All energy companies have an obligation to fit Smart Meters in all their customers’ homes by 2020. But British Gas are leading the way in rolling them out across the UK as well as creating new tools and services around the product that helps their customers understand what they are using, ultimately with the aim of reducing energy consumption. British Gas passionately believes that Smart is the biggest opportunity we have to completely transform the relationship consumers have with energy.
Objective: Raising Awareness & Driving Engagement in Smart Meters
However at the beginning of 2013 there was still a lot of confusion about Smart Meters, what they were, how they worked, and what they do. This was negatively impacting customer take up of Smart Meters so we ran a TTL marketing programme throughout H2 2013 to drive up awareness and understanding, as well as engagement and take up of Smart Meters.
Results: Our multi-channelled marketing approach shifted awareness and understanding of Smart Meters by both British Gas and non-British Gas customers by 7 percentage points.
Working in consultation with a behavioural scientist, Dr Robert Metcalfe, our test and learn direct marketing campaigns changed no-access rates and response rates substantially, achieving highs of 21% response rates. We also changed the way in which we engage customers. By creating personalised reports based on half hourly reads of customers energy consumption, we were able to show customers what they are using by appliance and provide personalised tips on how to save. Explaining the benefits of these half hourly reads and subsequent reports to customers achieved an opt-in to half-hourly reads to 84%.
By the end of 2013 we reached the 1 million milestone. 1million Smart Meters installed across Britain’s homes and businesses – more than any other energy supplier. Even more significantly a survey of customers in October 2013 found that 79% of customers using both the Smart Meter and In-Home Display were more aware of their energy consumption and 9/10 were taking steps to reduce their usage.
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