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Pennsylvania’s Price Comparison Tool:
www.PAPowerSwitch.com
Vice Chairman Andrew G. Place
and
Cyndi Page, Senior Communications Specialist
Office of Communications
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
February 22, 2017
2
Overview
• Creating www.PAPowerSwitch.com
• Initial Launch & Marketing of PAPowerSwitch
• Working with Electric Utilities and Suppliers
• Consumer Requests
– Small Business Shopping
– Consumer Needs and Shopping Experience
– Response to “Polar Vortex”
• Updates to PAPowerSwitch
• Marketing PAPowerSwitch
• 20th Anniversary of Electric Choice in Pennsylvania
Creating
• In 2009, the Pennsylvania PUC Commissioners approved to build
and fund a Price Comparison Tool for Electric Shopping.
• PUC hired a State Contractor to build a stand-alone website.
• The building of the website was funded by the PUC.
• Reviewed electric shopping websites of other states.
• Decided that consumers need to have the same experience
shopping for electricity as they do for any other product online.
• PUC would be a neutral party, so not to sway consumers to one
supplier or another.
• Distribution System Operators (DSOs) and Competitive Suppliers
(CSs) would input their own information on PAPowerSwitch.
3
Development of
• Created PAPowerSwitch name, logo and color scheme.
• Decided to let consumers shop by DSO or postal code since not all
consumers know the name of their utility.
• Researched average residential consumer usage of 700 kWh.– Allows consumers to change amount, depending on usage.
• Tested beta website internally and externally.– Co-workers who weren’t involved in electric shopping were asked to demo the beta
site.
– Asked my parents to test the beta website since they were in their late 60s and early
70s to see if they could easily navigate the site and understand shopping.
• Website launched within 6 months – went live in Spring 2010.
• Initial cost: $500,000.
4
Launching website
• In 2010, shopping consisted of Residential & Large Business
shopping.– Residential shoppers could
go to “Shop for Your Home” to
use the price comparison tool.
– Small Business shopping was
added in 2012.
5
Launching website
• Large Business shopping gives consumers the names of the CSs
offering products.– Listing shows name of
CS, address, phone
number and link to their
website.
– Price and usage are
negotiated between the
large business and CS,
so there is no price
comparison tool in this
section of the website.
6
Marketing website
• Worked with DSOs and CSs to have them add offers directly to the
PAPowerSwitch website.
• DSOs sent PUC-approved letters in their utility bill mailings to
announce and promote
shopping and the
PAPowerSwitch website.
• A second postcard mailing
promoting shopping was
sent to consumers by the
DSOs.
• Asked DSOs and CSs to
participate at shopping events.
7
Marketing website
• PUC held Shopping Events across
the state to educate consumers.– Partnered with local TV and newspaper
media.
– Held events in shopping malls to show
how easy it is to shop for electricity.
– Computers at shopping events to demo
the website for consumers.
– Handed out Shopping Fact Sheets for
consumers to take home explaining
shopping.
– Showed consumers how to read their
electric bills to explain that they were
shopping for the generation portion of
their bill.8
• DSOs were given direct access to the website to update their Price
To Compare information two to four times a year.– The Price to Compare is the price per kilowatt-hour a consumer uses to compare
prices and potential savings among CSs.
• CSs have to request a PAPowerSwitch account to update their
information.– The request is reviewed to make sure
their license is active.
– Each CS account representative is
given log in credentials to update
their own account.
– PUC has the right to deactivate
accounts or delete offers.
Accounts
9
• In the beginning, each CS was only allowed one offer per DSO.– As time went on, CSs and consumers requested more offers on the website.
– The PUC decided to
allow 3 offers per
supplier per DSO.
– Allows consumers to
have choices, but not
an overwhelming
number of offers.
– Website links are beside
the offers, so consumers
can easily go to a CS
website to view all offers.
