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In 2019 the PGE Group, as a large and stable seller, has gained new customers. At the end of 2019, the number of customers of PGE Obrót was larger by almost 62 thousand in comparison to the year prior.
Number of customers in 2019 and 2018
| Tariff | Number of customers according to power take-off points * | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2018 | change | |
| A tariff group | 169 | 153 | 16 |
| B tariff group | 12,708 | 11,718 | 990 |
| C+R tariff groups | 450,126 | 447,081 | 3,045 |
| G tariff group | 4,869,622 | 4,812,012 | 57,610 |
| TOTAL | 5,332,625 | 5,270,964 | 91,852 |
*Data related to PGE Obrót S.A.
The PGE Group places great emphasis on the quality of customer relations. Management policy and standards have been developed and implemented in this area, including: Code of Good Practice for Distribution System Operators, Service Quality Book, and Customer Service Procedures. These documents regulate the course of all processes related to sales, after-sales as well as connections and other technical matters. In order to ensure the highest quality of service, compliance with them is regularly monitored and reported. Companies also have procedures for accepting and processing customer applications. Matters subject to complaint are analyzed and are often used to change procedures, which allows for constant improvement of the standards of services offered.
We are consistently developing our offering in order to meet our clients’ growing requirements. We combine sales of electricity with additional services offered in cooperation with external partners. PGE strives to be an innovative company that treats its Customer’s needs in a complex manner and takes care for business effectiveness and efficiency. We are oriented on seeking and identifying new revenue sources and strengthening our position in the market.
PGE Obrót S.A. continues to sell an offering for households entitled “Future without malfunctions”. It is a package solution combining electricity sales with additional services, developed in co-operation with the TUW Mutual Insurance Company (TUW PZUW) business partner. In this offer, in addition to electricity, customers can choose an additional option that guarantees the help of specialists such as an electrician, heating and gas equipment technician, plumber, locksmith, glazier, roofer, IT specialist, or household appliance service technician. The offer includes three packages with the help of professionals: basic, extended or comprehensive.
In 2020, PGE Obrót became involved in the creation of the mobile platform and application Fachowcy (Professionals) connecting customers with service providers. Via the free platform, you can find companies that provide various services, and these can win new orders this way. The emergence of Professionals is the result of a large, constant interest in the above-mentioned „Future without failure” offer. The launch of the platform is also part of the social campaign conducted by PGE under the slogan „Polish – I’m buying it!”, the aim of which is to encourage Poles to choose Polish products and use domestic service providers.
More and more companies are committed to environmental responsibility. The constantly growing popularity of the „Naturally that energy” offer shows that one of the answers to customer needs is to develop a green direction. We care for the environment ourselves and give our customers the opportunity to choose products of this nature.
A novelty in the offer for companies is the Lerta Energy Intelligence system – an offer addressed to building managers who are interested in improving energy efficiency. The offer applies to a wide group of construction, office, industrial and public utility facilities.
Benefits of using the Lerta Energy Intelligence System:
How it works?
Modern software – available from any browser or smartphone – allows you to monitor consumption and costs, manage the property with accuracy to individual rooms and divide costs.
Measuring and actuating devices (wireless air conditioning controllers, thermostatic heads, on / off switches or integration with existing BMS systems / machines) – thanks to wireless devices it is possible to read data from any utility meters. Intelligent controls help to optimally control radiators and air conditioners.
Artificial intelligence – modern algorithms predict and optimize consumption taking into account many factors, e.g. weather forecast, prices, thermal profile of devices and the number of people using the rooms.
Our offering „Naturally, it’s energy” covers the sale of electricity produced from renewable sources. This product is dedicated to business clients focused on eco-friendly activities. Clients receive guarantees of origin, i.e. electronic documents confirming that the specified quantity of electricity was produced from renewable sources. Guarantees of origin are an element of corporate social responsibility and sustainable development.
