Most Trusted Brand Among Utilities
Fifteen electric utilities are being recognized as Most Trusted Brands among business customers after scoring an average 32 points higher (775) than the overall industry score of 743 (on a 1,000-point maximum scale). These and other findings are part of Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement™: Business, a Cogent Reports™ study by Market Strategies International.
“Brand Trust is essential to the utility industry’s ability to build effective innovation, energy management and environmental programs. Utilities that are perceived as trusted business partners are already more successful at gaining customer support for these programs,” said Chris Oberle, senior vice president at Market Strategies.
The study analyzes more than 50 consumption, environmental, service, digital and rate offerings. Most Trusted Brand utilities have higher usage of these offerings and higher demand for future usage of these programs.
“With so much industry product development being conducted on environmental issues, distributed resources, energy consumption and alternative rates, the time is now to build and maintain strong brand trust levels among business customers,” continued Oberle.
The study, now in its third year, provides brand tracking and benchmark performance of 60 electric utilities among 10,486 utility business customers. The Brand Trust index is based on 35 rating questions that relate to six factors: Customer Focus, Community Support, Reliable Quality, Communications Effectiveness, Environmental Dedication and Company Reputation & Advocacy.
The following are benchmark scores of the 60 electric utilities surveyed. Those achieving top-quartile performance on Brand Trust are designated Most Trusted Brands among business customers.
2017 Brand Trust Benchmark Performance Among Business Customers
Most Trusted Business Partners | Brand Trust Index | |
| Georgia Power | 795 | |
| Los Angeles Department of Water & Power | 793 | |
| MidAmerican Energy | 784 | |
| Con Edison | 782 | |
| Idaho Power | 781 | |
| Alabama Power | 777 | |
| Pacific Power | 777 | |
| Florida Power & Light | 776 | |
| Puget Sound Energy | 774 | |
| Southwestern Electric Power Company | 771 | |
| Ameren Illinois | 768 | |
| Entergy | 765 | |
| PSE&G | 762 | |
| Southern California Edison | 761 | |
| KCP&L | 760 | |
Second Quartile Utilities | Brand Trust Index | |
| Salt River Project | 759 | |
| Duke Energy Florida | 759 | |
| Portland General Electric | 757 | |
| NYSEG | 757 | |
| PG&E | 755 | |
| PPL Electric Utilities | 754 | |
| DTE Energy | 753 | |
| CPS Energy | 753 | |
| Dominion Energy Virginia | 752 | |
| Louisville Gas & Electric | 750 | |
| Xcel Energy- West | 749 | |
| West Penn Power | 748 | |
| SCE&G | 747 | |
| Jersey Central Power & Light | 744 | |
| Rocky Mountain Power | 744 | |
Third Quartile Utilities | Brand Trust Index | |
| Duke Energy Midwest | 742 | |
| Public Service Company of Oklahoma | 741 | |
| NorthWestern Energy | 740 | |
| Consumers Energy | 739 | |
| BGE | 739 | |
| SDG&E | 737 | |
| OG&E | 736 | |
| National Grid | 732 | |
| PECO Energy | 732 | |
| Duke Energy Progress | 731 | |
| ComEd | 730 | |
| Ohio Edison | 730 | |
| Kentucky Utilities | 730 | |
| Xcel Energy – Midwest | 729 | |
| Ameren Missouri | 727 | |
Fourth Quartile Utilities | Brand Trust Index | |
| TECO Tampa Electric | 726 | |
| Gulf Power | 724 | |
| Penelec | 723 | |
| Wisconsin Public Service | 722 | |
| Alliant Energy | 719 | |
| APS | 719 | |
| We Energies | 718 | |
| NV Energy | 716 | |
| Duke Energy Carolinas | 714 | |
| Appalachian Power | 710 | |
| NIPSCO | 708 | |
| PSEG Long Island | 705 | |
| AEP Ohio | 690 | |
| Eversource | 684 | |
| PNM | 659 | |
Scores above 500 indicate a positive level of brand trust | ||
About the Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement: Business Report
Market Strategies conducted surveys among 10,486 business customers of 60 electric utility companies (based on business customer counts). Utilities within the same region are given equal weight in order to balance the influence of each utility’s customers on survey results. Market Strategies will supply the exact wording of any survey question upon request.
About Market Strategies International
Market Strategies International is a leading provider of research and consulting services to utility management, trusted by the world’s most successful organizations to help them thrive. We blend primary research with data from our syndicated, benchmarking and self-funded studies to provide clients with exceptional research insight that helps solve their challenges. Our research specialties include brand, communications, CX, product development and segmentation. Our syndicated products, known as Cogent Reports, help clients understand the market environment, explore industry trends and monitor their brand within the competitive landscape. Founded in 1989, Market Strategies is one of the largest market research firms in the world. Read Market Strategies’ blog at FreshMR, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
