Leading Utilities Maintain Momentum With Business Customers Of All Sizes

(MENAFN- GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) Escalent Recognizes 24 Utilities as 2024 Business Customer Champions

LIVONIA, Mich., Jan. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new Cogent Syndicated report from Escalent finds that business customer engagement with utilities has improved significantly, ending a trending decline that began at the end of 2021. Although all major indices see year-over-year improvement, a significant Brand Trust gain has had the most impact on the Engaged Customer Relationship (ECR) score recovery, with improved scoring related to utility company reputation and business community support leading the index gain.

Those are some of the latest findings of the 2024 Utility Trusted Brand & Customer EngagementTM (UTBCE): Business study , which tracks the performance of 78 gas, electric and combination utilities to identify brand and customer experience opportunities and trends in the industry. The report is published semiannually by Escalent , a top data analytics and advisory firm with extensive energy, utility and brand experience.

After reaching a peak of 793 in mid-2021, the business ECR score steadily declined throughout 2022 and 2023 until it reached a low of 766. The score finally turned around in early 2024 and has ended the year at 784.

Even when index scores see significant declines, none has dropped below levels in the second half of 2019, and scores in the second half of 2024 are significantly higher than pre-pandemic.

“While the industry is unable to maintain the pandemic scoring boost seen in 2020 and early 2021 for residential customers, utilities have been able to retain a large portion of that increase for business customers,” said Suzanne Haggerty, director of syndicated research with the Energy industry practice at Escalent.

While the industry has maintained a higher level of engagement with business customers, 24 utilities have ECR scores well above their industry peers and have earned recognition as Escalent's 2024 Business Utility Customer Champions.

While excelling in metrics throughout the study, Business Customer Champions are performing remarkably well with smaller business customers, which have historically reported lower engagement levels.

“Utilities that develop focused programs, customer service options and communication for small and midsize business customers see higher engagement scores,” Haggerty explained.

For example, the 2024 Business Customer Champions outperform the industry for the perception among business customers with less than $500K in revenue that utility programs help customers save money and energy. Additionally, the Billing & Payment Index score for Business Customer Champions is significantly higher than the industry average and is buoyed by utilities that connect smaller business customers with specialized resources that help them understand their bills, interpret energy rates and find relevant energy-efficiency programs.

Escalent is pleased to name these 24 utilities as our 2024 Business Customer Champions.

Cogent Syndicated 2024 Business Customer Champions*
AEP Ohio	Louisville Gas & Electric
AES Indiana	National Grid
Ameren Missouri	Nicor Gas
BGE	Ohio Edison
CenterPoint Energy – South	PSE&G
Con Edison	Salt River Project
Dominion Energy South Carolina	Seattle City Light
DTE Energy	Southwestern Electric Power Company
Duke Energy Florida	TECO Tampa Electric
Florida Power & Light	The Illuminating Company
Georgia Power	Virginia Natural Gas
LADWP	Xcel Energy – Midwest

*Utilities named as Business Customer Champions are selected based on having Engaged Customer Relationship Index scores in the top decile of the industry, the top score within their respective benchmark segment, or an Engaged Customer Relationship Index score within 20 points of the top benchmark segment score and above the industry average.

The following tables reflect regional peer benchmark Engaged Customer Relationship scores among the 78 utilities surveyed.

East Region Utilities Customer Engagement Performance
Utility brand name	ECR score
National Grid	818
BGE	816
PSE&G	813
Con Edison	813
Jersey Central Power & Light	797
PECO Energy	793
PSEG Long Island	787
PPL Electric Utilities	785
West Penn Power	763
Duquesne Light	761
NYSEG	759
Eversource	748
Penelec	748
Appalachian Power	737

Midwest Region Utilities Customer Engagement Performance
Utility brand name	ECR score
DTE Energy	809
Ameren Missouri	806
Ohio Edison	802
AEP Ohio	799
The Illuminating Company	791
AES Indiana	790
Xcel Energy – Midwest	790
Ameren Illinois	786
Indiana Michigan Power	786
ComEd	781
Consumers Energy	772
Alliant Energy	770
Duke Energy Midwest	769
Wisconsin Public Service	769
AES Ohio	768
Evergy	766
We Energies	760
OPPD	757
NIPSCO	751
MidAmerican Energy	750

Southern Region Utilities Customer Engagement Performance
Utility brand name	ECR score
Dominion Energy South Carolina	836
Florida Power & Light	836
Georgia Power	835
Southwestern Electric Power Company	833
Louisville Gas & Electric	827
Duke Energy Florida	823
TECO Tampa Electric	819
Mississippi Power	814
Duke Energy Carolinas	808
CPS Energy	806
Alabama Power	803
Kentucky Utilities	801
El Paso Electric	787
Dominion Energy Virginia	784
FPL Northwest FL	771
Public Service Company of Oklahoma	770
JEA	765
Entergy	765
OG&E	763
Duke Energy Progress	745

West Region Utilities Customer Engagement Performance
Utility brand name	ECR score
Seattle City Light	843
Salt River Project	842
LADWP	835
APS	808
Puget Sound Energy	807
Southern California Edison	796
SMUD	788
Rocky Mountain Power	782
Pacific Power	778
Idaho Power	769
NV Energy	768
Xcel Energy Colorado	757
PG&E	756
NorthWestern Energy	755
PNM	753
Colorado Springs Utilities	752
Portland General Electric	730
SDG&E	589

Natural Gas Utilities Customer Engagement Performance
Utility brand name	ECR score
Nicor Gas	817
CenterPoint Energy – South	808
Virginia Natural Gas	806
CenterPoint Energy – Midwest	782
Chattanooga Gas Company	779

For more information on the full report, click here .

About the Cogent Syndicated Utility Trusted Brand & Customer EngagementTM: Business study

Escalent conducted surveys among 12,308 business customers of 78 US electric, natural gas and combination utility companies. Utilities within the same region are given equal weight to balance the influence of each utility's customers on survey results. The Engaged Customer Relationship (ECR) Index is a composite score based upon a 360-degree customer review of how engaged businesses are with their energy utility provider. Scores are composed of ratings across service satisfaction, brand and product experiences. Escalent will supply the exact wording of any survey question upon request.

About Escalent

Escalent is an award-winning data analytics and advisory firm that helps clients understand human and market behaviors to navigate disruption and business transformation. As catalysts of progress for more than 40 years, our strategies guide the world's leading brands. We accelerate growth by creating a seamless flow between primary, secondary, syndicated, and internal business data, providing consulting and advisory services from insights through implementation. Based on a profound understanding of what drives human beings and markets, we identify actions that build brands, enhance customer experiences, inspire product innovation and boost business productivity. Visit escalent.co to see how we are helping shape the brands that are reshaping the world.

Contact	Stephanie Salvadero, 734.838.5192
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