5.4 ERMUSR 05-10-2022UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
TO:FROM:
ERMU Commission Tony Mauren – Executive Administrative Manager
MEETING DATE: AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
May 10,2022 5.4
SUBJECT:
Customer Satisfaction Survey
ACTION REQUESTED:
Receive the Customer Satisfaction SurveyReport –Q1 – 2022
BACKGROUND:
In December of 2019 the Commission voted to replace the customer satisfaction survey
component of the Utilities Performance Metric and Incentive Compensation (UPMIC) scorecard
due to low response rates. As ERMU places a high valueon customer feedback, staff researched
and pursued alternative approaches to track satisfaction with consideration for returning this
metric to the UPMIC scorecard.
In December of 2021, ERMU entered a contract with Q Market Research to survey ERMU’s
residential customers, seeking to measure overall satisfaction with services and programs. The
survey also focused on several key areas including reliability, value, ease of doing business,
quality, customer concerns, and communications. Q Market Research was contracted to
distribute two rounds of 1,000 surveys in 2022, each consisting of 500 emails and 500 letters.
DISCUSSION:
On March 4,the survey was sent to 1000 customers, and a total of 87 responses were received.
For comparison, ERMU received 136 responses from all customers in 2019. Key findings in this
round were that satisfactionis generally high andthat ERMU gets a “Good” scorein the net
promoter category, which shows how likely a customer istorecommend our services. There
were also high marks forcommunity involvement, communication experiences, and value.
Q Market Research will be distributing the second round of surveysto 1,000 different
customersin September 2022. It will be a multiyear project to reach all residential customers.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
$3,000 for each distribution and analysis of surveys, a budgeted item.
ATTACHMENTS:
Customer Satisfaction SurveyReport – Q1 – 2022
______________________________________________________________________________
Page 1 of 1
93
Elk River Municipal Utilities
Customer Satisfaction Survey
Quarter 1 - 2022
tƩĻƦğƩĻķ ŅƚƩʹ
Quarter 1, 2022
tƩĻƦğƩĻķ ĬǤʹ
www.qmarketresearch.com
1
94
9ƌƉ wźǝĻƩ aǒƓźĭźƦğƌ
ƷźƌźƷźĻƭ
/ǒƭƷƚƒĻƩ {ğƷźƭŅğĭƷźƚƓ {ǒƩǝĻǤ vǒğƩƷĻƩ ЊͲ ЋЉЋЋ
Background
Elk River Municipal Utilities (ERMU) is seeking to obtain feedback from their residential customers to
measure overall levels of satisfaction with services and programs provided, as well as capture needs and
perceptions regarding communication satisfaction and community involvement. As part of this study,
Elk River Municipal Utilities will focus on these key areas:
1.Net Promoter Score (likely to recommend)
2.ERMU as a utility provider overall
3.Reliability of the utility services received from ERMU
4.Ease of doing business with ERMU
5.
6.ERMUefficiency rebate programs
7.ERMU
8.ERMU to be involved in the community
9.Overall satisfaction with ERMU staff
10.Overall value for the money with ERMU
11.Preferred contact methods with ERMU
12.Customer demographics
Survey Methodology
The survey was sent to a total of 1,000 ERMU customers. Of them, 500 ERMU customers received a mail
survey. This list of randomly selected customers was provided by ERMU. The mailed survey provided a
postage-paid, return envelope addressed to Q Market Research. The survey also contained a web link
and QR code to allow the respondent to complete the survey on a computer or mobile device. An email
invite was also sent to 500 ERMU customers to complete the same survey from their computer or
mobile device.
No incentives were offered for participation.
2
95
Data Collection
The Q1 2022 survey included 500 mailed surveys to ERMU customers and 500 emailed surveys to ERMU
customers. Both mail and email surveys were sent on March 4, 2022, and data collection was closed on
March 31, 2022. 29 mail responses were received, and 58 email responses were received. In total, 87
responses were received (mail and email), at an overall 8.7% response rate (and are statistically valid at
a 95% confidence level to within +/- 10.8%). This is considered a somewhat low response rate for this
type of survey. Data collection is summarized below:
Medium Sent Returned Response rate
Email 500 58 11.6%
Mail 500 29 5.8%
Total 1000 87 8.7%
3
96
Executive Summary
Key Finding 1: Overall satisfaction with ERMU is generally high.
ERMU gets a 6 out of 7 by customers for reliability and ease of doing business, both high scores. The
rating is 5.9 out of 7 (similarly high). The lowest score among the
satisfaction ratings is 5.4 for the efficiency rebate programs.
Key Finding 2: The Net Promoter Score in Q1 2022 for ERMU is 42.5, which is in the
good.
