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How energy companies can better leverage AI to improve customer experience
Transforming Customer Experience
We are living in an era defined by constant digital transformation and rising consumer expectations and utility companies are facing increasing pressure to modernize how best to serve their customers. The essential service of delivering safe and reliable energy is no longer just about infrastructure, but now also includes providing meaningful and intelligent customer experiences.
We are living in an era defined by constant digital transformation and rising consumer expectations and utility companies are facing increasing pressure to modernize how best to serve their customers. The essential service of delivering safe and reliable energy is no longer just about infrastructure, but now also includes providing meaningful and intelligent customer experiences.
Last fall, we attended Chartwell’s Energy Marketing and Customer Service Conference (EMACs). In addition to the wealth of information shared on how utilities can deliver exceptional customer experiences, the overriding theme of the sessions was clear: utilities who are not embracing Artificial Intelligence will not be able to meet their customers’ current and future needs.
By integrating AI into engagement strategies, operations and as customer service efforts, utilities can enhance reliability and efficiency, transform customer interactions and strengthen relationships in the communities they serve.
Here are 5 ways utilities are raising their CX game:
- Anticipating Customer Needs
Customer interactions in the utility space have historically been reactive, responding to billing issues, outages, or service requests AFTER they occur. AI enables a shift toward proactive engagement. Predictive analytics can forecast power outages, billing anomalies and equipment failures before they affect customers, allowing for timely communication and enabling steps to mitigate these issues.
For example, AI models trained on weather patterns, grid data, and vegetation maps can warn of likely outages. This early warning capability not only reduces disruptions but builds trust and transparency. - Smart Support
Customers expect seamless, 24/7 support across all channels and AI makes this possible. Intelligent chatbots and virtual agents are now handling a growing share of customer questions, from billing inquiries to outage updates. These systems are always on, and learn continuously to help them deliver personalized, human-like interactions over time.
Advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP) enables multilingual support as well as sentiment detection. If a customer is showing signs of frustration, AI can escalate the issue to a human agent with all of the background information, which ensures a faster resolution. - Enhanced Personalization
Utilities are very sensitive to the fact that one-size-fits-all communication is no longer sufficient. AI allows companies to segment their customer data with precision with the goal of delivering hyper-personalized insights. Whether it’s recommending energy-efficient upgrades, or delivering home energy reports broken down by appliance, AI empowers customers to make smarter, more sustainable decisions.This level of personalization has become more important as households adopt new technologies, including electric vehicles, solar panels, and smart home devices. - Equity and Accessibility
AI is also playing a key role in making customer experience more inclusive. The tools continue to improve every day, including voice assistants, language translations tools and speech to text capabilities. By using this technology, utilities can reach historically underserved or linguistically diverse populations more effectively. It’s worth noting that customers don’t need to be digitally fluent to experience these features. This digital transformation benefits ALL customers. - Operational Excellence
In addition to public-facing improvements, AI is also optimizing grid operations, reducing service downtime, and improving energy efficiency behind the scenes. And Utilities are extremely aware of one fact that stands the test of time: When operations are smooth, customers satisfaction is more likely. Faster restorations, more accurate bills, and fewer surprises enhance trust and loyalty.
Customers are getting smarter, savvier, and more in tuned-in to the world around them. That trend will only continue as technology evolves. When strategically deployed, AI can help your brand make lasting connections and improve brand affinity for years to come.
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