More Utilities Measuring Performance in Communications with Customers During Power Outages, Chartwell Research Shows

ATLANTA, July 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Chartwell finds that more utilities are setting performance goals and measuring their successes at communicating power restoration estimates to customers; however, there is still opportunity for the industry to improve overall.

In an all-new survey conducted exclusively for Chartwell's Outage Communications Research Council, roughly three of four utilities say they measure estimated times of restoration (ETOR) performance.  This was a change from findings of a similar survey undertaken in 2008, when roughly two of three utilities indicated they tracked accuracy and performance.

"The change suggests more utilities are paying attention to outage communications, recognized by many groups to be a key factor in customer satisfaction," says Scott Johnson, research director for Chartwell Inc. "Still, about a quarter of utilities aren't placing any emphasis on customer contact during power outages, which might not be the best strategy given customer expectations around information flow in an age of social media and real-time data."

For three years Chartwell's Outage Communications Research Council has closely examined the relationship between accuracy and performance with overall satisfaction. Several council members have improved their annual customer satisfaction scores and cite Chartwell's research and support as a contributing factor.

The survey is part of ongoing research conducted by the research council, a group of utilities devoted to finding the most advantageous methods and channels for communicating power restoration and other vital information to customer during outage events.

For information about becoming a member of Chartwell's Outage Communications Research Council, contact Doris Yon at [email protected] or (404) 237-9099 ext. 29.

About Chartwell

Based in Atlanta, Chartwell Inc. is a specialized information provider that helps utilities improve their customer experience and ultimately customer satisfaction. Chartwell publishes case studies, quantitative research and industry data, and hosts conferences and other events for utility professionals. For more information, visit www.chartwellinc.com.

SOURCE Chartwell