EnergyTech Awards: Spotlight on Customer Experience and Digital Engagement in Utilities

In today’s rapidly evolving energy and utilities sector, customer experience (CX) has become a defining factor for success. Utilities are navigating a landscape shaped by regulatory pressures, rising consumer expectations, and the urgent need to modernize aging infrastructure. In this context, digital engagement is not just a competitive advantage—it’s a necessity. The Global EnergyTech Awards, established by Publicis Sapient, celebrate the innovators and disruptors who are redefining what’s possible in customer-centric digital platforms for utilities and energy companies.

The ‘Best Customer Experience Solution’ Category: Recognizing Excellence

The ‘Best Customer Experience Solution’ category at the Global EnergyTech Awards honors organizations that are delighting customers with transformative digital solutions. These solutions go beyond reliable service, delivering seamless, personalized, and engaging experiences that foster loyalty and operational efficiency. Each year, the awards attract a diverse array of startups and innovators from around the world, all united by a passion for digitally transforming the energy sector for the benefit of customers, businesses, and the planet.

Recent Award Winners: Pioneering the Future of Utility CX

In 2023, the award for Best Customer Experience Solution was presented to Precision AI (US). Precision AI’s mission is to accelerate artificial intelligence-based farming practices, leveraging advanced drones and custom-built AI technology to enable hyper-personalized crop management. While rooted in agriculture, the solution’s core principles—using data and AI to deliver tailored, actionable insights—are directly relevant to utilities seeking to enhance customer engagement and operational efficiency. By integrating AI-driven decision-making into everyday processes, Precision AI exemplifies how digital innovation can transform the customer journey, making it more responsive, efficient, and valuable.

Previous years have seen a range of customer-focused innovations recognized, from mobile-first platforms that empower field workers and customers to capture and share data, to digital solutions that simplify complex processes like electric vehicle charging and energy management. These award-winning solutions demonstrate the power of digital platforms to create new value for both utilities and their customers.

Trends Shaping Customer-Centric Digital Platforms in Utilities

1. Data-Driven Personalization

Today’s energy consumers expect utilities to anticipate their needs and deliver proactive, relevant communications. Leading utilities are leveraging advanced data analytics and AI to:

Predict consumption patterns and offer tailored energy-saving tips
Provide real-time outage notifications and personalized billing insights
Enable self-service platforms for account management and support

2. Gamification for Engagement and Loyalty

Gamification is increasingly being used to drive customer engagement and encourage sustainable behaviors. By incorporating elements such as rewards, challenges, and progress tracking into digital platforms, utilities can:

Motivate customers to reduce energy usage
Foster participation in demand response programs
Build long-term loyalty through positive, interactive experiences

3. Seamless Omnichannel Journeys

Customers interact with utilities across multiple touchpoints—web, mobile, call centers, and in-person. The most successful digital engagement strategies ensure a consistent, integrated experience across all channels, making it easy for customers to get the information and support they need, when and how they want it.

4. AI and Automation for Operational Efficiency

AI-powered chatbots, virtual assistants, and automated workflows are streamlining customer service, reducing response times, and freeing up human agents to focus on more complex issues. Utilities are also using AI to optimize asset performance, predict outages, and deliver more reliable service.

Publicis Sapient: Leading the Way in Customer Experience Design for Utilities

With over 30 years of experience in digital business transformation, Publicis Sapient partners with utilities and energy companies to reimagine customer journeys and deliver measurable value. Our holistic approach combines strategy, data analytics, technology, and experience design to:

Build integrated digital platforms for self-service, billing, and outage management
Leverage data and AI to deliver proactive, personalized customer experiences
Reconnect brand and customer through distinctive, differentiated interactions
Implement gamification strategies that drive engagement and loyalty

Our track record includes industry recognition for excellence in digital engagement, as well as award-winning work with leading utilities and energy providers. By breaking down silos and building connections across the value chain, we help our clients unlock new revenue streams, boost operational efficiency, and achieve their sustainability goals.

The Impact: Real-World Results

Utilities that embrace digital transformation and customer-centric innovation are seeing tangible benefits:

Increased customer satisfaction and loyalty
Reduced operational costs through automation and self-service
Improved regulatory compliance and reporting
Enhanced ability to support the energy transition and decarbonization

For example, Publicis Sapient has partnered with global energy corporations to develop integrated platforms that provide a single view of energy consumption and emissions data, empowering end-users with self-serve analytics and driving measurable improvements in efficiency and sustainability.

Join the Movement: What’s Next for Utility Customer Experience?

The Global EnergyTech Awards continue to inspire and recognize the innovators who are shaping the future of customer experience in utilities. As digital technologies evolve, the opportunities to engage, empower, and delight customers will only grow. Publicis Sapient remains committed to partnering with utilities to lead this transformation—delivering the strategies, platforms, and experiences that customers truly value.

Ready to modernize your digital engagement strategy? Connect with our experts to discover how Publicis Sapient can help you unlock the next wave of customer experience excellence in utilities.