Options for cheapest tariff messaging on customer communications, research by SPA Future Thinking
Reports, plans and updates
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Supply and Retail Market
Ofgem commissioned Boag McCann, a specialist design agency, to develop prototypes that show alternative ways of presenting cheaper tariff information on bills and annual statements. These included prototypes where details of one or more tariffs offered by the customer's current energy supplier appear on the bill and annual statements, as well as prototypes featuring one or more tariffs offered by competitors. SPA Future Thinking was commissioned to conduct the consumer research to test the likely effectiveness and impact of these prototypes, and to gauge consumers' expectations and preferences for this messaging more broadly. A total of ten qualitative mini-groups (each comprised of six respondents) and twelve individual depth interviews were conducted with various categories of energy consumers across England, Scotland and Wales. Most respondents in this research were credit customers, however those paying for energy via pre-payment meters were also included. The research took place from August 22nd to September 3rd, 2012.