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For utility customers, outage communications can shape the entire experience of an outage. Clear, timely updates help customers understand what is happening, plan around an interruption and know what to expect during restoration.
In late 2022, a large utility in the Southern U.S. serving three million customers identified four key areas of its outage communications process that needed improvement.
The goal was straightforward: create a more consistent, reliable way to communicate with customers before, during and after an outage.
The utility struggled to send timely ad hoc messages to customers affected by urgent outages.
Outdated and manual processes created delays that sometimes resulted in a complete failure to communicate within the necessary timeframe. When customers did not receive information when they needed it, those delays eroded trust and reflected negatively on the utility’s brand.
The utility needed to improve its outage restoration messaging so customers could receive consistent and reliable communications throughout an event.
Convey implemented a solution that enabled the utility to send continuous proactive communications before, during and after each event.
The approach used:
Bringing these communications together gave the utility a more consistent way to manage messaging throughout the outage experience.
The utility also streamlined its template library, reducing it from more than 100 templates to 25. Instead of maintaining a large collection of disconnected messages, the utility developed single-voice, on-brand messaging that could be used across channels.
The new templates were designed to work in both automated systems and for manual use during outages. The utility also streamlined channel communications into a single file creation process, reducing the complexity involved in launching messages.
The deployment process became simple:
1. Select recipients
2. Select templates
3. Launch campaigns
By reducing the number of steps required to deploy communications, the utility could respond more efficiently when outage messaging was needed.
The improvements made a measurable difference. Within nine months of partnering with Convey, the utility increased customer reach by 72% and reduced message cycle times by 82%.
The streamlined process also improved customer and employee satisfaction, creating efficiencies for internal teams while helping more customers receive timely outage information.
The improvements became especially valuable when a large hurricane hit the utility’s customers in 2025. Because the utility had already streamlined its outage communications process, it was prepared to deliver proactive communications during the event.
The result was award-winning outage communications, culminating in a 2024 Gold outage communications award.
For customers, the value of timely information was clear.
“It was timely and good to have this information prior to the storm’s arrival. I could plan to know how long it might take if the power went out.”
The utility’s work demonstrates how improving the processes behind outage communications can have a direct impact on the customer experience.
By simplifying templates, creating consistent messaging across channels and reducing the steps required to launch campaigns, the utility created a more scalable approach to outage communications.
The results included:
The goal was not simply to send more messages. It was to make outage communications more consistent, timely and reliable for both customers and the teams responsible for delivering them.
When an outage or major storm occurs, customers need information they can count on. A streamlined communication process helps utilities deliver that experience at scale.
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The utility struggled to send timely ad hoc messages to customers affected by urgent outages. Outdated and manual processes caused delays and sometimes resulted in a complete failure to communicate within the necessary timeframe.
Convey implemented a solution that enabled continuous proactive communications before, during and after events using outbound voice calls, SMS and MMS message flows, and email.
The utility reduced its template library from more than 100 templates to 25, creating a more streamlined and consistent approach to outage messaging.
The utility streamlined channel communications into a single file creation process. Teams could select recipients, select a template and launch the campaign in three simple steps.
The utility increased customer reach by 72% within nine months.
Message cycle times were reduced by 82%.
Yes. The streamlined process improved both customer and employee satisfaction by creating greater efficiency and simplifying the work required to deploy outage communications.
The utility had already implemented the improved communications process, including proactive messaging across voice, SMS, MMS and email. When a large hurricane hit its customers in 2025, the utility was prepared with proactive outage communications.
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