At KSV, we believe there is incredible power  in the voice of the customer. 

 

An instant point of view.

 

So we hit the road, all over the U.S., to talk to people about energy, their homes, their businesses, and what matters most to them.

 

And in this two part video series, shot this summer, we asked people a series of questions about energy, energy efficiency and renewables, utility communications and their preferences. 

Worth noting: all of the customers featured in this video are customers of a single utility.

This week, we'll be sharing the first video and the first 3 of our Top 5 Takeaways from this KSV POV Video Series. Tune in next week for the next two takeaways and the next video in this series.

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Data and Analytics, Digital Transformation and User Experience, Innovation, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices

One of the big pieces of the KSV approach is our connection to the voice of the customer, and trying to keep a pulse on the priorities, challenges, and realities that they face.

 

In fact, we often say to clients and prospects that while so many firms out there do "research", so few seem to really understand the reality of what customers are facing.

 

 

So we hit the streets to talk to real customers, real people who use energy and hear from them how it fits into their everyday lives, and how it doesn't.

 

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Data and Analytics, Digital Transformation and User Experience, Innovation, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices

We spend a lot of time writing, and talking, and thinking about energy, demand response, C&I audiences, and helping energy companies and utilities get customer-centric and undergo digital transformation.

 

But today, we're not going to talk about energy. 

 

Today we're going to talk about eggs.

 

And kindness.

 

And new moms. 

 

And condoms. 

 

Yes, I said condoms.

 

Buckle up.

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Data and Analytics, Digital Transformation and User Experience, Innovation, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices

All decision making is emotional. 

As marketers, we know that to get someone to act, you must inspire a feeling.

Even for B2B marketing.

And yet, so often we see marketing, particularly in the energy category, that is hyper-rational, fact-focused, and often loaded down with product or program details.

Does 0% financing inspire a feeling in you?

We didn't think so.

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Data and Analytics, Digital Transformation and User Experience, Innovation, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices

 How do you drive awareness and engagement of a complex product in one of the worlds most expensive and crowded media markets?

 

National Grid, an electricity and natural gas delivery company that connects nearly 7 million customers to vital energy sources through its networks in NY, MA and RI, has long known that segmentation in marketing can help to create relevancy for customers.

 

But in 2015, there was an opportunity to take segmentation much deeper.

And yesterday, we co-presented on this topic with our partner from National Grid at AESPs Brown Bag webinar "Learn How Hyper-Targeting Drives Business Results". We specifically presented on a test we did in Brooklyn and Staten Island, the lessons we learned, and how we are deploying those insights into a new demonstration project in MA: demand response.

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Data and Analytics, Digital Transformation and User Experience, Innovation, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices

 So what is digital transformation, exactly, anyway?

 

And how can it help me reach my KPIs, improve sales, and get better data?

 

Last week we launched our newest KSV Brief on Digital Transformation. And the response was huge. 

 

Turns out, a lot of companies in the energy and sustainability space are challenged by the digital experience they are offering to their customers and the data they are able to get back out of them. 

 

Even some that you might expect would really know what to do with data, companies that specialize in helping other businesses use data to drive efficiency and business decisions, even they are struggling with gaps, holes in data, redundant and black box systems that don't speak to each other, and digital user experiences that don't reflect the best parts of their brand.

 

So we thought we'd revisit the topic again this week and answer the three biggest questions that we got about digital transformation work.

 

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Data and Analytics, Digital Transformation and User Experience, Innovation, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices

Today we met with an energy company who is undergoing a digital transformation, and they wanted to talk to us about the intersection of customer experience and user experience. 

 

 

We presented our 2016 annual proprietary research, and some opportunities that we had identified for them, and the conversation and prep got us thinking: is digital transformation the biggest challenge that companies are facing today?

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Data and Analytics, Digital Transformation and User Experience, Innovation, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices

This week we had the privilege of meeting with a couple of great companies to talk about the future of energy.

 

(This image is from @gapingvoid. We love Hugh.)

The first company we met with is an international consultancy focused on innovation and redefining what it means to be an energy company.

 

The second: a smart and innovative large company whose primary product is insurance (well, they have a lot of products and services, but you get the idea), and guess what they wanted to talk about?

 

Energy and Innovation. The Connected Customer.

Big Data and Customer Experience.

 

Digital Transformation.

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Data and Analytics, Digital Transformation and User Experience, Innovation, Clean Energy, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices

Communities are the very foundation of a society.

Interesting to think about, right?

Communities are the places we live, work and play. The places we shop for groceries. The schools our children go to. And within those communities are micro-communities. Networks of people. People who all share the same favorite lunch spot. Who all use the same dentist. Networks of new moms. Of retirees. And, over the past decade, networks of folks with ever more niche tastes.

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Data and Analytics, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices, Audience Segmentation

Back in January, we discussed the Four Customer Demands to Watch in 2016. And now, six months later, we’re checking in. How are you doing? How do your brands and your programs stack up against these customer demands?

Topics: Customer-Centric Marketing, Utility Communications, Marketing Strategy and Best Practices, Audience Segmentation