Customer Engagement Interest Group

Peak load management only works if we get customers to engage fully and at the scale needed to move the needle. The PLMA Customer Engagement Interest Group will address key areas of customer engagement for demand response programs. The group is focused on best practices to drive customer action (residential, commercial/industrial, and irrigation) and educate on offerings, whether technology-based, behavior change, dynamic rates, etc.

Specifically, the group will focus on the following key areas:

• Customer experience;
• Customer journey;
• Taking programs to scale;
• Personas;
• Holistic approaches;
• Targeted messaging; and
• Customer satisfaction.

This Customer Engagement Interest Group will produce DR webinar and pre-conference workshops, attracting papers and presentations from utilities, trade allies, and consultants actively involved in the DR topics highlighted above. The group co-chairs are Scott Jarman, Austin Energy; Tracy Schmidt, Tennessee Valley Authority; Vanessa Richter, Oracle Utilities; and Diana Sefcik, Orange and Rockland.

Group Leadership 

Upcoming Activities

Burning Topics in Customer Engagement (Members Only)
Thursday, August 20, 12:30 to 1:30 pm EST
PLMA's Customer Engagement Interest Group invites you to join an interactive conversation about today's most important and impactful DR issues. This session will be an unscripted question and answer discussion in which we'll share experiences, successes, and lessons learned across a spectrum of customer engagement programs. Please bring a story or an example with you to discuss with the group co-chairs and your fellow PLMA member practitioners. 

Click Here to Learn More and Register

Archived Activities

Utility Programs that Help Families in COVID-19 Quarantine, July 2
Diana Sefcik led the online conversation that explored some of the utility programs now in place to help families through COVID-19 quarantine, including managing energy bills while coping with the challenges of educating and entertaining children and others at home.  This conversation was for members only, and you must be signed in to access the recording. Click here to view the recording now.

Customer Engagement Interest Group Discussion, March 26
Behavioral Demand Response Programs with Scott Jarman, Austin Energy; Tom Hines, Arizona Public Service; Leigh Jarosinski, Baltimore Gas and Electric Company; and Julie Cain, CPS Energy, Thursday, March 26, 2020, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Eastern. View the March 26 Recording.

Customer Engagement Interest Group Pre-Conference Meeting
Presented November 4, 2019 before the 40^th PLMA Conference in St. Petersburg, FL
See 40^th PLMA Resources for presentation links

Using Marketplaces to Drive Demand Response Adoption and Participation
with Scott Jarman, Austin Energy; Nicholas Lovier, Ameren Missouri; Kristen Kadetsky, Uplight; and Doug Kraft, Franklin Energy Services
Presented Thursday, October 31, 2019
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE RECORDING

Customer Engagement Interest Group Pre-Conference Meeting
Presented May 13, 2019 before the 39^th PLMA Conference in Minneapolis, MN
See 39^th PLMA Resources for presentation links

Customer Engagement Interest Group Pre-Conference Meeting
Presented Nov. 15, 2018 before the 38^th PLMA Conference in Austin, TX
See 38^th PLMA Resources for presentation links

Customer Engagement Interest Group Pre-Conference Meeting
Presented April 16, 2018 before the 37^th PLMA Conference in Coronado, CA
See 37^th PLMA Resources for presentation links

Pre-Conference meeting at the 36^th PLMA Conference in Cambridge, Mass. Nov. 13, 2017.
See agenda with presentation links.

Women in DM & Customer Engagement Joint Discussion: Journey to Understanding the Customer Experience
CLICK HERE to learn more and register and listen to the free recording

Founding Meeting, November 7, 2016, Delray Beach, Florida
The Group had its initial kickoff meeting during the pre-conference interest group meetings at the 34th PLMA Conference.

PLMA Interest Group membership is restricted to representatives from PLMA member organizations, but any organization is welcome to join PLMA. To add your name to this list and receive Group Communications, email [email protected] .