheUtilitiesIndustry.pdf
