Misconceptions Customer Engagement in the Water Industry
Getting marketing, engagement and messaging right in the water industry is not an easy task. Especially when it comes to running projects that rely on community uptake like retrofitting rainwater capture devices to domestic properties.
Perhaps because the UK water industry is unlike most others. Find out why we think an independent voice is essential to drive change, support innovation, and crucially change public perceptions in this blog post.
What sets the water industry apart?
- The industry is considered a natural monopoly, with limited competition in the domestic market.
- The UK is one of the only democratic countries to have a privatised water supply.
- Water, a human-right and vital to life, has essentially been commoditised. And for this reason, is understandably a highly charged and emotive topic.
So, what does this all mean for marketing, engagement and messaging? And how does this impact attitudes and perceptions of those in the industry?
Misconception 1: Perceptions Towards Digital Engagement
"Digital engagement doesn't work". We have heard this more than once from industry professionals.
This might be oversimplifying it, but if digital engagement doesn't work, then why do we have thriving online e-commerce markets with the likes of Amazon, Gymshark, and Netflix.
It's not just product-based businesses or even limited to profit focused organisations thriving online:
- Octopus energy disrupted the entire energy sector, scaling rapidly and delivering an outstanding service to customers, supported by their online strategy.
- The British Heart foundation have a comprehensive online strategy, driving donations and awareness
Why should the water industry be any different?
When implemented well and tailored to the specific audience in terms of messaging and where they hang out online, digital engagement is an essential piece of your toolkit to drive project success.
With the power to unite, inspire and drive action.
Something desperately needed in the water industry, whether it is to ensure project uptake or change behaviours like sewer misuse and water consumption.
Misconception 2: Measuring the Wrong Metrics
(but we can help you get them right)
"Explains in detail about our award-winning service, tailored to achieve your goals and meet compliance."
This is met with an enthusiastic response but then the dreaded question...
BUT, what's your sign-up rate?
Too often, we get this question. (Perhaps we need to work on communicating around this and are open to suggestions!)
It is not that we don't want to disclose a sign-up rate or trying to keep it a secret.
It's just that a 'sign-up rate' doesn't, really tell as anything, it might not even be related to achieving project goals and most likely; it is the wrong metric to heavily focus on.
Whilst we absolutely track campaign performance, KPIs are specific to the project and client goals at hand.
And these goals are most likely related to: roof area disconnected, attenuation and/or slowing the flow of water.
1, 100, or 1000 properties might be needed to achieve this - all worked out using our optimised modelling and in-house expertise. We then identify the area size needed to drive these results in the desired area.
So, although sign-ups are indeed measured, and we track expressions of interest (which exceed supply, in some cases by 200%), and countless other factors through our platform, this looks very different from project to project.
Why?
Because the variation in: challenges, property types, interventions & demographics
Which then impacts: project objectives, space requirements, downpipe availability, overall recommendations
With first-hand experience delivering this on the ground, we understand the challenges and have discovered that something seemingly simple is highly nuanced.
And we'd like to pose the question, what would a "good" sign-up rate look like to you?
Misconception 3: Talking in Absolutes and Anecdotes,
With NO EVIDENCE
Claims around householder preferences through anecdotes alone is not enough.
Every individual, street, and community are different. Making a blanket approach almost impossible when it comes to engagement.
There's no doubt that gut instincts have a place in marketing, business and working with people. However, relying purely on this opens up risks of bias, blind spots and poor outcomes.
What worked in one area, may fall flat in another area. (oops, wasted budget...)
This is where research is essential.
Like behavioural research, demographic and local information gathering.
Understanding customer needs is highly nuanced and varied. Especially when your throw in things like the intention gap (whereby there is a disconnect between a person's intentions and their actual behaviour). This is particularly prevalent when it comes to behaviours relating to sustainability
Misconception 4: Just Because Something is Free,
Doesn't Mean a Customer Wants It
Ever heard of "if you are not paying for the product, then you are the product"?
Whilst this tends to apply to platform-based organisations, people can be very way of a 'free' product, with high levels of mistrust. With trust levels at an all-time low as it is, a strategic plan to mitigate this is essential.
A "free" product might also cause feelings of lack of value, low quality, or even a sense of unwanted obligation.
This is certainly something we have experienced, with concerns over 'data-harvesting' when it comes to signing up for free rainwater capture devices. Addressing misconceptions and concerns is an integral part of any campaign and wrapped into our messaging through things like FAQs.
So, how is it possible to engage communities in free rainwater capture projects?
A sales process is still needed for a free product, even if they're an existing customer and even if that product is very beneficial to the environment.
This involves generating a lead, engaging and building relationships through helpful information and onboarding.
Communicating what the project is for and why it is beneficial aids awareness, understanding and buy-in during early stages.
The onboarding process needs to be seamless and ideally the whole process needs to set up to gather valuable insights, to maximise its' impact.
Luckily, our platform has been designed JUST for that process. Specifically, to deliver sustainable drainage to the UK domestic market.
And it is surprisingly more nuanced that you would think!
Misconception 5: Don't Use a Top Down Approach.
Implement a Bottom Up Instead
Have you heard of the rule of 7 touch points to make a sale?
The number of touch points can vary widely depending on industry, buyer stage, product type (so many factors!)
This doesn't strictly fit the water sector, but there are learnings that are applicable from this approach or concept.
Here's why:
The water industry's domestic sector does not operate using a typical sales process.
Customers never had a choice in their service provider, although arguably brand awareness is very high. (Likely with negative connotations due to the heavy scrutiny from the press).
So, do touchpoints even matter?
This might make them EVEN more important.
With trust at an all-time low and no feeling of choice from the offset, engaging householders in projects - usually fantastic projects that offer real benefit to communities - is incredibly tricky.
It takes time, the right messaging and working with communities to generate awareness and interest in projects.
Building trust and addressing concerns is essential to this process.
This involves explaining why and how initiatives are beneficial on an individual level and to the wider community.
Often a neutral, positive and independent voice delivers these messages best.