AEP top-ranked company in 2015 J.D. Power utility website study

For the third year in a row, AEP was the top-ranked utility company in overall ease of use of utility websites, according to the J.D. Power 2015 Utility Website Evaluation Study^sm (UWES) released March 19.

The UWES is based on evaluations from more than 14,500 electric and/or gas residential customers, with 5,235 of these customers providing feedback about their online experience using a mobile device. The 66 largest U.S. electric and/or gas companies are included in the study, which was fielded from December 4, 2014, through January 16, 2015. Note: This year’s study was completed before the launch of AEP’s newly redesigned utility sites, so customers were reviewing the old sites.

For the third year in a row, AEP was the top-ranked utility company in overall ease of use of utility websites, according to J.D. Power.

The study, now in its fourth year, was redesigned and this year combined mobile enabled/app and desktop/laptop/tablet (desktop) into one index.

The study explored the usability of utility websites by examining 12 tasks based on the type of utility: set up an online account; account log in; view consumption history; review account information; make a payment; research energy-saving information; update service; report outages; view outages; locate contact information; perform account and profile maintenance; and locate gas leak information.

Of the 66 U.S. electric and natural gas utilities included in the study, 57 of them, including AEP, currently offer an online mobile channel for customers either through a mobile-enabled website or mobile app. However, satisfaction among customers using their utility’s mobile website/app is lower than among those using the website from a desktop (410 vs. 426, respectively). With 12 percent of electric utility residential customers using their mobile device when interacting online with their utility, the underperforming mobile sites and apps lead to lower customer service satisfaction and, ultimately, overall satisfaction.

AEP’s utility company websites are: