The importance of Community.

What does community mean to us? Here at E.ON Next we know we’re strongest when we work together. That’s why we’ve built our own dedicated Community. This encompasses Energy Specialists, E.ON Next customers, and anyone with an interest in all things energy. With social media being a marketing must-have nowadays, you may be wondering, is it worth adding another platform by investing in a dedicated community for your business? The answer - absolutely yes.

Hosting our own Community has allowed us to put all our energy into one space by quite literally creating a forum dedicated to energy. Our customers can easily access specialised advice on a wide range of related topics - helping to resolve queries quickly and reduce customer service demand. Plus, we can get a deeper insight into the challenges and developments faced by our industry, and most importantly our customers, to identify and improve pinch points for a smoother customer experience.

What is the E.ON Next Community?

Simply put, our Community is a public forum for all things energy. Our dedicated Community Co-ordinators curate user generated content to provide a safe and helpful environment for members and visitors alike. Plus, it’s not just E.ON Next customers that can join - anyone can get involved. Not only does this encourage a range of fresh perspectives but it provides accessible energy support for everyone.?

And with such a dynamic space, our Community is a fantastic forum for finding support. Visitors can benefit from the collective knowledge and expertise of our Community Co-ordinators and members on an ever evolving range of topics. After all, if you have a question, there’s a good chance you weren’t the first. A quick search on our Community will usually reveal a range of solutions that have already been tried and tested by other members. Still haven’t found the answer? Simply make a new post and one of our Community heroes is sure to guide you to the answer you need.

It is not just customer service queries that are featured in our Community. There are so many ways to get involved; from sharing favourite tips and tricks to engaging in topical discussions on the latest energy news. We’ve been amazed by the varied display of energy saving efforts shared by our members - helping us all to find new ways to save. Plus, the enthusiasm for discourse on building a sustainable future is a great way to get inspired, and shows that change really can start at home.?

How can a Community improve customer service?

At E.ON Next, we believe our Community provides another opportunity to deliver outstanding customer service. That’s why all our Community Coordinators are fully trained Energy Specialists, equipped to handle complex customer queries through the direct messaging service on the forums.

However, cultivating an active Community adds even more value than simply being another route of contact for customers. Not only can Community members share their own expertise and advice to help find fast solutions to highly specific issues, but all our Community threads remain open for viewing even after a query is resolved. This means that with every engagement we are growing our knowledge base, putting even more answers at our users fingertips.?

In this area, a forum approach is unlike typical customer service methods, which are largely conducted through private interactions with customers. Whilst some queries require this level of privacy as they handle sensitive and personal data, this isn’t always the case. We’re certain every company has a shortlist of general enquiries they get asked about every day, perhaps hundreds of times.?

Why not simply create FAQs?

Many customers will begin their journey by searching online, so FAQs are a great way to redirect common customer queries. However, they tend to be an overview of topics that don't account for the nuanced variations found in real customer enquiries.?

By creating a public forum no information is ever lost, meaning every variation of a question is retained along with its solution. Plus, as the content is user generated, it is less resource intensive than expanding the FAQs. This saves time for the customer, the customer service team, and the digital team - providing a much more in depth and tailored experience than a traditional FAQ.

Working together benefits us all, and hosting our Community couldn’t be a better demonstration. At E.ON Next, we are proud to have nurtured such an active and supportive group of energy enthusiasts. We value every voice and look forward to shaping the future of the E.ON Next Community together.

Interested in connecting with a helpful, friendly energy community? Join the conversation now.