ERMUQ1 2022 NPS score was 42.5good (which is a score of 0-50). Based on
customer comments in this report, the Q1 2022 score was strong because customers say service is
reliable and employees are friendly and helpful. The score does not
and above in part because some customers voiced dissatisfaction with rates and fees. Details in the
report.
Key Finding 3: ERMU gets strong grades for involvement in the community.
Respondents rated ERMU 8.2 out of 10 for its efforts to be involved in the community.
Key Finding 4: The communications experience with ERMU is highly positive.
Overall, customers rated communications with ERMU through customer service staff at 8.2 out of 10,
which is high. While customer service staff were characterized as prompt and helpful, several
respondents mentioned that some staff were not friendly. Yet in another overall measure of all staff
(not just customer service staff), respondents rated their satisfaction as 8.8, even higher than they rated
customer service staff. The customer newsletter is highly relied on by customers for information about
ERMU.
Key Finding 5: Value for the money was lower than other scores, but still high on an
absolute basis.
While there were an equal number of comments about rates being reasonable vs. rates being too high,
overall, s
still high on a 1 to 10 rating scale in absolute terms.
Demographics are included at the end of the report.
All verbatims are included at the end of the report, organized by question.
A list of customers who want to be contacted by ERMU is provided separately.
4
97
Detailed Findings
Satisfaction Indicators
Reliability of ERMUEase of doing business with ERMU
satisfaction measures, at 6.0 out of a possible 1 to 7 score, where 7 is completely satisfied. A close
second was satisfaction with ERMU overall, at 6.9. These are high scores. The lowest satisfaction
The factors measured were:
1.Ease of doing business with ERMU
2.Reliability of the power, water and other services you receive from ERMU
3.efforts to be environmentally friendly
4.
5.ERMU as my utility provider overall
The graph below shows the values for Q1 2022.
Satisfaction with ERMU
(1 is completely dissatisfied; 7 is completely satisfied)
Q1, 2022
The ease of doing business with ERMU
6.0
The reliability of the power, water and other services
6.0
ERMU's efforts to be environmentally friendly
5.7
ERMU's efficiency rebate programs
5.4
ERMU as my utility provider overall
5.9
Q1, 2022
5
98
Verbatims on Overall Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction
Respondents were then asked, ŷǤ ķźķ Ǥƚǒ ŭźǝĻ ǒƭ ƷŷĻƭĻ ƭğƷźƭŅğĭƷźƚƓ ƩğƷźƓŭƭ Respondents answered
with both positive and negative comments. Some Q1 2022 common responses include:
Number Issue Positive or Typical Response
of Negative
Responses
32 No problems, issues Positive We've had no problems. Always get power on
taken care of quickly, right away if there's an outage Communication is
excellent service good
Outages are quickly resolved, and info is clearly
communicated to users.
Haven't had any issues. The bill has lots of info
and the newsletter is helpful.
14 Expensive, fees, Negative Have not been with company very long. One
rebates should be major complaint I have it the extra fee they charge
higher for people with lower credit score. Doesn't seem
fair when the customer has no other alternatives
for service providers. This forces customers to pay
a ridiculous fee that they can't control. If I had a
choice, I would have gone with someone else just
on this fee.
I have been with this utility company since I
moved here some 40 years ago. I've always found
them easy to work with. At this point in time my
only complaint would be in the area solar energy
and any real good discounts. I think this would
definitely be the way to move in the future.
I've been a customer for many years. Please keep
the price as low as possible. You could start giving
seniors a discount based on income.
All responses are recorded at the end of the report.
6
99
Net Promoter Score
Respondents were asked: IƚǞ ƌźƉĻƌǤ źƭ źƷ ƷŷğƷ Ǥƚǒ Ǟƚǒƌķ ƩĻĭƚƒƒĻƓķ 9wa
ğƭ ğ ǒƷźƌźƷǤ ƦƩƚǝźķĻƩͲ ĻǝĻƓ
Ʒŷƚǒŭŷ ǞĻ ğƩĻ ƷŷĻ ƚƓƌǤ ƌƚĭğƌ ĻƌĻĭƷƩźĭ ğƓķ ǞğƷĻƩ ǒƷźƌźƷǤͪUsing the results from the question,the Net
Promoter Score was calculated. Scores can range from -100 to +100. A score of 0 to 49.9 is considered
good and a score of 50 or above is considered excellent.
The NPS for ERMUfor Quarter1, 2022 is 42.5, in the range.
ERMU NPS SCORES
Q1 2022
42.5
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Q1, 2022
ERM U
The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is calculated by taking the percent of those who respond that are the
most satisfied (rated a 9 or 10, or promoters) and subtracting the percent of those whoare the least
satisfied (rated a 0 to 6, or detractors). TThe NPS is a
widely used benchmark.
