Customer-Side Segmentation

1
Customer-Side Segmentation

• Duquesne Light Company
• Roger D. Colton
• April 27, 2000

2
Income Characteristics

• Fixed or variable
• Extremely low as defined in some fashion
• Subject to future increases (SSI, elder)
• Disruption of past income (divorce, death)
• Temporarily disrupted (unemployed)

3
Energy Characteristics

• High heating bill
• High home energy bill
• Ability to control energy bill
• Dominion over energy bill

4
Knowledge Characteristics

• Understanding controlling home energy costs
• Alternatives to high cost choices (RTO)
• Accounting for energy in housing choice
• Available public assistance (EITC?)

5
Skills Characteristics

• Household budget skills
• Household planning skills
• Eliminating crisis management focus
• Soft skills (communication)
• Job training

6
Partnership Characteristics

• Recognize personal responsibility
• Help control usage
• Engages in appropriate communication
• Does not inappropriately game system

7
Special Barriers to Overcome

• Overwhelming crises
• Just stop the DNP syndrome
• You owe me syndrome
• Reticence to take public assistance

8
Customer Segmentation Summary

• Income Characteristics
• Energy Characteristics
• Knowledge Characteristics
• Skills Characteristics
• Partnership Characteristics
• Special Barriers to Overcome
• Not lifestyle choices (live within means)

9
Customer Segmentation Summary

• Income Characteristics
• Energy Characteristics
• Knowledge Characteristics
• Skills Characteristics
• Partnership Characteristics
• Special Barriers to Overcome
• Not lifestyle choices (live within means)

10
For more information

• roger_at_fsconline.com