ATLANTA, Aug. 23, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Although 2004 saw more utilities launching a new product or service for residential customers than commercial and industrial (C&I) customers -- 42% vs. 29% -- electricity and gas providers are still offering products to large energy users in their efforts to improve their service to these customers. For example, 74% of utilities offer large customers outdoor lighting, 60% offer them various load management programs and 56% offer them green power. These are among Chartwell's many findings in its latest products and services study, based on interviews with 65 investor-owned, government-owned and cooperative utility organizations.
In Chartwell's C&I Products & Services Data Summary & Report 2005, Chartwell researchers reveal that new product launches for this customer segment are most likely to revolve around energy efficiency. In addition to discussing the rates at which utilities offer, are planning to offer or have discontinued 14 different products/services, the report examines customer participation rates, prices and other issues surrounding select products like onsite power, load management, green energy and power quality.
Other findings in C&I Products & Services Data Summary & Report 2005 include the products/services with the most enrollments and those that utilities say are most profitable. For example, 23% of utilities report that load management programs have more large customer participation than any other product or service. Another 10% say that outdoor lighting programs have the most enrollments.
Based on survey findings, Chartwell predicts growth in the area of online bill analysis and forecasting tools, both in the number of utilities offering them and the number of customers participating. On the other hand, performance contracting -- once very popular among utility offerings -- has seen a large decline.
The report includes both analysis of the data and the raw survey results from each of the 65 survey respondents. Also available is a fully sortable Excel database including all survey responses.
C&I Products & Services Data Summary & Report 2005 and the accompanying Excel database is available only to members of Chartwell's Utility Marketing Research Series. The Series also includes the very popular Residential Products & Services Data Summary & Report 2005 and accompanying database. For information regarding the Research Series or Chartwell's Premier membership, contact Bill Grist at (404) 237-9099, (800) 432-5879 or bgrist@chartwellinc.com. A free table of contents and summary of this report can be downloaded at www.energylibrary.com.
Recently released reports in the Series include:
-- New Strategies for Online Energy Audits; -- Utility Product Development Strategies; -- Utility Energy-Efficient New Home Construction Programs; -- Utility Marketing Data Summary & Report; -- Prickly Issues: Best Practices in Communicating with Customers.
You can purchase and download these reports from Chartwell's Energy Library at www.energylibrary.com.
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