Photovoltaics are becoming increasingly popular. In 2019, we launched the „ECOlogically into the future” offer. The new offer has been prepared for the owners of single-family houses who decide to install photovoltaic panels. The package includes advice and assistance in implementing the best solution tailored to the individual needs of a household, as well as promotional conditions for the settlement of electricity consumption.
The „ECOlogically in the future” package is not only the possibility of introducing produced but unused electricity into the grid, allowing it to be collected in 80 or 70 percent. in accordance with the provisions of the Act, but also a free technical audit, an individual offer with a valuation, support in the field of available forms of investment financing and delivery of the highest quality devices.
The sale, delivery and installation of photovoltaic modules are carried out in cooperation with external partners, companies professionally dealing with comprehensive service of such investments, using the highest quality components that ensure a long service life of the installation, confirmed by a Polish warranty with service.
“We create products and develop our business with the changing needs of customers in mind, taking into account the evolution of the entire energy market. This time we have prepared an offer that will please every house owner. Own, renewable energy source, which is a photovoltaic installation, means not only lower electricity bills, but also concern for the environment and, above all, long-term safety, because the estimated period of efficiency of the installation is up to 30 years „- says Mr Robert Choma, President of the Management Board of PGE Obrót .
PGE Obrót’s offer „Naturally that energy” promotes an environmentally friendly method of obtaining electricity. Its buyers join the elite group of ecological customers for whom taking care of the natural environment is an important aspect of their business.
In 2020, the company will provide customers with over 1 600 GWh of energy produced from renewable sources. This is as much as energy consumed by 800 thousand households in Poland during the year. The volume of purchased eco energy grows every year. In 2016, customers contracted 18 GWh of energy under this offer, in 2017 it was already 200 GWh, in 2018 – 300 GWh, and in 2019 more than 500 GWh of energy from renewable sources.
Currently, PGE’s proposal „Naturally that energy” is used by, inter alia, Pepsi Polska, LG Chem Energy, companies from the Can Pack Group, entities belonging to the Cemex group, a giant in the field of building materials, or companies belonging to Pilkington Polska, a company producing glass for the automotive industry.
“More and more companies are committed to environmental responsibility. The constantly growing popularity of the „Naturally that energy” offer shows that one of the answers to customer needs is to develop a green direction. We take care of the environment ourselves and give our customers the opportunity to choose products of this nature ”- Robert Choma, President of the Management Board of PGE Obrót
The majority of the PGE Obrót branches, up to 78%, are equipped with wheelchair ramps and are located on the ground floor. In addition, people who have problems with access to stationary facilities can use remote channels, which are constan- tly improved and developed. The employees of the 12 largest customer service offices of PGE Obrót are able to serve clients in sign language. Based on their own experience, they have developed case studies that appear most frequently in their professional practice. All the PGE Obrót stationary service outlets also have magnifiers for the elderly and visually impaired. Thanks to this, customers can freely and independently read the documents, analyzing the content of the offer or contract.
Examples of actions designed to help seniors in 2019.
Senioralia – the PGE employees in Kielce educated the elderly how to identify dishonest electricity sellers.
International Senior Fair – experts of the PGE Obrót branch in Skarżysko-Kamienna taught seniors how to read the invoice correctly, annex or conclude a contract, and what to do if you sign an unfavorable contract with another seller. Several thousand seniors took part in the Fair.
OK Senior Certificate – PGE Obrót received the „OK Senior” certificate. The stationary PGE Obrót Customer Service Centers were examined. PGE introduces various types of facilities and conveniences for the elderly, such as magnifiers or other helpful equipment.
In December 2019, PGE Obrót launched a mobile Customer Service Office (CSO). A special vehicle adapted to service activities will visit places where there are no stationary service offices. Thanks to qualified advisers, clients can solve all issues related to electricity and gas in the mobile office.
Due to the restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic, the activity of the mobile Customer Service Office was suspended in the second quarter of 2020, but from the end of June the car went on tour again. Similarly to stationary service points, the mobile Customer Service Office also operates in a sanitary restriction regime, and the service takes place while maintaining all safety and hygiene measures:
PGE Obrót S.A.’s customers, depending on individual preferences and habits, can use traditional service channels and remote channels, such as eBOK or the PGE Hotline. Since 2018, a sales channel – the PGE eShop trade platform, has been operating. The platform is functioning in the marketplace model: PGE Obrót S.A. does not act as the seller, but provides space for Business Partners who can offer their products or services for PGE Obrót S.A.’s Customers.
Already in 2020, due to the SARS-COV-2 coronavirus pandemic, for a certain period of time remote service channels were the only way to communicate with customers due to the temporary closure of customer service points – in just a month the number of cases carried out by e-mail and telephone increased several times : 50 000 e-mails were handled, over 130 000 calls were received from customers and 14 000 contracts were accepted for execution in a remote process.
Our market and competitive environments are constantly changing. Our customers and their needs are also changing. The PGE Group wants not only to keep up with the changes, but also to predict and create them. In order to better understand the customers’ changing expectations, the PGE Group’s companies are continuously conducting related studies.
For seven years, PGE Obrót has regularly conducted multi-dimensional monitoring of customer satisfaction. The company puts the most emphasis on aspects rela- ted to customer service in PGE Obrót’s Customer Service Offices and in its Contact Center. Despite many challenges brought by all energy sellers last year, the CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index) remained at a high level among both G tariff and C1 tariff customers.
Satisfaction surveys have shown that PGE Obrót is the leader in the industry, noting the highest rates of overall satisfaction with contact, both in Customer Service Offices and on the hotline.
Customer Satisfaction Index
Clients in tariff G
Clients in tariff C1
Source: „Badanie satysfakcji klientów po kontakcie z BOK i Contact Center” iAnswer, BrainLab.
The sale of electricity always goes hand in hand with ensuring comfort of delivery, which is why for five years PGE Dystrybucja has been simultaneously monitoring customer satisfaction with services rendered. The connection process and contact with the energy emergency are subject to analysis. PGE Dystrybucja also tracks satisfaction with the visits of electricians. Since the beginning of the measurements, the NPS recommendation rate of the services of PGE electricians has been characterized by a stable upward trend.
Recommendation rate (NPS) for electrician services offered by PGE Dystrybucja
Source: „Customer satisfaction survey with an electrician’s visit” 2019, 4P Research Mix
In the connection process, the internal operational data of PGE Dystrybucja were confirmed by the results of tests indicating an increase in satisfaction with the shortening of the average time of connection completion (the average declarative time of the connection process lasted about 6 months).
The NPS indicator for this process remains high and currently stands at 41 points (on a scale from -100 to +100). The involvement of employees in explaining the content of documents that the customer is obliged to submit to provide the service is also very highly rated.
Recommendation rate (NPS) for PGE Dystrybucja connection services over the years
Source: „Customer satisfaction survey with the connection process” 2019, 4P Research Mix
Also all branches and companies of PGE Energia Ciepła perform similar monitoring. In 2019, as in previous years, a survey was carried out on the satisfaction and preferences of current and potential clients of the company in the area of heating and additional services. The Overall Customer Satisfaction Index (OCS) reached 89 percent among institutional clients, and 80 percent among individual clients. Developers were very satisfied with the cooperation with PGE Energia Ciepła – the indicator for these markets is 20 percent better than for the markets surveyed in 2018. The satisfaction level of architects and designers, i.e. those who consider network heat when designing future energy solutions for constructed buildings, is at a similar high level. In total, in 2019, the survey covered over 1 600 individual clients, a similar number of institutional clients and a group of 70-80 developers and designers.
The study showed a very high loyalty of existing customers towards the service, as well as a high willingness to recommend, both in the area of heating and hot water supplied to buildings.
