In the utility sector, customer experience (CX) has become a primary competitive differentiator. However, a critical disconnect exists between customers who demand seamless interactions and utilities operating under systems that fail to keep pace. This expectation gap is not merely a service challenge; it is an operational red flag.
The gap between customer demands vs. Industry delivery
Despite modernization efforts made by utilities in recent years, data reveals a reality that defines the current global state:
- Autonomy vs. Friction: While 80% of customers prefer self-service, initial interaction channels have critical deficiencies; new service contracts fails almost 50% of the time, eroding customer trust from the start. [1]
- Expectation of Personalization: Although 75% of users expect proactive alerts, the industry faces operational barriers as fewer than half (44%) manage to offer even basic personalized advice to reduce consumption.
- Failure at critical moments: Complaint management is vital for loyalty, yet it fails nearly 60% of the time [3], evidencing that current processes do not respond with the agility the market demands
The labyrinth of operational fragmentation
This reactivity in meeting customer expectations is not a lack of vision, but a direct consequence of the technological fragmentation within utilities’ current digital ecosystem. Most of them operate under a strategy of standalone solutions, which over time has created a patchwork of isolated and heterogeneous applications where critical data resides in disconnected silos. When metering, billing, and customer management information is inconsistent; the result is an inflexible operation prone to error.
In this scenario, employees are disarmed; without a complete customer view, they lack the autonomy to resolve requests during the first contact, generating operational friction that exhausts customers and employees. The current paradox is that, in their eagerness to modernize, many companies add new digital tools on top of disconnected processes. Without a single source of truth, any attempt at personalization or proactivity remains superficial, while billing problems and manual processes continue to erode profitability and customer trust.
Toward a frictionless customer experience driven by integration
The chaos derived from technological fragmentation imposes an invisible cost: if utilities manage the friction of isolated applications and decentralized data, focusing on customer satisfaction will require excessive effort.
What do companies need to offer a superior CX?
According to industry consultants like IDC, the answer lies in transcending the era of isolated systems toward a Customer Experience Management Platform that unifies operations and centralizes information and processes into a single source of truth.
Smartflex emerges as the strategic enabler of this vision, transforming technical complexity into operational agility. Natively integrating the commercial cycle, from metering to billing, it eliminates silos and provides 360-degree customer management. In this ecosystem, the Customer Self-Service (CSS) portal connects directly to the core commercial cycle, allowing users to manage payments, report outages, and enroll in value-added services in real time. This ensures an omnichannel experience where information is always accurate and available 24/7. Thanks to its flexible architecture and rules-based design, the platform allows utilities to:
- Anticipate Needs: Use embedded AI for predictive analytics and proactive alerts, drastically reducing manual inquiries.
- Empower Teams and Users: Employees resolve requirements at the first contact, while customers access a frictionless self-service and digital commerce ecosystem.
- Accelerate Innovation: Launch new products, programs, and business models in days rather than months, surpassing traditional development cycles to evolve at the market pace.
The future belongs to intelligent utilities
Modernizing customer experience is not just a destination, but a continuous process of adaptation and improvement. By adopting Smartflex, a unified platform, utilities gain access to capabilities that empower employees to provide exceptional care and guarantee customer autonomy through frictionless digital processes, features that are indispensable today for winning loyalty. When information flows without barriers and engineering does heavy lifting, utilities can innovate and connect humanly with its market.
References
[1] McKinsey & Company. (2024). Experience-led growth: A new way to create value. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/experience-led-growth-a-new-way-to-create-value
[2] Eurelectric & Accenture. (2025). Power2People: supporting residential customers in their energy transition. https://www.eurelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2025-Eurelectric-consumer-survey-report-03062025-final.pdf
[3] fgem & Citizens Advice. (2025). Energy Consumer Satisfaction Survey – Interim Report of Findings (January 2025). Ofgem. https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-02/Energy%20Consumer%20Satisfaction%20Survey%20-%20Interim%20Report%20of%20Findings%20January%202025.pdf
