FIRST UTILITY
The Big Six he is referring to , of course , are the major players in the UK ’ s energy market including British Gas and EDF . So what does Wilkins think sets First Utility apart from these giants ? From a business perspective , he says , it is the technology platform . “ The economics of our technology platform is far superior because it ’ s more modern and with that comes cost advantage . Also , it follows that it is much more agile , much more nimble . Agile technical platforms enable agile businesses .”
My Energy The customer-facing My Energy platform , which was introduced in 2014 , is another critical differentiator . It enables customers to understand their energy use in a way that can actually lead to savings . Wilkins says : “ It shows you things like how you ’ re consuming energy versus people in your neighbourhood . Whether you ’ re more efficient or less efficient . It shows you how you might want to save energy through energysaving calculators . It customises hints and tips for you . It shows you how your bill will change over the next six months based on your individual tariffs and individual consumption levels .”
It provides our customers tailored information that typically leads to a five percent reduction in energy use of those who sign up for it . Great for the customer and the planet – but also great for First Utility , as it is a popular tool . “ It ’ s very clear from our analytics that the more time people spend on our digital platforms , the longer they stay with us and the happier they are with our service . Many companies would look at investing in something like My Energy , which is completely outside of the required for what you need to operate in the energy space , as a luxury , maybe not an appropriate use of investment . Actually , it ’ s turned out to be as we believed it would be : a very good business investment .”
In 2015 , video meter reading
60 September 2016