1. www.esource.com Monday, January 3, 2014 Credit Features on Utilities Websites and IVRs What Customers Want Sarah Fiebiger Senior Analyst, Market Research Services E Source @ESourceSarah

2. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source What Customers Want On Utility Website & IVRs Results From E Source Residential Customer Service Survey 2 Image courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Image courtesy of adamr / FreeDigitalPhotos.netImage courtesy of adamr / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

3. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source Top 10 Utility Customer Services & Information Features by Channel Website (Desktop/ Laptop) Mobile Website/ App IVR 1. Contact information 2. View your current bill 3. View payment and billing options 4. Check your account balance 5. Manage your online account 6. Report an outage or gas leak 7. View a summary of your account information 8. Pricing options 9. Make a one-time payment 10.View your payment history 1. Contact information 2. View your current bill 3. Report a power outage or gas leak 4. Check your account balance 5. View payment and billing options 6. Manage your online account 7. View a summary of your account information 8. Make a one-time payment 9. View your payment history 10.Access outage or gas leak information specific to your location 1. Reach a live agent 2. Report a power outage or gas leak 3. Your account balance 4. Find out if your payment was received 5. Outage or gas leak information specific to your location 6. Whether and when service will be disconnected 7. Start, stop, or transfer service when moving 8. General updates on outages or gas leak restorations 9. Submit a service order 10.Status of a service order 3 Whats Important to Residential Customers Notes: Results from the E Source Residential Customer Service Survey 2013, a survey of more than 1,000 residential customers in the US and Canada. QuestionsHow important, if at all, is it to you that each of the following types of information be available at your energy provider's full (desktop or laptop) website?, How important, if at all, is it to you that each of the following types of customer services be available at your energy provider's full (desktop or laptop) website?, "How important, if at all, is it to you that each of the following types of information be available at your energy provider's mobile website or mobile app?", "How important, if at all, is it to you that each of the following types of customer services be available at your energy provider's mobile website or mobile app?, How important, if at all, is it to you that you hear an option for each of the following types of information on your energy provider's automated phone menu?, How important, if at all, is it to you that you hear an option for each of the following types of customer services on your energy provider's automated phone menu? The highest-scoring features are shown based on the top-two box score, which is the percentage of residential customers who selected a 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale, where 1 = not at all important and 10 = very important. Respondents were asked to rate the importance of 34 different features. u E Source

4. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source4 What Residential Customers Have Used Top 10 Utility Customer Services & Information Features Residential Customers Have Accessed Website (Desktop/ Laptop) Mobile Website/ App IVR 1. View payment and billing options 2. View your current bill 3. Check your account balance 4. View your payment history 5. Make a one-time payment 6. View a summary of your account information 7. Manage your online account 8. View your energy usage history 9. View contact information 10. View past bills 1. View payment and billing options 2. Check your account balance 3. View your current bill 4. View contact information 5. View your payment history 6. Make a one-time payment 7. View a summary of your account information 8. View your energy usage history 9. View energy-saving tips 10. Manage your online account 1. Make a one-time payment 2. Hear your account balance 3. Hear billing options 4. Report a power outage or gas leak 5. Get extra time to pay your bill 6. Find out if your payment was received 7. Hear the date and amount of the last payment posted 8. Set up recurring monthly payments 9. Set up a payment arrangement to pay off an overdue balance 10. Hear general updates on outages or gas leak restorations Notes: Results from the E Source Residential Customer Service Survey 2013, a survey of more than 1,000 residential customers in the US and Canada. Question"Using the following devices, what have you done on your energy provider's website in the past 12 months? - Mobile device (smartphone or tablet) - Desktop or laptop computer automated phone system. Features that 25 percent or more of respondents selected are shown in the table. Respondents could select from 30 different features. E Source

5. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source Whats on Utility Websites & IVRs? Results From E Source 2013 Utility Website & IVR Benchmarks 5 E Source

6. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source6 What credit/billing & payment features were included? IVR Disconnect Status How to Reconnect Service Payment Arrangements Account Balance Last Payment Received Make a Payment Website (full) Payment Arrangements Payment and Billing Options Account Balance Make a Payment Online Bill Viewing Website (mobile) Payment Arrangements (2011) Account Balance Make a Payment Online Bill Viewing Payment and Billing Options

7. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source7 Key Findings from Highest-Rated IVRs When considering IVRs with the highest usability ratings, we found that: Providing choice, clarity, and ease of use is still important for creating a positive customer experience. Interactive voice response systems (IVRs) with well-executed open-response technology were easier to use than any other type of IVR. Features that took longer to find led to poorer IVR experiences.

8. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source8 Key Findings from Highest-Rated Websites When considering websites with the highest usability ratings, we found that: Mobile-optimized features have higher usability than non- mobile-optimized features accessed from a mobile device. Consumers like large, prominent buttons on the home page that provide easy access for key features Highly rated utilities use bright, bold colors and large text. Consumers dislike cluttered pages with too much text or, conversely, excess white space.

9. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source9 Credit Feature Found On Fewer Than Half of Utility Full & Mobile Websites

10. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source Payment Arrangements Feature Found on More Than Half of Utility IVRs 10

11. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source Usability is Good For Some Credit Features Found on Utility Websites 11

12. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source How to Reconnect Service is Most Usable Feature on Utility IVRs 12

13. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source13 Payment Arrangements Found on 43% of full websites Found on 29% of mobile websites Found on 69% of IVRs

14. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source14 Payment Arrangements (Full Website) Design Considerations Best Practices Use warm, compassionate language to show customers you understand their situation Allow customers to conduct this transaction without having to log in as well as behind login Place the link to make a payment arrangement in a prominent location, such as on the home page, on a secure account page next to the bill due date, or near the payment link Explain the terms of the payment arrangement so customers know what they are signing up for Allow customers to set time restraints when making a payment arrangement Pitfalls to Avoid Hiding the Payment Arrangements option under an unclear heading or in a drop-down subject field on an e-mail form Making the customer submit a request that requires a follow-up from a customer service representative Not explaining the reason a customer is ineligible for a payment arrangement Failing to provide the Payment Arrangements feature on both the public and secure pages of the website

15. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source15 Payment Arrangements (Full Website) Source: Fortis BC

16. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source16 Payment Arrangements (Mobile Site) Design Considerations Best Practices Use warm, compassionate language to show customers you understand their situation Include the customer service phone number on the arrangement or extension page so customers can easily call if they run into problems Provide multiple channels for requesting an arrangement, such as phone, e- mail, and web Allow customers to set up a payment arrangement before the account becomes delinquent Allow customers to conduct this transaction without having to log in to the secure side of the site Pitfalls to Avoid Only allowing customers to complete one task online, such as request an extension but not an arrangement Not explaining the reason a customer is ineligible for a payment arrangement Not including the customer service phone number on the Payment Arrangements page

17. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source17 Payment Arrangements (Mobile Site) Source: San Diego Gas & Electric

18. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source18 Payment Arrangements (IVR) Design Considerations Best Practices Use a descriptive phrase for each Payment Arrangements option, such as "pay your bill in installments" and "to extend your due date" Give customers more than one option for the length of a payment installment plan when automating that task Offer a proposed extension date when automating this task, and explain the consequences of declining the due-date extension offer Include helpful information such as account balance and due date, disconnect status, and available financial assistance Include helpful follow-up options such as to repeat the information, hear payment options, and speak with a CSR Pitfalls to Avoid Labeling a payment extension or payment installments option with a generic phrase, such as "payment arrangements" Failing to provide the requirements for getting an installment plan agreement or a due-date extension Telling customers that they're not eligible for an extension or installment plan without explaining why Not giving customers a chance to confirm their choice to accept or decline a payment installment plan or a new bill due date Hiding payment extension and payment installment plan options from customers who are not yet in arrears

19. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source19 Payment Arrangements (IVR) Source: APS

20. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source20 Questions?

21. www.esource.com || 2014 E Source21 Sarah Fiebiger Senior Analyst, Market Research Services, E Source 303-345-9126 sarah_fiebiger@esource.com For More Information Have a question? Ask our experts: www.esource.com/question