This post was originally published on EnergySavvy’s website. EnergySavvy is now Uplight.

National Grid USA, part of one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world, wanted to create a more personalized customer experience, beginning with their low-to moderate income (LMI) customers. Like other utilities, National Grid had traditionally experienced high call volumes from their LMI customers. And while the utility had a dozen programs available to help LMI customers, customer service representatives (CSRs) often did not know which programs a customer qualified for, nor which were the best fit.

In 2018, National Grid collaborated with EnergySavvy on a pilot focusing on improving service to the more than 650,000 LMI customers in their Rhode Island and Massachusetts territories. In just 10 weeks, National Grid was able to implement the personalization solution, which included training over 200 CSRs on using the software. EnergySavvy’s personalization platform surfaced ranked recommendations for each customer across all customer touchpoints, ensuring that recommendations are provided to customers whether they called in or received an email.

The results were impressive, with an 200-400% increase in email open rates and an up to 120% increase in enrollment for key programs. CSRs have even raved about the software with one remarking, “I was skeptical to start, but I’ve now enrolled seven extra people in paperless billing this morning that I wouldn’t have otherwise. It helps me know what to talk about with the customer.”

CSRs are even getting positive feedback from customers. One CSR commented, “Customers are really loving it. I am having customers say, ‘You are so amazing and thank you for giving me this information.’”

Chief Customer Officer of National Grid, Terence Sobolewski, said “A personalized customer experience is a required capability for National Grid as we move forward […] Not only do our customers expect it, but also it is a key enabler to achieving our other corporate objectives, from operational expense management to the introduction and growth of innovative new services and programs. To succeed, personalization must be comprehensive, and that is the solution EnergySavvy is providing us.”

Based on the pilot success, National Grid is expanding the personalization solution beyond their 650,000 LMI customers to reach more than 2 million customers in Massachusetts and Rhode Island this spring.