ATLANTA – Data from a nationwide survey of 307 small businesses reveals that utilities may be ignoring a potential gold mine.
Despite their reputation as a tough-to-crack market, small businesses are interested in buying utility-offered products and services. While some products or services didn’t generate much interest among small business owners, more than half – 54.4% – say they would consider purchasing green power from their utility; and almost half – 49.2% – say they would consider purchasing telecom services such as Internet, phone and mobile communications from their utility. In fact, for many product categories, small businesses tend to prefer to use a single service provider if possible, reveals Chartwell’s latest report, The Small Business Market for Utility Products and Services. That’s just one reason utilities should forge ahead with energy efficiency, energy management, power quality and other related products and services aimed at small business customers.
Should utilities launch an account rep program to build relationships with small business customers? Respondents to Chartwell’s survey say that’s not necessary; they rank the importance of a personal utility account rep as low, the report says.
The Small Business Market for Utility Products and Services is available from Chartwell for $250 and includes the 43-page report that analyzes the survey data and features six in-depth case studies of utilities’ forays into the small business market; buyers also are afforded access to the full Excel file of the 307 survey respondents’ demographics and responses.
The Small Business Market for Utility Products and Services is part of The Chartwell Utility Marketing Research Series, an ongoing information service that provides utility case studies; topical analysis and research centered around specific products or services in the utility and energy services marketplace; and a database of 70 utilities and the products and services they offer.
For more information about the ongoing Research Series, the Report on The Small Business Market for Utility Products and Services, or the products/services database, please call (800) 432-5879, or (404) 237-9099.
Press contact: Jennifer Quay Allen (404) 237-9099.
