PPL Electric Utilities Partners with Energy Insights to Get Closer to Customers.

Online Survey Panel is Quicker and More Cost Effective than Traditional Research Methods, Utility Says

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- Energy Insights, an IDC Company, announced today the launch and implementation of its Rapid Response Survey Panel service with Allentown, PA-based PPL Electric Utilities (PPL EU). Working with the utility, Energy Insights recruited 674 of PPL EU's residential customers to participate in customized, online surveys one or two times per month.

"The power of this survey panel is that it enables us to frequently reach out to a significant sample of our customers to get their feedback on issues where we want customer input quickly," says Don Frazier, Marketing Research Manager for PPL Electric Utilities. "It has the potential to validate or change our position on key business initiatives, depending on the panel's response," he continues.

"We are excited to be working with PPL EU to provide a unique program that connects them more closely with their customers' opinions and preferences," states Ingrid Rohmund, Practice Director of Energy Insights' Customer Strategies program and lead analyst on the project. "For example, the survey panel enables them to gauge customer interest in new programs and services before going to market, or assess their opinions about issues such as energy efficiency, pricing options, or communication initiatives."

Survey Methodology

Energy Insights has recruited prospective panel members from a random customer list provided by PPL Electric Utilities, and is responsible for ongoing maintenance of the panel, including incentive management and fulfillment. Efforts were made to balance the panel by region and age of the panelist. PPL EU queries panel members as often as desired on any number of topics. All panel communications are branded with PPL EU's identity. Customers have the option to withdraw from the panel at any time.

Energy Insights tracks both aggregate response rates and individual panelist's response (or non-response) histories to assist in evaluating the integrity of the panel. At the end of 12 months, panel members can either renew for another year or withdraw from the panel, to be replaced with new recruits.

"We're very pleased with the preliminary survey responses, and especially with the quality and speed with which they've been delivered," says Frazier. "PPL Electric Utilities is a twelve time winner of the J.D. Power and Associates Award for Customer Satisfaction, and this panel enables us to be even more connected to our customers, something the entire company cares deeply about," he says.

About Energy Insights

Energy Insights, an IDC company, provides research-based advisory and consulting services focused on market and technology developments impacting the global energy industry. Staffed by senior analysts with decades of industry-specific business and technology experience, Energy Insights' research spans the full energy value chain - upstream, wholesale, delivery, and retail - for electricity, natural gas, and oil markets. More information about Energy Insights can be found at www.energy-insights.com. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company.