NOTE: This event has already taken place. See below for event description.

Utility marketers and communicators play a crucial role in building our sustainable future. You’re motivating residents and businesses to participate in programs, sign up for services, and buy products to make a sustainable future a reality.

But this responsibility comes with many challenges like:

• Keeping up with the constantly changing world of social media and growing your company’s brand
• Feeling uninspired and struggling to come up with clever and unique copy—especially when you’ve used all the energy-related puns related you can think of
• Explaining your role to team members who might not understand your work as a marketer or communicator
• Not knowing where to start when planning new campaigns
• Wishing you could replicate the success of other utilities

Our team at E Source understands and has faced these challenges. And we’re here to help.

An E Source exchange is an online conversation where you can share ideas on specific topics with other utility professionals. In these monthly exchanges, we’ll bring together a community of marketing and communications practitioners, managers, and strategists from utilities across the US and Canada. These exchanges will be a chance to support and learn from one another.

At these exchanges, you will:

• Share ideas, discuss your struggles, and celebrate your wins
• Receive insights into campaigns from leading utility marketers and communicators
• Learn about the newest research, tools, and techniques to create campaigns

Moderators:

Hailey Gish, Product Strategist, Marketing and Communications, E Source


Angelica Pereira, Solution Director, Marketing, Communications, and Account Management, E Source

Who should attend:

Members of the E Source Residential Marketing, Business Marketing, and Corporate Communications Services looking for a specific topic, feature, or tool to solve their problems.

Questions about this event? Send us a message.

NOTE: This event has already taken place. See below for recording and event description.

Download the slides | Marketing revenue-generating programs to business customers (PDF)

As technologies, policies, and consumer preferences evolve, utilities’ revenue-generating offerings do too. We’re seeing utilities broadening their business customer portfolios by adding new products and services to generate additional income.

But in addition to generating revenue, utilities should deliver value to their large, small, and midsize business customers and communicate services to these customers through their preferred channels.

This is an E Source exchange. It’s an online conversation where you can share ideas on specific topics with other utility professionals. In this exchange, we use data from the E Source 2022 Business Customer Satisfaction Study to review current utility offerings. We also review the top drivers of business customers’ interests in these products and services.

This exchange covered:

• Revenue-generating programs
• Who certain revenue-generating programs benefit
• Reasons to participate
• Marketing recommendations

Speaker:

Kyle Rodriguez, Analyst, Customer Engagement Solutions, E Source

Questions about this event? Send us a message.

NOTE: This event has already taken place. See below for recording and event description.

Download the slides | What’s new in the customer experience of outages? (PDF)

In the E Source 2022 Customer Experience Survey, we asked participants which journeys they’re working on in the coming year. We learned that outages were the top focus.

This is an E Source exchange. It’s an online conversation where you can share ideas on specific topics with other utility professionals. In this quarter’s exchange, we’ll brought together utility peers to discuss how they’re working to improve the outage journey.

This exchange covered:

• Journey mapping the outage experience
• Tactics for improving customers’ outage experiences—including alerts, tools, and other ways to help customers
• Plans for 2023

Moderators:

Eryc Eyl, Senior Solution Director, Customer Experience, E Source
Lisa Schulte, Product Strategist, Customer Experience, E Source

Questions about this event? Send us a message.

NOTE: DEFG is now part of E Source. This event has already taken place. See below for recording and event description.

Download the slides | Future utility revenue model framework and analysis (PDF)

The traditional utility revenue model is increasingly volatile and risky.  At the same time, utilities have huge growth potential through electrification and beyond-the-meter offerings. Join us to think through possibilities for the future of the utility revenue model.

Questions about this event? Send us a message.

NOTE: This event has already taken place. See below for recording and event description.

Download the slides | Results from the 2022 Utility Employee Experience Survey (PDF)

Of the 379 contact center employees surveyed in the E Source 2022 Utility Employee Experience Survey, 66% said they felt connected to their work. When asked what their company could do to improve their employee experience, many respondents cited improving communication.

We designed this survey using our framework The 6 Es of cultivating engaged employees. The purpose of the survey is to help utilities listen to contact center employees and learn how to better enable and empower these employees to do great work. Join us to gain insights into the overall employee experience of contact center agents.

This exchange includes:

• Key takeaways from the 2022 Utility Employee Experience Survey
• Recommendations to cultivate greater connections and commitment from your employees to achieve better customer experience outcomes
• Discussion among utility peers on how to provide a positive employee experience

Speakers:

Paige Martin Cox, Senior Analyst, Market Research, E Source

Eryc Eyl, Senior Solution Director, Customer Experience, E Source

Questions about this event? Send us a message.

NOTE: This event has already taken place. See below for recordings, event description, and links to download the presentation slides.

The Equity in a Clean Energy Economy (ECEE) Collaborative and stakeholders came together to help make unheard perspectives heard in a clean energy economy. With today’s ambitious goals of reducing carbon footprints throughout the world, underserved communities will feel the impact more than ever. What has yet to be recognized is the lack of access to the clean-energy supply chain for so many Americans. This national workshop provided several tracks of research-focused sessions to engage policymakers and energy providers so that equity is at the forefront of decisions being made today that will impact the future of all. Let’s work together to ensure that access to clean energy is attainable regardless of socioeconomic status.

Below, you can download presentations from the workshop and watch the session recordings. Please note that some sessions didn’t have presentations.

Thursday, August 25, 2022

Welcome overview and keynote

Keynote speaker: Sylvester Turner, Mayor of Houston

Mayor Turner is chair of the board of directors of the Resilient Cities Network and chair of Climate Mayors, a bipartisan network of more than 470 US mayors representing 48 states and 74 million Americans.

Download Welcome overview and keynote (PDF)

Equity definitions and breakout reports

Download Equity definitions and breakout reports (PDF)

Executive panel: Women in energy and equity

Moderator: Tammy McLeod, President & CEO, Flinn Foundation

Karen Sparkman, Vice President, TECO Energy

Latisha Hill, Vice President Community & Economic Vitality, Avista

Nadia El Mallakh, Vice President, Xcel Energy

Sheila Pressley, Chief Customer Officer, JEA

Download Executive panel: Women in energy and equity (PDF)

Faith perspectives on equity and environmental stewardship

Dr. Alvin Sanders, President & CEO, World Impact

Imam Saffet Catovic, Head of the Office for Interfaith, Community Alliances & Governmental Relations, ISNA

Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman, Rabbinic Ambassador, DAYENU

Sandhya Rani Jha, Anti Opression Consultant, Without Fear Consulting

Download Faith perspectives on equity and environmental stewardship (PDF)

Equity and rate design initiatives

Moderator: Irene Dimitry, Retired Vice President, DTE Energy

Commissioner Ann McCabe, Illinois

Commissioner Odogwu Obi Linton, Maryland

Commissioner Sarah Freeman, Indiana

Download Equity and rate design initiatives (PDF)

National equity customer survey findings

This national survey of adults probes questions relating to clean energy, utility investments, new technologies, electrification, and the equity implications of these changes.

Download National equity customer survey findings (PDF)

Friday, August 26, 2022

Welcome and overview with keynote

Keynote speaker: Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space for the City of Boston, and Founding Pastor of New Roots AME Church in Dorchester, MA

Download Welcome and overview with keynote (PDF)

Community voices on equity and breakout session

Moderator: Jennifer Montague, Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer, NiSource

Download Community voices on equity and breakout session (PDF)

Artist interview and company equity initiatives

Sharon Talbott, Director, Industry Experience Marketing, Energy & Utilities, Salesforce

Adriana Alterman, Director, Ventures Impact Fund, Salesforce

Estelle Winkleman, Director, Philanthropy, Salesforce

Download Artist interview and company equity initiatives (PDF)

Weaving energy equity into utility customer-side programs and takeaways

Download Weaving energy equity into utility customer-side programs (PDF)

Community voices

What would you say to the leadership of your utility regarding renewables/other energy issues?

What are your thoughts about climate change and solar/clean energy?

What investments do you think the government should spend money on in your community?

How were you affected by the winter storms?

NiSource documentary

Creative talent

Artist interview: Hannah Bull, Greentown Labs

World impact: Equity in a Clean Energy Economy, Atlanta

Singer-songwriter duo Angelica & Josh Bias: Amazing Grace

Singer-songwriter Angelica Bias: The Blessing

NOTE: This event has already taken place. See below for recording, event description, and link to download the presentation slides.

Download Web Conference Slides (PDF)

Effective communications begin with inclusivity and empathy. Inclusive internal and external communications allow people to be their authentic selves. If you’re ready to take the first steps toward adopting gender-inclusive language in your internal and external communications, you won’t want to miss this exchange.

This is an E Source exchange. It’s an online conversation where you can share ideas on specific topics with other utility professionals. In this exchange, we’ll bring together utility peers to share strategies and ideas for addressing gender in customer communications.

Potential topics include:

• How to strive for gender-inclusive communications
• Dos and don’ts for communicating with your customers
• Gender-neutral communications in non-English languages

Moderator:

Angelica Pereira, Solution Director, Marketing and Communications, E Source

NOTE: This event has already taken place. See below for recording and event description.

The US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) proposes $369 billion for clean energy and climate programs to reduce emissions and energy costs. The rebates and tax credits in the IRA can support existing utility programs and drive consumer demand for more carbon-friendly actions. The IRA also provides funding for environmental justice initiatives to help disadvantaged communities and those adversely affected by climate change.

Utilities need to understand what’s in the IRA and how it could affect their operations.

The IRA is directing a large amount of funds toward transportation electrification, building electrification, batteries for energy storage, solar programs, energy efficiency, and energy affordability and environmental justice—all E Source areas of expertise. Join the conversation with our experts to explore how this legislation will affect the customer-facing and grid management operations of electric and gas utilities.

You’ll learn:

• Where the funds are directed and how utilities can get access to the money
• What measures are included in high-efficiency rebates for homes and buildings and whether utilities can combine rebate programs with tax credits for high-performance homes and buildings
• What to consider when connecting your program teams with new opportunities for energy-efficient affordable housing, codes and standards technical assistance, and contractor training
• How the tax credits for rooftop solar, EVs, and batteries will affect demand for these technologies, and whether we should expect supply chain pressures and price increases
• What utilities should do to prepare for the increased adoption of EVs, including supplying the required charging infrastructure and managing the grid impacts
• How utilities can leverage increasing demand for EVs in mobility programs as a result of new tax credits
• How the grants available for environmental justice might affect utilities’ equity initiatives

Speakers:

Rachel Reiss Buckley, vice president, Enterprise Strategy and Product Development, E Source

Sam Jaffe, vice president, Battery Storage Solutions, E Source

Bryan Jungers, Director of Mobility, E Source

Jamie Wimberly, senior vice president, Utility Customer Strategy, E Source

NOTE: DEFG is now part of E Source. This event has already taken place. See below for recording and event description.

Download the slides | Quarterly member roundtable (PDF)

Join this quarterly opportunity to share information about your beyond-the-meter (BTM) initiatives and provide updates. Kyle Shoff of Ameren and Rick Charles of First Energy will be providing overviews of their utility BTM programs. Other members are also welcome to provide quick updates.

Questions about this event? Send us a message.

NOTE: DEFG is now part of E Source. This event has already taken place. See below for recording and event description.

Download the slides | Vendor priorities (PDF)

Join us for this special vendor-only session of the Beyond the Meter Working Group. We’ll discuss our vendor members’ priorities for the fourth quarter of 2022.

Questions about this event? Send us a message.

NOTE: This event has already taken place. See below for recording and event description.

Download the slides | Managing the rate impacts of electrifying buildings (PDF)

Utilities are moving forward with building electrification (BE) in ways that match the intensity of state and provincial goals to decarbonize building end uses. But utilities are also finding that their BE efforts can be expensive to manage and often put upward pressure on rates. And without proper consideration, they may not bring about equitable results.

To overcome these challenges, utilities will need to strategically fund their efforts, manage BE program costs, align BE activities with a cost-effective demand-side management portfolio, and plan for the long term.

This is an E Source exchange. It’s an online conversation where you can share ideas on specific topics with other utility professionals. In this exchange, we’ll bring together utility peers to discuss strategies that have helped utilities address challenges related to costs and rates.

This exchange covers:

• Strategically funding BE activities in a way that reduces rate impact
• Managing BE program costs and reaching the right customers
• Aligning BE activities with your demand-side management portfolio
• Planning for the long term in light of increasing costs

Moderator:

Barend Dronkers, Product Strategist, Customer Energy Solutions, E Source

Questions about this event? Send us a message.

NOTE: This event has already taken place. See below for recording and event description.

Download the slides | Recruiting and retaining top contact center talent in a workplace shaped by COVID (PDF)

COVID-19 changed the way many industries operate, including how they hire, train, and retain employees. Workers are reevaluating their lives and prioritizing what’s important to them. At the top of many lists? The ability to work remotely and feel more connected to their job and the organization’s mission. In response, utilities are examining their hiring and retention strategies and adapting to the new expectations set by job seekers.

This is an E Source exchange. It’s an online conversation where you can share ideas on specific topics with other utility professionals. In this exchange, we’ll bring together utility peers to discuss contact center hiring and retention practices and help you get advice on the challenges you face.

Topics include:

• Trends in remote and hybrid work models
• The changing role of the contact center representative
• How to understand the employee experience to create tools that help them be more successful
• How unions affect hiring

Moderators:

Eryc Eyl, Senior Solution Director, Customer Experience, E Source

Laurie Day, Director, Customer Engagement Solutions, E Source

Questions about this event? Send us a message.