A customer service portal, like the SilverBlaze Customer Portal for Utilities, is a web-based customer-facing system that enables water utility companies to interact with, and serve their customers - while also empowering customers to serve themselves.

The concept of on-demand consumer services has grown exponentially in the last few decades. On-demand TV and movies are entrenched in the home entertainment industry, and online shopping gives consumers the opportunity to purchase whenever, and wherever they are. 

As the demand for resources continues to grow, so does the need for businesses to demonstrate their commitment to conservation and demand management. This is especially true for utility companies. 

Customer experience and customer service are critical to a utility provider’s customer satisfaction and engagement.They are often used interchangeably, but did you know that they are two different things? 

Over the years, customer service portals have proven to have significant benefits for customer-facing businesses in all sectors, including utility providers. 

Improving the customer experience is a growing trend. Even with companies, like many of those in the utility industry, who have little-to-no competition, the customer experience is more important than ever before.

Customer service metrics help you understand just how successful your customer service strategy is. Without them you would have no idea whether the tactics you’re implementing are driving results.

Customer self service portals are constantly adapting to meet the ever-changing needs of the customers using them. Sometimes trends stay the same for years and other times, shifts in technology and customer expectations bring forth the need for new and innovative ideas.

Commodity or differentiated service? Despite utility products traditionally being viewed as commodities, this concept is changing rapidly in recent years. 

It is now considered highly important for the utility industry to develop customer relationships that enable them to become a trusted service or energy provider. It is no longer enough for utilities to be just a number on a piece of paper (or online bill) every month; they need to educate and inform their customers.

Customers are used to receiving a personalized and responsible service in their daily interactions with brands like Amazon and Netflix, which have fundamentally elevated what customers expect from all of their business relationships. It’s because of this that utility providers are putting more effort into improving the customer experience than ever before.