Transforming high energy usage outreach with Convey

For customers struggling with high utility bills, energy efficiency programs can provide meaningful support. But even when valuable assistance is available, reaching the customers who need it most can be a challenge.

A leading utility provider in North America was using its High Energy Usage (HEU) program to provide energy efficiency retrofits and home improvements for low-income customers. Yet traditional outreach channels were generating limited enrollment, making it difficult to meet program signup goals and connect eligible customers with available benefits.

The utility needed a more effective way to engage customers and simplify the path to enrollment.

Turning outreach into enrollment with Convey

The HEU program offered essential services to customers facing high utility bills, but traditional outreach was not producing the level of engagement the program needed.

Conversion rates were just 1.6%, and program teams struggled to meet aggregate signup quotas. At the same time, the qualification process created friction for potential participants, while many eligible customers remained unaware of the benefits available to them.

The challenge was not simply reaching customers. It was making it easier for them to take the next step.

Meeting customers where they are

The utility implemented Conversations to introduce proactive text messaging into its outreach strategy.

Text messaging provided a more accessible way to connect with customers and engage them directly about the program. Rather than relying solely on traditional outreach channels, the utility could meet customers where they were already communicating.

The approach helped make the enrollment process more accessible while creating a more direct path from initial outreach to qualification.

A 5x increase in conversion with Convey

The results were immediate. Proactive text messaging increased the program’s conversion rate from 1.6% through traditional channels to 9%, representing more than a fivefold increase.

That improvement helped the utility move more customers through the enrollment process and make greater progress toward its aggregate program signup quotas.

For a program designed to support customers facing high energy costs, improving conversion meant more eligible customers could connect with the assistance available to them.

Making qualification easier for customers

Conversion was only one part of the improvement. The qualification process itself could create friction for potential participants, increasing the likelihood that customers would abandon the process before completing enrollment.

By streamlining qualification through Conversations, the utility reduced customer effort and abandonment rates. A simpler process made it easier for customers to understand what was required and continue moving toward enrollment.

A better experience can drive greater impact

Customer assistance programs are designed to connect people with resources that can make a difference in their lives. But those benefits only reach customers who successfully engage with the program.

For the HEU program, improving outreach and simplifying qualification created a more positive customer experience while helping the utility reach its enrollment goals faster.

The result was a stronger connection between customer engagement and program impact.

From enrollment to community impact

The success of the HEU outreach demonstrates how a more direct and accessible communication approach can help utility programs connect with more customers.

For the leading utility provider, the implementation delivered:

• More than 5x higher conversion: Conversion increased from 1.6% through traditional channels to 9% with proactive text messaging.
• Streamlined qualification: A simpler process reduced customer effort and abandonment.
• Stronger channel engagement: Text messaging provided an accessible way to meet customers where they are.
• Faster progress toward program goals: Higher conversion helped the utility reach program signup quotas faster.

Ultimately, better outreach is about more than improving a conversion rate. For programs focused on helping customers manage high energy costs, it can mean connecting more eligible households with the assistance and improvements they need.

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Frequently asked questions about how Convey can support High Energy Usage programs

What is a High Energy Usage program?

A High Energy Usage program can provide energy efficiency services, retrofits and home improvements to customers experiencing high utility bills. In this case, the program focused on supporting low-income customers.

What challenge was the utility facing?

Traditional outreach channels generated a 1.6% conversion rate, while program teams struggled to meet signup quotas. The qualification process also created friction, and many eligible customers were unaware of the benefits available to them.

How did the utility improve enrollment with Convey?

The utility implemented Conversations and used proactive text messaging to engage customers. This increased conversion from 1.6% to 9%.

How much did conversion improve with Convey?

Conversion increased by more than five times, from 1.6% through traditional channels to 9% with proactive text messaging.

How did the approach improve the customer experience?

The streamlined qualification process reduced customer effort and abandonment, creating a simpler path for customers to engage with the program.

Why does improving enrollment matter for utility assistance programs?

Higher enrollment can help more eligible customers access the services and benefits designed to support them, ultimately increasing the program’s impact in the communities it serves.