North American utilities are at a pivotal moment. As the energy transition accelerates, utilities across the United States and Canada face mounting pressure to modernize infrastructure, meet ambitious decarbonization goals, and deliver seamless digital experiences to customers—especially those adopting low-carbon technologies like electric vehicles (EVs) and solar panels. Yet, the journey toward digital transformation is uniquely shaped by a complex regulatory landscape, aging infrastructure, extreme weather events, and the diverse needs of customers across vast geographies.
Unlike the relatively unified regulatory environment of some global peers, North American utilities must navigate a patchwork of state, provincial, and federal regulations. This complexity is compounded by the vast scale of the continent, diverse grid conditions, and the need to balance grid modernization with the integration of distributed energy resources. Extreme weather—from wildfires in California to ice storms in Ontario—further underscores the need for resilient, data-driven solutions that can adapt to rapidly changing conditions.
Despite these challenges, the region presents significant opportunities. Government incentives, such as the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, are fueling investments in EV charging infrastructure and renewables. Meanwhile, consumer demand for sustainable solutions is rising, with states like California and provinces like Quebec leading the way in EV adoption and distributed generation.
Utilities in North America are increasingly leveraging digital tools to transform customer engagement and drive energy efficiency. The Oshawa Power pilot in Ontario, for example, demonstrated the power of combining smart meter data, dynamic tariffs, and digital engagement. Through a mobile app, customers could visualize their energy habits, compare usage with neighbors, receive actionable insights, and earn badges for energy-saving achievements. Gamification elements—such as leaderboards and rewards—motivated households to shift usage away from peak periods, resulting in measurable reductions in energy consumption and costs. Digitally engaged participants reduced their electricity consumption twice as much as the average of all participants, highlighting the effectiveness of personalized, interactive digital experiences.
This approach is echoed across the continent. U.S. utilities are piloting dynamic scheduling tools for load checks, integrating real-time data to balance local grid demand, and using digital channels to guide customers through incentive programs and installation requirements. AI-driven contact centers and mobile apps now provide outage notifications, status updates, and personalized energy-saving recommendations, reducing call center volumes and improving customer satisfaction.
The Oshawa Power pilot offers a blueprint for digital customer engagement:
Canadian utilities, in particular, are focusing on accessibility and inclusion, ensuring digital platforms are available in both English and French and are designed to serve diverse populations across vast geographies.
Digital transformation is critical to supporting the adoption of low-carbon technologies. The traditional customer journey for connecting EVs, solar panels, or heat pumps to the grid has often been fragmented and opaque. Utilities are now digitizing and simplifying these processes—replacing manual forms with intuitive digital workflows, offering real-time status updates, and providing digital scheduling for site visits. By unifying customer, asset, and usage data, utilities can personalize communications, predict and manage grid impacts from new connections, and optimize resource allocation.
Integrated digital platforms also empower customers with self-serve analytics, enabling them to track their energy consumption, understand the impact of their choices, and participate in demand response programs. These capabilities not only enhance customer satisfaction but also support grid resilience and decarbonization goals.
As utilities embrace digital transformation, ensuring accessibility and inclusion is paramount. This means designing platforms that are easy to use, transparent, and available to all customers—regardless of language, ability, or digital proficiency. Mobile-first design, multilingual support, and adherence to accessibility standards are essential to reaching and engaging every customer segment.
To succeed in the digital transformation of customer engagement, North American utilities should:
The digital transformation of customer engagement in North American utilities is both a challenge and an opportunity. By learning from successful pilots like Oshawa Power and adapting global best practices to local realities, utilities can deliver seamless, resilient, and customer-centric experiences that drive energy efficiency and support the energy transition. The result: empowered customers, optimized operations, and a future-ready utility sector that leads the way in sustainability and innovation.
Publicis Sapient stands ready to partner with North American utilities on this journey—bringing global expertise, regional insight, and a proven track record in digital business transformation. Connect with our experts to discover how we can help you modernize your customer engagement strategy and unlock new value in a rapidly evolving landscape.