ATLANTA, July 19, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- It may have seemed like a slow year for product launches in the utility industry, but the data proves otherwise: 42% of utilities introduced a new product or service to their mass market customers between March 2004 and March 2005. This is among Chartwell's many findings in its latest products and services study, based on interviews with 73 investor-owned, government-owned and cooperative utility organizations.
In Chartwell's Residential Products & Services Data Summary & Report 2005, Chartwell researchers reveal that new product launches 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 16 different products/services, the report examines customer participation rates, prices and other issues surrounding select products like green energy, AC cycling, surge suppression and service contracts.
Other findings in Residential Products & Services Data Summary & Report 2005 include the products/services with the most enrollments and those that utilities say are most profitable. For example, 15% of utilities report that online audits/bill analysis tools have more customer participation than any other product or service. Another 15% say that air-conditioner cycling and other peak load management programs have the most enrollments.
Based on survey findings, Chartwell predicts growth in the area of peak load management programs, both in the number of utilities offering them and the number of customers participating. In addition, online bill analysis tools and online moving services are likely to see significant growth in the number of utilities offering them. On the other hand, green power -- once the fastest growing product offering -- now is growing at a very slow rate.
The report includes both analysis of the data and the raw survey results from each of the 73 survey respondents. Also available is a fully sortable Excel database including all survey responses. Residential Products & Services Data Summary & Report 2005 and the accompanying Excel database is available only to members of Chartwell's Utility Marketing Research Series. 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, based on interviews with
115 utility marketing professionals regarding their strategies,
budgets, structures and processes; and
-- 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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Chartwell Inc. seeks to provide a better understanding of technologies, issues and management practices in the utility and retail energy services industry through best practices case studies and quantitative research.