Appliance saturation surveys

Customer surveys have historically been used by utilities for many different purposes. End-use forecasting was in vogue for some time as was the data on the appliance holdings of consumers. That appliance stock data was most readily obtained by direct surveys of the utility's customers. Integrated resource plans forced utilities to estimate the potential for modification of specific load types and also to test customer receptiveness to various incentive schemes. More recently, utilities have moved toward customer satisfaction surveys both as a market research tool and as input to satisfying regulators.

Power System Engineering, Inc. (PSE) has found it most efficient to team with a local market research firm when doing survey research projects for our clients. PSE normally takes the lead role in working with the client to determine the eventual uses of the survey data, to establish the desired sample design and sample selection methods, and to prepare the questionnaire to be used. Our market research affiliate can assist with either piecemeal or turn-key survey implementation including printing, mailing, editing, data entry, coding, and creation of electronic data files. PSE then uses the electronic data to prepare comparative reports and to develop downstream analyses of interest to the client.

PSE service offerings in this area include:

• Appliance saturation surveys.
• Market segmentation surveys.
• Customer attitude surveys.
• Questionnaire design.
• Sample design.
• Sample selection.
• Printing and mailing of surveys, pre-notices, and reminders.
• Double data entry.
• Tabulation of all written responses.
• Creation of electronic data files and codebooks.
• Preparation of single banner tabulation reports.
• Preparation of comparative reports from multiple surveys.
• End-use modeling.
• Demand side management (DSM) and demand response evaluations.
• Estimation of conservation potential.