CHARLESTON, S.C. & PORTLAND, Ore., May 31, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- MidAmerican Energy takes top honors for the third consecutive year in the 15th Annual Energy Utility Benchmark Report on Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems, released today (May 31) by IVR Doctors. The 2019 Report compares 100 energy utility automated telephone systems in the U.S. and Canada.
"Gold Stethoscope" recognition was awarded to winners in 13 categories, including Top Overall Company; Top Electric, Gas, and Combination Utility; and Top Canadian Utility, as well as to 14 "balanced companies," whose automated telephone system achieved top quartile ratings in all rating categories.
"What distinguishes this report from others is its simultaneous views of an automated phone system from two perspectives: a caller's experience using it and a company's experience managing it. Our clients prove that success in both areas is not mutually exclusive," said Peter Brandt, IVR Doctors' co-founder.
The Report identifies automated telephone systems that successfully balance company objectives and customer preferences in three key rating categories: functionality, usability, and aesthetics, the major drivers of customer satisfaction and system utilization.
"Over the years, in clients' public presentations, we have seen a strong correlation between overall Top Quartile performance and both positive operational metrics and strong caller satisfaction," said Mark Camack, IVR Doctors' co-founder. "The Report also highlights common design mistakes and demonstrates clearly how those errors can have a negative impact on a company and its customers' experience."
The 100 companies evaluated in the 2019 Report were rated using standards which IVR Doctors can apply to any other company interested in inclusion in the Benchmark. No other consistent set of IVR design characteristics have been in place or proven effective in utility industry automated telephone systems over the 15 years of this Benchmark Report.
The 2019 Report is available online at ivrdoctors.com. As an additional benefit, Report buyers receive a customized teleconference with IVR Doctors, targeted specifically to their company's automated system menus.
2019 "GOLD STETHOSCOPE" RECOGNITION WINNERS
CATEGORY / COMPANY
Top Rated IVR System - Overall
MidAmerican Energy (Des Moines, IA)
Top U.S. Combination Utility
MidAmerican Energy (Des Moines, IA)
Top U.S. Electric Company
Emera Maine (Bangor, ME)
Top U.S. Gas-only Company
SoCalGas (Los Angeles, CA)
Top Municipal Utility
JEA (Jacksonville, FL)
Top Electric Cooperative
LCEC (Lee County Electric Cooperative, North Fort Myers, FL)
Top Canadian Utility
Hydro One (Toronto, Ontario)
Top Canadian Electric Company
Hydro One (Toronto, Ontario)
Top Canadian Combination Company - Honorable mention Manitoba Hydro (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
Top Canadian Gas-only Company - Honorable mention Union Gas (Chatham, Ontario)
Top "Touchtone-only" system
Emera Maine (Bangor, ME)
Top "Press or Say" system
MidAmerican Energy (Des Moines, IA)
Tops in Functionality
LCEC (Lee County Electric Cooperative, North Fort Myers, FL)
Tops in Usability
MidAmerican Energy (Des Moines, IA)
Tops in Aesthetics
Xcel Energy (Minneapolis, MN)
The 14 Top Quartile Winners in all rating categories - "Balanced companies" - are Gold Stethoscope Winners and can be found at: ivrdoctors.com/2019-balanced-companies.
Special Recognition goes to:
Most Improved IVRs 2018-2019: Emera Maine (Bangor, ME),
LCEC (Lee County Electric Cooperative) (North Fort Myers, FL), EPCOR (Edmonton, Alberta), and Nova Scotia Power (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
IVR Doctors, with over 25 years of market research, usability consulting, marketing, and call center management experience, specialize in automated phone system diagnostics and optimization. Their practice, with an energy utility specialty, is not limited to a single industry and covers companies large and small. For more information, visit ivrdoctors.com.
Contact:
Peter Brandt | peter(at)ivrdoctors(dot)com | (843) 849-7856
Mark Camack | mark(at)ivrdoctors(dot)com | (503) 449-5940
SOURCE IVR Doctors
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