Powering the Customer Experience: How Utilities Are Driving Transportation Electrification
By Karl Popham, Chair, Chartwell’s EV Leadership Council
The shift to transportation electrification is changing the landscape and relationship between the electric utility and its commercial and residential customers. Recent Chartwell Consumer Survey data shows a 45% increase year-over-year in residential customers responding favorably to the statement: “Would you turn to your utility as a trusted source of information on whether/how to purchase an electric vehicle?”
👉 Unlock insights at your own pace with this complimentary on-demand webinar: Electric Utility EV Charging Infrastructure: Best-in-Class Deployment, Partnerships, and Success Metrics
During Chartwell’s June EV Leadership Council meeting, two industry leaders shared how they’re prioritizing customer experience and building trust in this dynamic environment.
One key insight came from EPB, who discussed their “Energy Pro” brand as a go-to resource for their customers. They realized that when it comes to energy expertise, customers want a trusted partner. By creating informative content, like their engaging EV videos, they’ve seen a surge in customer interest and engagement, leading to more questions about EV services and increased website visits.
EPB also actively supports EV adoption by:
- Utilizing incentives for EV users.
- Employing specialized rates for commercial EV customers.
- Piloting new commercial EV charging programs.
- Hosting public events and collaborating with local leaders to build awareness and credibility around EVs.
Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) also discussed their incredible work streamlining the customer EV charging experience. They proactively engaged their customers and identified common pain points like long wait times for service requests, a fragmented experience for commercial customers, and confusion around processes.
HECO tackled these head-on by:
- Collecting data to pinpoint bottlenecks and track project timelines.
- Providing upfront information to customers on things like capacity and connection points.
- Creating detailed FAQs and visual timelines to clarify customer responsibilities.
- Utilizing their “check, adjust, improve” cycle, using real-time data and continuous feedback, to help them refine processes, build trust, and ultimately simplify and accelerate charger deployment for their customers. Their goal is clear: empower customers and make EV adoption easier than ever.
These examples highlight a shared commitment across leading utilities to identify, collaborate, and share learnings regularly as members of Chartwell’s Electric Vehicle Leadership Council. Learn more.
Chartwell Insight Center members may also benefit from these recent publications:
