Sep 21, 2023

image credit: Photo 54799313 © Jakub Gojda | Dreamstime.com Writer, Independent Nevelyn Black is an independent writer with a background in broadcast and a keen interest in renewable energy. In the last few years, she transitioned from celebrity interviews and film shoots... Member since 2017 2 views ‘Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name.’ In today’s marketplace, customers expect the same experience expressed in the theme song for Cheers. After a long day of work, regulars met at Cheers and were well known by patrons and bartenders alike. Their common goals and woes created a sense of community. Personalization, done right, creates the same ‘magic’ for customers who have come to expect this kind of service. ‘It’s no longer a nice touch’ to collect and use data to personalize customer engagement, it is a must-have. It promotes positive touch points and customer loyalty. Companies utilizing artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), digital collectibles/non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and marketing automation to provide personalization acknowledge the benefits of a personal approach. “Chris Barnett, VP of Strategic Consulting at Kobie said, "Digital allows brands to leverage data-driven insights in real-time to power smart apps, creating seamless and timely interactions to keep members engaged wherever they are, online or off,” says Barnett. “Some are even moving into the next phase of digital engagement with Generative AI and NFTs (or blockchain tokens).” Kristen Schrenkeisen, Sr. Strategist Loyalty & CRM,  Bounteous  said, “Make the digital experience EASY to use,” says Schrenkeisen. “Customers crave convenience and experiences that provide solutions to their needs. Digital engagements need to be fast, frictionless, and fun to win brand loyalty.” Companies like Bidgely are leading the way in customer personalization through AI-powered data analytics. The firm was recognized for scaling its personalization consumption insights from homes to small- to medium-sized businesses. “We are honored to again be recognized as a Leader by Guidehouse Insights for enhancing engagement between utilities and their customers with our unrivaled disaggregation technology," said Gautam Aggarwal, Chief Revenue Officer at Bidgely. “As energy consumers shift from static ratepayers to active grid participants, creating strong customer relationships is essential for utilities to deliver a clean, reliable energy grid in the years ahead.” Like Cheers, it's nice to be recognized and as the song goes, we’re always glad they came. How is your utility leveraging data to personalize or improve customer experiences?