What Consumers Want From Their Utility Bill
A simple, well-designed bill is among the most effective, low-effort ways for utilities to improve the customer experience.
With limited opportunities for interaction, bills are essential for communication and engagement. Stronger customer engagement can drive program adoption, reduce call volume, and boost satisfaction. Utilities are also motivated to modernize bill design for better brand alignment, to personalize communications, and to reduce paper usage.
But good design isn't a guessing game. It starts with understanding what customers notice, value, and struggle with on their bills. To ground these findings in a true customer perspective, we surveyed utility customers about their bill experiences and preferences. Here's how we did it.
About the Survey:
The survey was written and conducted by KUBRA using an online platform. Respondents were sampled randomly, and the survey received 1,014 responses. To qualify for the survey, respondents had to be United States residents over the age of 18 and self-identified as the person responsible for paying household bills. Key demographics such as age, gender, income level, and state of residence were tracked to ensure that survey responses did not skew and to provide a broad overview of the United States population. The survey was completed with a 3.4% margin of error.
Key Findings:
- Email dominates delivery, but multi-channel has become the baseline, underscoring the continued need for omni-channel delivery.
- Consumers spend little time reviewing their bills, so a clear layout and hierarchy are essential for quickly communicating key information.
- Unexpected charges are the top negative experience, highlighting the importance of greater bill transparency.
- Understanding usage is a common challenge for consumers, making clear explanations essential.
- On-bill messages are read, confirming the bill itself as a high-value communication channel.