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Vulnerable Customer Leadership Council

Customer Vulnerability Is on the Rise

Based on Chartwell’s consumer research, the need for utilities to have a greater focus on their vulnerable or at-risk customers has intensified.

The Chartwell Vulnerable Customer Leadership Council provides a forum for utility representatives to build a network of peers they can consult with for timely solutions, confidential discussions, lessons learned, and tactics, strategies, and best practices from experienced utility leaders. It is entirely focused on vulnerable or at-risk customers and employs a working group format focused on identifying and solving common challenges from idea to implementation.

Issues facing vulnerable customers today are complex and ever-changing, and utilities need to find new and innovative ways to help. Some of the most challenging problems include:

  • A difficult and challenging environment for utilities and vulnerable customers has been exacerbated to near crisis levels by the pandemic, followed by inflation leading to unprecedented customer debt.
  • A much larger population of customers is struggling to pay, which is driving higher debt.
  • Technology and outreach challenges limit the ability of utilities to identify and connect vulnerable customers to assistance and resources.

Members of the Vulnerable Customer Leadership Council benefit from:

  • Peer-to-Peer Collaboration: Join roundtable discussions with industry leaders on the latest issues impacting the industry.
  • Member-Driven Topics: Chartwell tailors content based on Council members’ priorities and members exchange exclusive information on monthly calls and bi-annual meetings. 
  • Connect & Collaborate: Network with a rich network of industry leaders who meet monthly to ensure they are finding the most effective and efficient solutions to their problems.

Our shared cost model means you gain access to best practice strategies, tactics and thinking you would expect to find at a top consulting firm at a fraction of the investment. Council membership means your utility will never have to make decisions in a vacuum again.

What are utilities' biggest concerns about serving vulnerable customers, and what are the most common barriers to customers getting assistance? Learn more with this downloadable thought piece.
The State of the Industry
Areas of Focus Include:
  • Identifying Vulnerable Customers
  • Vulnerable Customer Engagement
  • Building Productive and Sustainable Community Partnerships
  • Best-In-Class Vulnerable Customer Journeys
  • Innovative and Sustainable Vulnerable Customer Payment Solutions
  • Vulnerable Customer Research Programs and Strategies
  • Bridging the Language/Cultural Barrier
  • Vulnerable Customer Energy Efficiency Programs
  • Accessing Federal, State, and Local Resources
  • Energy Burden
  • Equity
  • Home-Grown Energy Assistance Programs
  • Performance Measures
  • Critical Medical Needs Customers
  • Effective Vulnerable Customer Organizational Structures
  • Clean/Green Energy (Solar) Programs for Vulnerable Customers
  • Industry and Non-Industry Strategies and Tactics
Inquire about the Vulnerable Customer Leadership Council

Chartwell Services

Our membership services can help your utility identify strategies to impact customer experience and operational efficiency: A research subscription to our Insight Center membership allows unlimited access to hundreds of research reports, case studies, benchmarks, webinars, and more. Our peer-to-peer Leadership Councils, focused on customer-facing areas such as billing, outage, CX, vulnerable customers, EVs, business customers, emergency management, and organizational resilience provide collaborative, utility-only peer networks. Our post-event transactional benchmarking study called Tranzact enables utilities to compare their customers’ outage experience perception with peer utilities. Chartwell Advisory Services and Executive Services provide leadership development with industry experts.

Learn more about our services