2009 Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study

Chances are, if asked, many consumers would say they are aware of their utility company’s efforts to contain costs, provide excellent customer service, and help protect the environment. After all, a quick glance at the inserts that arrive along with your monthly billing statement are likely to provide you with all the information the utility company wants you to know. But when asked about their gas utility’s corporate citizenship initiatives, fewer than one in five customers indicate any awareness, according to a recent J.D. Power and Associates survey. This lack of awareness, according to the company, represents a significant missed opportunity for gas utility companies to increase customer satisfaction.

The 2009 Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study reveals that residential gas utility customers who indicate that they are aware of their utility’s corporate citizenship efforts are considerably more satisfied overall than customers who indicate no awareness. In fact, the study finds that customer awareness of gas utility corporate citizenship initiatives that demonstrate environmental stewardship, energy usage reduction and local community support can elevate overall satisfaction by 90 index points or more on a 1,000-point scale.

“Gas utility customers want to be made aware of the corporate citizenship activities of their gas provider,” said Alan Destribats, vice president of the energy practice at J.D. Power and Associates. “Not only are customers more satisfied when they have an understanding of how their utility is giving back to the community, but also, customers with favorable impressions of how their utility manages business costs and treats its employees have notably higher levels of satisfaction. It is particularly critical for gas utilities to improve customer awareness regarding these efforts.”

The study also finds that customers are notably more satisfied when they indicate their utility company has provided education on the benefits of natural gas as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly source of energy. Overall satisfaction increases to 687—71 points above the industry average—when customers recall receiving a message from their utility company about gas being an environmentally friendly fuel. This figure increases to an average of 690 when customers recall hearing a message from their utility regarding the cost benefits of using natural gas.