For a long time a monopoly sector, the opening of the energy market to competition in 2007 saw new players enter the market to offer alternatives to consumers. However, 10 years later in 2017, 50% of French people were still unaware that they could change their electricity and gas supplier.
According to Jean Gaubert, the national energy ombudsman, this is partly due to a lack of communication about the opening up to competition, as was the case for DTT for example.
In 2017, 1 in 2 French people were still unaware that they could change energy supplier.1
Yet energy is a major concern for French consumers, with more than two thirds of them believing that energy bills represent a significant proportion of their expenditure. Whether it's customers who are considering switching for the first time or those who have switched before, price is the number one reason for switching.
How Tawkr helps you communicate
In 2018, only 2 out of 10 French people left the historical supplier.2 emerging players in the energy sector have many opportunities to seize!
Tawkr's role is to bridge the gap between energy companies and consumers, running campaigns to activate your brand or sales and lead generation to achieve your goals and attract new customers.
Tawkr helps you firstly to educate consumers about their right to switch suppliers and to enquire about their current level of satisfaction, for example. Issues can include quality of service, availability of customer service and of course the cost of the service itself.
For many potential customers, the first contact with the brand is likely to be with a representative, so it is important to make a good first contact and leave a positive impression. Some prospects may change their mind or need more time, so a positive impression of a brand gives you a head start on the competition.
Tawkr has a network of passionate brand representatives who will have positive conversations with your prospects and help you get new business and qualified leads, as well as raising awareness of your brand.
Why face-to-face for the energy sector?
In the digital age, it may seem paradoxical to base your approach on face-to-face contact - yet consumer attitudes are positive towards brands that communicate face-to-face with their customers, and this trend is only getting stronger over time.
This is especially true for the energy sector. Consumers are now more demanding about the quality of customer service and have higher expectations that brands need to be sensitive to.
For contractual and billing issues, 60% of consumers still prefer to talk directly to an advisor rather than enquire on the internet. 2
Tawkr is experiencing this growing appetite for face-to-face interaction, with more and more brands turning to this method of marketing. Furthermore, our approach is different to what brands have experienced in the past. As the energy market has evolved, so has direct marketing.
Customer retention in the energy sector
While energy companies can attract new customers to the market, it is also important to be able to retain the customer base. Having excellent customer service is crucial - your employees need to know how to handle conflicts, communicate with customers and provide the best possible service.
Quality of customer service is the second most important reason given by consumers who have switched energy suppliers at least once. 2
Just as for new customers, companies can rely on a combination of online services and in-store or telephone advisors, customer retention requires multiple communication channels to meet the different needs and preferences of consumers.
Regularly surveying your customers' satisfaction and their expectations and recommendations is a great way to find out where your service can improve or innovate, in order to constantly meet customer expectations.
Read our case study
To find out more about how Tawkr works with energy suppliers, please read our dedicated case study