New Chartwell report reveals how to design transactional surveys that generate valuable customer feedback

ATLANTA - July 21, 2005 - Many utilities use transactional surveys to gauge satisfaction and improve customer service, but the information derived from customers must be utilized to avoid a futile effort, according Chartwell's recently released report, Transactional Customer Surveys: Listening to the Customer to Improve Service Levels.

Transactional surveys, unlike more general image-based customer satisfaction assessments, allow utilities to capture the customer's impression within a relatively short amount of time following an interaction. Whether it is a call center contact, a visit to the utility's walk-in offices or a scheduled appointment with a field service technician, the customer may be able to provide valuable feedback that can assist utilities in enhancing operations and increasing customer satisfaction. The voice of the customer is of ever-growing importance in this age of customer satisfaction in the utility industry. Transactional Customer Surveys: Listening to the Customer to Improve Service Levels details how utilities listen to their customers and improve services.

Industry experts recommend that utilities keep surveys brief and ask questions to gather feedback that will lead to actionable results, according to the report. Also, allowing customer service representatives (CSRs) to assist in the creation of the questionnaire can lead to a survey that gathers valuable customer responses, advise industry specialists.

Transactional Customer Surveys: Listening to the Customer to Improve Service Levels contains industry analysis and two case studies detailing utility efforts. The report is available to non-Chartwell members for $395, and it is included in Chartwell's Premier and Customer Care Research Series memberships. For information regarding the Customer Care Research Series or Chartwell's Premier membership, contact Bill Grist at (404) 237-9099 or (800) 432-5879. A free table of contents and summary of this report can be downloaded at www.energylibrary.com.

Recently released reports include:

• Web-based Customer Service in the Utility Industry 2005;
• Chartwell's Guide to Bill Presentment and Payment 2005;
• First-Call Resolution in the Utility Industry;
• The Chartwell Customer Care Center Report 2005; and
• CIS (Customer Information System) Installations in North America 2005.