Using bill analysis to customize a marketing program

In today's increasingly competitive environment, utilities must provide more for less. Merely providing energy to residential customers is not enough; utilities must offer a full range of energy services that allow customers to maximize their energy dollars. Since a competitive environment means that the price must be right, utilities also must maximize their own investments. They must find a cost-effective way to provide residential customers and themselves with the information and options necessary to make maximum value decisions. Of course, no two utilities or residential customers will maximize value the same way, nor will a single utility or customer hold fast to a static definition of maximum value over time. Some customers may value savings more than a warm house, while others may value comfort in their home far more than the cost of energy. One utility may place maximum value on a targeted marketing effort this year, and a higher value on a demand-side management (DSM) program in the future. Nonetheless, in every case, knowledge is required to identify a maximum value option. A residential bill analysis program that addresses energy use and environmental issues can make that knowledge available to utility and residential customer alike. A residential billmore » analysis program is a computerized analysis of residential energy consumption at the customer level. An environmental version also provides information on house-hold waste production, as well as water and transportation fuel use. The analysis is based on responses to a home audit survey, which is designed as a mail-out tool but can be completed by an on-site auditor. The survey responses, as well as the analysis results, are stored in a data base for the utility and used to target marketing efforts. The results are also provided to participants in the form of an energy use profile and energy-efficiency recommendations.« less