ETRs Can Improve Customer Outage Experience by up to 30%

By Ben Murdock, Senior Data Analyst

How much does an Estimated Time of Restoration (ETR) really matter to customers during an outage? In the chart below, the horizontal axis shows satisfaction without an ETR. The trend is clear: utilities with lower baseline satisfaction see the biggest gains – up to 30% improvement in some cases.

Chartwell’s consumer research confirms what many in the utility industry have long suspected: providing an ETR significantly boosts customer satisfaction. But here’s the twist – not all utilities see the same benefit.

In our latest analysis of over 17,000 post-event consumer surveys, we show that utilities with lower baseline satisfaction see the biggest gains when sending an ETR. Each point on the chart represents a utility. The vertical axis shows how much satisfaction improves when customers receive an ETR and the horizontal axis shows satisfaction without one.

Crucially, the timing and accuracy of the ETR can further influence customer perceptions. Timely updates and realistic restoration estimates can enhance trust and reduce frustration, making ETRs a crucial component of effective outage communication strategies.

To learn more about the Outage Communications Leadership Council, please contact Tim Herrick.