Introduction

The Center for Research & Public Policy (CRPP) is pleased to present the results to a 2003 Customer Satisfaction Study designed to assist Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant (TMLP) in understanding the levels of service satisfaction among customers in its service area.

This report summarizes statistics collected from a telephone survey administered to TMLP customers June 23 through June 28, 2003. This study also tracks results collected from a 2000 benchmark survey of Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant customers for comparison.

The Customer Satisfaction Survey included the following areas for investigation:

Research was conducted primarily between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. weekdays and 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on weekends.

All interviews were conducted from CRPP headquarters, located in Trumbull, Connecticut.

Statistically, a sample of 401 surveys represents a margin for error of + / - 5.0% at a 95% confidence level.

Rating Area Organizations

Customers continue to provide strong overall positive ratings for “their electric company”. Of the 6 organizations rated, such as phone, water and sewer, cable TV, internet provider, and gas – “their electric company” was rated first in overall satisfaction dropping only slightly to 89.0% in 2003 from 91.4% recorded previously in 2000.

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Rating The Electric Utility

When rated on eight company characteristics, customers provided Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant with an overall positive rating of 79.0% in 2003. While still positive, this number is down just slightly from 82.3% recorded previously in 2000.

TMLP continues to enjoy its highest positive rating as a company in the area of “Reliable service” (92.3%), while its lowest positive rating as a company was recorded for “Helping customers conserve electricity” (71.6%).

Respondents indicating a contact with TMLP over the past year provided an overall positive rating of 96.4% for the customer service employee that handled their call or visit. This number is up from 92.9% recorded in 2000.

Impressively, respondents continue to record high satisfaction levels for Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant field representatives. The overall positive rating of 98.5% in 2003 remains consistent with 100.0% satisfaction recorded previously in 2000.

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Deregulation Awareness

There does appear to be some confusion among TMLP customers in the area of electric supply deregulation. Only a small number of respondents, 12.0%, report having a “strong understanding” of electric supply deregulation.

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Awareness of Key Issues

Importantly, ownership awareness among TMLP customers continues to grow in 2003. Three quarters of all respondents, 75.3%, suggest they are aware TMLP is a “Community owned municipal utility”. This number is up from 58.5% who reported the same in 2000.

In addition, the clear majority of respondents, 91.0%, report it is either “very important” or “somewhat important” their electric company is locally owned and operated.

Nearly three quarters of all respondents, 72.6%, report an interest or potential interest in using “Green or Renewable Energy” if it were available to them from Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant. Of those reporting an interest or potential interest in using “Green or Renewable Energy”, 66.2% report a willingness to pay a monthly surcharge for the service .

When asked how important it might be for TMLP to offer three additional products and services, respondents reported the following:

Among those customers (59.1%) who recall receiving TMLP’s newsletter called “LightReading”, the majority, 79.4%, report reading “all” or “at least some” of the newsletter on a regular basis. Among those reading “all” or “at least some” of the newsletter, the clear majority, 95.8%, suggest the newsletter is either “very good” or “good” when it comes to being informative.

More than two thirds of all 2003 respondents, 71.1%, report an awareness that TMLP is an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

When asked how likely they might be use an on-line bill payment method to pay either their electric bill or Internet service bill, less than one fifth of all respondents, 18.5%, reported to be either “very likely” or “somewhat likely”.

However, when asked about the likelihood of using a “drive-up” window to pay their TMLP electric bill, one third of all 2003 respondents, 32.7%, report to be either “very likely” or “somewhat likely”.

Finally, the clear majority of respondents, 93.0%, suggest the 5% discount for prompt payment is either “very important” or “somewhat important” to them and their household.

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