Accounts
10
• CSs tried to gain an edge with the website immediately.– Some used computer coding to insert logos and information without PUC consent.
– CSs figured out how to add spacing or underscores to put their offers at the top of
the list.
• PUC monitors the site, but the CSs would tattle on each other if they
saw something that was wrong and would let the PUC know.
• CSs requested many changes to the website as new products come
on the market.– Examples: Term Lengths, Unlimited Usage, Enrollment Fee and Monthly Fee.
• Website update/change requests are made to PUC staff.
• PUC staff review and evaluate each request.– Looks at cost and feasibility of request and how many CSs ask for the change.
– PUC doesn’t want to hinder the marketplace, so if it’s good for the market, the
request is usually granted.
Accounts
11
• PUC staff make page content updates through the website’s extranet
dashboard.
• PUC staff can
also update or
correct CS or
DSO pricing.
• Website vendor
provides website
maintenance,
hosting and related
services.
Accounts
12
• Consumers also have asked for updates to PAPowerSwitch.
• Consumers asked for
a way to shop for their
small businesses.
• In 2012 the Small Business
section was added.– Mirrored “Shop for Your Home”
section to make it easy to use.
Consumers and
13
• Consumers wanted an easy way to search for complaints.
• In 2015 we added a link to the PUC’s website where consumers can
search for formal complaints on CSs and DSOs.
• Balances consumer needs for information while remaining a neutral
shopping tool.
Consumers and
14
• Consumers also wanted an easy way to file a complaint from the
PAPowerSwitch website – instead of going to the PUC’s website.
• Added a direct link with instructions on how to file an informal
complaint.
Consumers and
15
• Consumers were asking to see the history of the Price to Compare.
• In 2014 we added a Future Pricing tab and a Past Pricing tab to allow
consumers to make informed choices based on pricing from the past
2 years and the
price that was
estimated for
the next
shopping period.
• DSOs update
the past, current
and future prices.
Consumers and
16
Consumers and
17
Consumers and
• Consumers wanted
to purchase
renewable energy
so Filtering options
were added and
the “Learn More
About This Offer”
area expanded so
CSs could
showcase their
renewable energy
products.
18
Consumers and
• Added rollover hovers so consumers can easily see the definitions of
the different price structures so they know what they are purchasing.
19
Consumers and
• Added rollover hovers so consumers can see when the prices are
updated.
20
Consumers and the 2014 Polar Vortex
• The Polar Vortex hit in winter 2014 creating higher prices in the
wholesale energy markets.
• Needed to educate consumers
better on shopping and the
differences between Fixed
and Variable Rates.
• Reviewed the entire site
and made many updates.
• Added pages and fact sheets
to explain rates, especially
Fixed and Variable rates.
• Produced videos.
21
Consumers and the 2014 Polar Vortex
• Highlighted the difference between Fixed and Variable Rates by
color.
• Continued that throughout the website.
22
Consumers and the 2014 Polar Vortex
• Updated the Frequently Asked Questions and Glossary pages to
better define terms and answer questions.
• PUC stated that the terms and conditions
of a variable rate contract had to be
explained specifically in the contract.
• A supplier contract summary
must be given to consumers
to easily see key terms and conditions.
23
Consumers and the 2014 Polar Vortex
• Added a Consumer Alert bar at the top of the homepage to notify
consumers of upcoming changes to shopping and the market.
24
Consumers and the 2014 Polar Vortex
• Created an interactive “Ways to Save” energy page.
25
Consumers and the Shopping Experience
• More and more people shop online, so the PAPowerSwitch
experience should be the same if shopping for electricity or shoes.
26
Consumers and the Shopping Experience
• To keep the shopping experience the
same as online shopping sites,
more sorting options were added
as more products became available.
• There are now 8 options available
compared to 4 when PAPowerSwitch
first launched.
27
Consumers and the Shopping Experience
• Created a new homepage in 2015 so consumers could shop by
postal code and see the different
types of offers available.
