Case Studies

A Leading UK Utility

This utility is one of the largest in the UK.  They were looking at ways to engage customers to encourage retention with a proposition that enabled them to have more visibility and control over their energy use.  They were looking in particular at a pre-smart metering solution that was suitable for a mass market, but that allowed personalisation of tools to make it useful and engaging in an enduring way for customers.

They chose Onzo's Smart Energy Kit (SEK) as a cost-effective tool.  The SEK includes an award-winning in-home display and an interactive web site that provides customers with a more in-depth view of their energy use, as well as personalised tips and comments.

Results

• The take-up of the proposition has been very positive, with a clear engagement with customers who are both using the display proactively and uploading data to the website.
• There has been a significant change in customer behaviour, with overall reductions in consumption and peak usage.

A Very Large European Utility

This utility is one of the largest in continental Europe and has grown quickly by attracting new customers.  However, retention is a growing problem with customers unhappy about complex tariffs and receiving confusing bills.

Problems have been increased by a market structure whereby the utility has difficulties in sourcing energy use as the meter asset and data collection is controlled by a distribution business.

The utility wants to provide customers with tools that would help them understand their energy use across these tariffs, thereby increasing satisfaction and retention and promoting their brand as one that supports and encourages energy efficiency.

They chose to run a customer trial using the Smart Energy Kit (SEK).  The trial includes customised screens on the display to visualise meaningful information to customers based on their tariff, as well as a local language web service.

Results

• Due to start later this year, the trial is significantly over subscribed and the utility is already preparing a business case for a mass rollout to their customer base.
• Data from the trial will also be analysed to support the needs of the utility's trading division.

A Progressive European Utility

With over one million customers in Northern Europe, this utility is looking to increase satisfaction and retention by offering existing customers services that help them to manage their energy more effectively.

In the process of implementing smart metering, initial research concluded that customers were most interested in an in-home display over other channels for understanding and managing their energy consumption.

The utility has chosen to run a customer pilot using the Onzo ZigBee display that will communicate with their smart meters.  The pilot also includes the ability for customers to upload their detailed usage information, which can then be viewed on an Onzo-designed local language web service.

Results

• Participation in the pilot has been oversubscribed and early results are expected at the end of the year.

A New Zealand Energy Retailer

New Zealand is one of the world's most competitive energy markets and this energy retailer identified customer retention as a key issue.

Whilst smart metering has been partially rolled-out, none of these have an effective means of returning detailed energy consumption data.  The retailer wanted to provide compelling energy information to customers as a way of increasing satisfaction, loyalty and retention.

The retailer chose to pilot Onzo's Smart Energy Kit (SEK) which combines an in-home display and a personalised web service.

Results

• Satisfaction levels of the trial have been high, with 70% of users finding the displays easy or very easy to use.
• There was also a significant proportion of the users who were prepared to take action based on the SEK: 75% reported changes to household routines, such as switching off lights.
• Average total energy use decreased by 10% across participants.
• Baseload, consumption of appliances always on in the household, such as fridges and freezers, was reduced by 30%.

A Very Large Australian Energy Supplier

One of the larger energy retailers in Australia was developing several customer propositions as part of a strategy that was aiming to make an impact in a fast-moving market.

With a customer base using both smart and non-smart meters the retailer was looking for a pre-smart solution that could also provide a useful benchmark for the possible benefits of customer engagement tools that could be applied to a smart meter roll-out.

The client chose the Onzo Smart Energy Kit (SEK) to run a small-scale trial across four Australian states.  Adjustments were required to ensure applicability for the Australian market, both on the display firmware and website.

Results

• The trial was oversubscribed.
• Behaviour change results were significant:  total energy usage decreased by 15%; peak loads were reduced by 4%; and baseload, consumption of appliances always on in the household, such as fridges and freezers, was reduced by almost 10%.
• Overall satisfaction with the SEK was high, with trialists believing the tools to be easy to understand and use.