Are water utilities actively engaging their customers?
Is it innovative for a Utility to have active customer engagement? I think the answer historically is that it would be.
However, there have been significant changes to customer perception and expectations on how they would want to be engaged. A key factor driving change in the water utility sector is the change in the regulatory environment - specifically the penalties and incentives for customer service captured in the Service Incentive Mechanism (SIM). Another regulatory impact is the move towards 'retail' separation which is starting with non-domestic customers in the form of ability to select supply contracts.
Today, through our Water UK partnership, we are participating at their Innovation Hub day focused on Active Customer Engagement - many executives and managers from key UK water companies will be there along with other interested and influential parties such as CC Water, regulators etc. (http://www.water.org.uk/events/view_event.php?eventid=73&setstyle=&dateid=45)
I will be posting updates later based upon discussions held throughout the day.
