A new report provides actionable takeaways to help energy industry stakeholders align programs with the needs and wants of consumers, small businesses

Electricity providers are widely regarded as trusted authorities by residential and small business customers, and this strong foundation presents a valuable opportunity to deepen the customer relationship and drive greater participation in energy programs, according to a new report from the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC).

According to the “2025 State of the Consumer” report, a meta-analysis of SECC’s 2024 research agenda, artificial intelligence (AI) in particular has the potential to help electricity providers offer more personalized options to their customers and position themselves as innovative, customer-centric leaders in a rapidly evolving energy landscape.

In 2024, SECC’s research agenda included two major studies – “Modern Energy Messaging: Transactions to Relationships” and “Understanding the SMB Landscape: New Needs and Concerns” – plus four Smart Energy Snapshot Surveys. Last year, the Snapshot Surveys covered price sensitivity around electric vehicles, interest in AI services from electricity providers, the needs of Spanish-speaking households, and consumer interest in winter demand response.

The latest version of SECC’s “State of the Consumer” report – which is released to the industry each year in Q1 – begins with an overview of the key findings and takeaways from SECC’s 2024 surveys. The second half of the report expounds upon the three themes on the utility-customer relationship that emerged from this research:

1. Electricity providers have a solid foundation on which to build strong customer relationships.
2. While interest in energy programs is high, motivating consumers to act can be a complex endeavor.
3. To deepen their customer relationships, electricity providers should explore how to leverage AI.

Member organizations can download the new report here, and it is available to the media on request. A half-hour Research Brief Webinar covering the report’s key takeaways will be held in the first half of April. More information will be available shortly.