Methods and Practices: Getting the Right Customer Analytics

This IDC Energy Insights report is intended to give business and IT decision makers the tools to evaluate a strategy for analytics with a focus on the customer. Major utilities are still at the stage evaluating how, when, where, and whether to deploy analytics. They are asking whether it makes sense to invest in the technology to support analytics or whether the business can get what it needs from existing applications and business intelligence tools. IDC provides a review of customer analytics currently available to utilities and guidance on where analytics can provide value to utilities in the areas of marketing, product development, customer service, and revenue assurance.

"Winning support for analytics requires the same level of effort as with other foundational architecture investments — asking the right questions, involving all levels of personnel, and socializing the benefits of technology," according to Jill Feblowitz, vice president, IDC Energy Insights. "Analytics to support revenue assurance bring immediate value, and analytics are core to demand response planning. Planning for the future, utilities can use the cloud to experiment with analytics applied data stored in business applications and available through social media."