---
title: Utility Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
description: Discover how utilities adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn strategic insights into service resilience, customer response, and crisis management.
---

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# Utility Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

 Exploring the impact and effectiveness of the utility industry’s response to a global crisis

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The utility industry had, and continues to develop, a massive response to COVID-19. But with no road map for managing the customer experience (CX) during a pandemic, utilities have engaged in efforts they believe will provide the most solace for their customers and employees while also balancing economic impacts.

Do customers think these responses are effective? Do residential and business customers view utility COVID-19 programs differently? How have economic  
factors played into the customer-utility experience? Which management efforts and programs were most effective? Which touchpoints achieved customer  
recognition and support?

In this special report, Escalent will address each one of these questions and explore the impact of the pandemic response on utility brand perceptions and the overall customer experience. We will highlight individual utility performance and summarize best practices to give utilities an effective road map for preparing for, reacting to and addressing any potential crises in the future.

Percentage of AUM in DC plans  
• Percentage of compensation from DC plans  
• Number and size of plans managed

Services provided to DC plan sponsors and participants  
• Impact of fee disclosure regulations  
• Number of plan providers typically recommended  
• Number and type of investment options typically recommended  
• QDIA option used most often  
• Target date fund recommendation

## Value

**The report will enable subscribers to:**

**Uncover Unmet Needs**  
Understand what customer needs weren’t met during the pandemic to plan  
for the future

**Benchmark Pandemic Response**  
Benchmark your utility’s COVID-19 response to that of your peers throughout the country

**Measure Impact  
**Measure the impact of COVID-19 utility programs on your brand and customer experience

## Methodology

- 140 electric and natural gas utilities
- Web-based survey of 19,000 residential and 7,000 business customers

## Areas of Inquiry

**Market Overview**

- Economic landscape changes during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Customer perspectives and expectations for utility relationships
- Customer relationship factor changes

**Key Learnings & Market Assessment**

- Customers’ most-valued pandemic responses
- Response success drivers—the touchpoints and programs that worked best to increase CSAT and brand goodwill
- Utility program best practice highlights
- How the pandemic will change customer-utility relationships in the future

**Response Awareness **

- Customer awareness of utility responsiveness to COVID-19
- Specific actions taken by utilities
- Touchpoints utilized for COVID-19 programs
- Communication channels and messaging
- Utility support for public health programs
- Customer support for employee safety measures
- Program support during COVID-19
- Recognition of community support initiatives

**Performance Measurements **

- Benchmark performance (effectiveness of COVID-19 support efforts, financial assistance, outreach and other programs)
- Impacts on overall customer experience, service satisfaction, brand, communication and community support
- Performance by customer demographics
- Customer service channel measurement
- Impacts of specific COVID-19 offerings
- Touchpoint measurements
- Impacts by customer types

## Subscription Details

**Report published in July 2020:**

- Benchmark performance (effectiveness of COVID-19 support efforts, financial assistance, outreach and other programs)
- Impacts on overall customer experience, service satisfaction, brand, communication and community support
- Performance by customer demographics
- Customer service channel measurement
- Impacts of specific COVID-19 offerings
- Touchpoint measurements
- Impacts by customer types

## Investment: $5,000

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