Idaho Power Rated #1 in Energy Industry Benchmark Report
100 Automated Phone Systems Evaluated by IVR Doctors and Chartwell Inc.
For Immediate Release – May 22, 2025 – Idaho Power tops the list in the 19th Energy Utility Benchmark Report of Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems, released today by IVR Doctors and Chartwell, Inc. The 2025 Report compares 100 energy utility automated telephone systems in the U.S. and Canada.
A new-for-2025 “Platinum Stethoscope” award category recognizes eight companies whose IVR achieved this coveted “Balanced Company” award, with top quartile scores in Functionality, Usability, and System Aesthetics.
“Gold Stethoscope” award recognition was awarded to winners in 12 specific categories, including Top Overall Company; Top Electric, Gas, and Combination Utility; Top Canadian Utility; and more.
“No other benchmark report with such a consistent set of design principles has been in place and proven effective in the utility industry over the 19 Benchmarks,” said Peter Brandt, IVR Doctors co-founder. “Correlation between top performance in this Report and a utility’s own internal performance measures is very high.”
The Report identifies automated telephone systems that successfully balance company objectives and customer preferences in the Report’s three key rating categories: Functionality, Usability, and Aesthetics – the major drivers of customer satisfaction and system utilization.
“The Report looks at the IVR experience from two-perspectives – callers using it and those who manage it. It also highlights common design mistakes and demonstrates clearly how those errors can have a negative impact on a company and its callers’ experience,” said Mark Camack, IVR Doctors’ co-founder.
The 100 automated phone systems evaluated in the 2025 Report were rated using standards which IVR Doctors and Chartwell, Inc. can apply to other companies interested in inclusion in the Benchmark.
“IVR optimization represents a key strategy to improve contact center efficiency, encourage self-service, and provide a great customer experience. Customers who said their utility’s IVR was easy to use were 16% more satisfied with their utility overall than customers who found the IVR difficult to use based on Chartwell’s 2024 Residential Consumer Survey” said Chartwell Vice President, Stacey Bailey. “Chartwell is excited to work with IVR Doctors to provide data and best practices utilities can use to optimize IVR performance.”
The 2025 Report is available at ivrdoctors.com. As an additional benefit, Report buyers receive a customized online consultation with IVR Doctors targeted specifically to their company’s automated phone system.
2025 “PLATINUM AND GOLD STETHOSCOPE” RECOGNITION WINNERS
CATEGORY / COMPANY
The eight “Balanced Company” Platinum Stethoscope Winners are:
- Entergy (New Orleans, LA)
- Idaho Power (Boise, ID)
- Kentucky Utilities and Old Dominion Power (Louisville, KY)
- LCEC (Lee County Electric Cooperative, North Fort Myers, FL)
- LG&E (Louisville Gas & Electric, Louisville, KY)
- Ozarks Electric Cooperative (Fayetteville, AR)
- PacifiCorp (Rocky Mountain Power and Pacific Power, Portland, OR)
- UGI Utilities (Denver, PA)
This Report’s Gold Stethoscope Category Winners are:
- Top Rated IVR System – Overall
Idaho Power (Boise, ID) - Top U.S. Combination Utility
MidAmerican Energy (Des Moines, Iowa) - Top Canadian Utility
Nova Scotia Power (Halifax, Nova Scotia) - Top U.S. Electric-only IVR
Idaho Power (Boise, ID) - Top U.S. Gas-only IVR
SoCalGas (Los Angeles, CA) - Top Municipal Utility IVR
JEA (Jacksonville, FL) - Top Electric Cooperative
LCEC (Lee County Electric Cooperative, North Fort Myers, FL) - Top “Touchtone-only” system
LCEC (Lee County Electric Cooperative, North Fort Myers, FL) - Top “Press or Say” system
Idaho Power (Boise, ID) - Top in Functionality
LCEC (Lee County Electric Cooperative, North Fort Myers, FL) - Top in Usability
Idaho Power (Boise, ID) - Top in Aesthetics
Idaho Power (Boise, ID) - Honorable Mention for the Most Improved IVRs of the 2025 Top Quartile companies – alphabetically: CPS Energy, Nova Scotia Power, and Puget Sound Energy.
—
IVR Doctors, with over 30 years of market research, usability consulting, marketing, and call center management experience, specialize in automated phone system diagnostics and optimization. Their practice, with an energy utility specialty, is not limited to a single industry and covers companies large and small. For more information, visit ivrdoctors.com.
Contacts:
Peter Brandt | peter@ivrdoctors.com | (843) 469.4266
Mark Camack | mark@ivrdoctors.com | (503) 449-5940
Stacey Bailey | sbailey@chartwellinc.com | (404) 447-6939
