Focus on digitalisation: how energy suppliers can strengthen customer loyalty

What can be done to meet the changing needs of customers in times of economic upheaval? This is currently a pressing question for energy suppliers. In the white paper "Digital solutions at the customer interface in the energy sector", our experts analyse how the industry can strengthen customer centricity in order to leverage potential and become more resilient in the new market environment.

One thing is clear: customer expectations of energy companies are rising. For example, they want more personalised communication, greater transparency in price development, more quickly available offers and more empathy when making contact. At the same time, the sector-specific situation is complex: business models need to be adjusted in light of the energy transition and increased commodity prices.

A new focus on the needs of customers can be a decisive success factor - and digital innovations are a key element in the implementation of customer experience measures. The pressure to act is great across all sectors: our latest Customer Experience Excellence (CEE) survey identified a decline in the quality of customer experience in contact with companies for the first time.

The whitepaper focuses on three drivers for improving the customer experience. The "Expectations" driver is about more empathetic communication, for example with regard to pricing. The "time & effort" driver focuses on an accelerated product selection process with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). Flexible products with individual terms are a key aspect of "personalisation".

Future digital customer interfaces could include a dashboard that displays consumption, price trends and news, or an app that gives customers direct access to various services. The goal is a seamless, customised omni-channel experience. AI solutions should be selected for the analysis of customer data and the subsequent personalisation of the offer.