• Through Google analytics, we
found that consumers shopped
by postal code more often than
by DSO.
• Consumers want to see the
results immediately.
• To keep website fresh, we
change the house graphic each
season.
28
Updates to
• PUC has committed to investing time and money in PAPowerSwitch
to keep it updated.
• Average cost of website maintenance, weekly email alerts, website
hosting and reporting for PAGasSwitch and PAPowerSwitch is
$9,250 per month.
• As products and trends change we make additions and/or changes to
the website.– Some products were taken off since CSs no longer were offering them.
– Continually review pages to make sure they are up-to-date.
• PAPUC Staffing costs = 1 FTE [Full time equivalent].
• Pavone is the current web-hosting vendor and handles maintenance
and hosting fees.
29
Updates to
• In November 2016, several updates were made to PAPowerSwitch.
• Moved the website to a more secure platform to meet security
standards set by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Office of
Administration.
• Consolidated pages to make
it easier to navigate the
website.
• The site is fully responsive
no matter what kind or size
of device is used to view it.
(Phone / Tablet / Laptop /
Desktop Computer)30
Marketing website
• The Commission uses various media resources to educate the public
and market PAPowerSwitch.
• In 2013, we started marketing on social media.
• Joined Facebook with a PAPowerSwitch page.– Later changed it to Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to cover all areas of our
jurisdiction, including shopping for natural gas on PAGasSwitch.com website.
• Created a Twitter handle: @PA_PUC
• On YouTube, created the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
channel where educational videos are available to consumers.
• Continue with traditional marketing tools of press releases, video
news releases, education fairs, speaking events, radio and television
shows and more.
31
Marketing website
• Consumers can share PAPowerSwitch with friends and family
through Facebook, Twitter or email.
32
Marketing website
• Consumers can sign up for Rate Alerts on
the website.
• Rate Alert emails are sent out each week
that give the latest rates for all CS under
the DSO of the consumer.
33
Marketing website
• PAPowerSwitch
is also available
in Spanish.
34
20th Anniversary of Electric Choice
in Pennsylvania
• December 6, 2016 marked the 20th Anniversary of The Electric
Generation Customer Choice Competition Act of 1996.
• PUC contracted with Pavone for a survey on Electric Shopping and
the PAPowerSwitch website.
35
20th Anniversary of Electric Choice
Survey Results
• Over the last two years, nearly 1.9 million visitors have shopped for
electric supply offers using PAPowerSwitch.
• Almost all respondents (94%) are aware that they have the ability to
shop for their own competitive supplier.
• Of those who know they have the ability to switch competitive
suppliers, four out of 10 consumers state that they have switched
competitive providers.
• Over three-quarters of consumers who have switched electric
providers state that the process of switching was very/extremely
easy. 36
20th Anniversary of Electric Choice
Survey Results
• The largest motivating factor behind switching electric providers is to
lower monthly electricity bills, with the 45 to 64 age group being more
likely to say that reduced costs are primary factors, more so than the
18 to 44 and 65-plus age groups.
• Over half of the respondents who have not switched electric
providers say this is due to them being happy with their current
electric provider, with the 65-plus age group more likely to say that is
a major factor, as compared to the 18 to 44 and 45 to 64 age
groups.
37
20th Anniversary of Electric Choice
Survey Results
• PAPowerSwitch.com is a trusted resource to which respondents turn
for information about CSs, and it will be an educational and helpful
resource in the future when making electric provider decisions. Of
the consumers who visit PAPowerSwitch.com:
– 90% somewhat / strongly agree that the website provides helpful
information.
– 87% are very / extremely satisfied.
– 70% say that the website is very / extremely easy to navigate.
38
Questions?
Cyndi Page
Office of Communications
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
Email: [email protected]
Office Phone: 717-214-5434
39
Vice Chairman Andrew G. Place
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
Email: [email protected]
Office Phone: 717-783-1197