7
100
Verbatims on Why NPS Score is Given
Respondents were asked why they gave ERMU a particular NPS score (promoter or detractor). A
significant majority of the responses (21 of 30) were positive about staff and service. Their full responses
for Q1 2022 are at the end of the report, but common responses were:
Number Issue Positive or Typical Response
of Negative
Responses
21 No problems, Positive
satisfied
5 Only choice, Negative or
monopoly Neutral
other
4 Expensive, could Negative
treat customers cheaper power regardless of if it is "green"
better power. Buy power from Coal fired power plants
and keep our costs down. everything else costs
enough. electricity shouldn't be so damn
All verbatims for this question are at the end of the report.
8
101
Efforts to be involved in the community
Respondents to the survey were asked:
where 1 is low involvement and 10 is high involvement. The number of customers giving each score is
shown in the chart, below. The average score for this measure is 8.1.
Rating ERMU's Efforts to Be Involved
in Community
Q1, 2022
(1 is low involvement and 10 is high involvement)
28
13
12
66
2
1
00
12345678910
0
9
102
Communication Experience with ERMU Past 12 Months
The communications experience is rated very high
36% of respondents (29) say they have communicated with ERMU in the past 12 months.
If customers had interacted, they were asked to rate their satisfaction with the interaction on a scale of
1 to 10, where 10 is satisfied and 1 is dissatisfied. Their responses are shown in the chart below. The
average interaction score in Q1 2022 was 8.2
Rating of Satisfaction with ERMU Interaction
1 = Dissatisfied and 10 = Satisfied
Q1, 2022
20
15
15
10
53
2222
11
00
0
12345678910
Number Giving This Response
Verbatims on Interaction with ERMU
Respondents were asked to describe their interaction with ERMU. The written responses were evenly
split between a positive and negative experience.
Number Issue Positive or Typical Response
of Negative
Responses
7 Service is prompt and Positive
helpful
6 Staff unfriendly, not Negative
good information on
power restoration When a power outage occurred, they weren't
timetable very helpful and willing to share when they
think power might be restored, very grumpy
on the phone as well.
10
103
ERMU customer newsletter is the preferred method of communication
How would you like ERMU to communicate with you? Check your top 3
From the chart below, the customer newsletter is the most preferred way, almost double any other
choice. Other preferred ways are by the ERMU website, local newspaper and text (not currently
available).
Preferred Method of Communication from ERMU
Q1, 2022
Customer newsletter
62%
ERMU website
33%
Local newspaper
25%
Text (not currently available)
23%
Social media
14%
Live chat (not currently available)
11%
Percent of Respondents
Social media mentions:
Facebook, 5 mentions
Instagram, 1 mention
Other mentions:
Email, 9 mentions
Mail, 2 mentions
Bill message insert, 1 mention
11
104
Level of Satisfaction with ERMU Staff
10 is high satisfaction and 1 is low satisfaction. Their responses are shown in the chart below. The
average staff satisfaction score in Q1 2022 was 8.8.
Rating of Satisfaction with ERMU's Staff
1 = low satisfaction and 10 = high satisfaction
Q1, 2022
45
40
40
35
30
25
20
15
11
7
10
5
3
5
111
00
0
12345678910
Number Giving This Response
Satisfaction with ERMU Staff
Respondents were asked why they gave this staff satisfaction rating. There were almost three times as
many compliments as complaints.
Number Issue Positive or Typical Response
of Negative
Responses
11 Staff were helpful and Positive
positive
That one-time lighting strike, the guys came
out and actually attached my meter back to
the house. Cause the siding guys didn't. Was
great of them to do that
4 I did not have a good Negative
experience with staff
paid one bill twice. No response
back the tree
12
105
where 10 is high value
and 1 is low value. Their responses are shown in the chart below. The average value score in Q1 2022
was 7.7.
Rating of ERMU's Value for the Money
1 = low value and 10 = high value
Q1, 2022
23
25
20
15
15
12
9
10
5
4
3
5
2
00
0
12345678910
Number Giving This Response
Respondents were asked why they gave this rating for value for the money. The written responses were
evenly split between a positive and negative experience.
Number Issue Positive or Typical Response
of Negative
Responses
8 Rates too high Negative
No off-peak, rebate programs are a joke,
power purchase contracts are a joke, keep the
costs down instead of worrying about "green"
6 Rates are reasonable Positive
Several respondents said they had no idea what the market rates is or how to compare rates.
13
106
Demographics
Age: 8 in 10 respondents were over the age of 50
The chartbelow breaks downthepercentages of respondents to the surveyby agein Q12022. Thehigh
response rate of customers over 50is typical for utility respondents, with lower responses among
younger customers.
RESPONDENT'S AGES
ERMU Q1 2022
18-34, 4%
35-49, 17%
65+, 42%
50-64, 37%
14
107
ERMU Q1 2022 Actual Survey
END OF Q1 2022 REPORT
108