Utility Cooperative – Brand Management and Legislative Issues
A large utility cooperative wanted to:
- measure brand awareness and identity among community residents and customers,
- determine positioning in relation to its local competitors,
- measure customer satisfaction
- measure rural residents’ reactions to utility franchise fee proposals.
Using a stratified telephone survey methodology, Saurage Research interviewed customers and non-customers about all of the above to establish a customer value analysis.
RESULTS: With findings from In the Attitude, Awareness and Usage (AAU) study and customer satisfaction research results, Saurage Research revealed consumer misperceptions associated with the utility’s problem-resolution pathways. A new advertising campaign was structured to help residents better understand the utility franchise fee proposal and its impact on utility costs. Additionally, a diverse marketing program was implemented using advertising and public relations tools to strengthen its brand positioning which had slipped as a result of deregulation activities in the market.