JD Power: Satisfaction Rebounds for Gas Utility Companies

Customer satisfaction among commercial businesses with their gas utilities improved from 2013, driven by increases in proactive communication, according to the JD Power 2014 Gas Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study.

Now in its ninth year, the study measures customer satisfaction among business customers with their gas utility company in four regions. Each of the 54 utilities included in the study serve at least 25,000 business customers, or 3.5 million in total. Overall satisfaction is measured by examining six factors: billing and payment; corporate citizenship; price; communications; customer service; and field service.

East Region: Washington Gas ranks highest in overall satisfaction in the East region with a score of 705, followed by PECO with 694 and Con Edison with 693.

Midwest Region: MidAmerican Energy (712) ranks highest for a second consecutive year. Following in the rankings are Xcel Energy-Midwest (698) and Laclede Gas (697).

South Region: Oklahoma Natural Gas (737) ranks highest among gas utilities in the South region for the first time. South Carolina Electric & Gas (731) ranks second, followed by Texas Gas Service (714).

West Region: Southern California Gas Company ranks highest in satisfaction for a second consecutive year in the West region, with a score of 722. Following in the regional rankings are NW Natural (710) and Questar Gas is tied with Southwest Gas (705).

Key Findings:

• Overall satisfaction among gas utility business customers averages 687 (on a 1,000-point scale), a 30-point improvement from 657 in 2013. Satisfaction improves in each of the six factors year over year, with the greatest increase in price (+36 points), followed by corporate citizenship (+33) and communications (+31).
• Proactive communication via channels that gas business customers prefer drives satisfaction. On average, the number of proactive customer contacts - such as an in-person visit, telephone call or email from a utility representative - has increased to 3.1 from 2.7 during the past six months.
• Preferred customer service channels include communication from their utility by email (30%); from their assigned account representative (30%); or by calling a business services center phone number (16%).

The 2014 Gas Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study is based on responses from more than 9,500 online interviews with business customers who spend at least $200 monthly on gas. The study was fielded from May through July 2013 and October through December 2013.