Market Research & Surveys

Historically, utilities have used customer surveys for many different purposes. End-use forecasting was en vogue for some time, as was data on the appliance holdings of consumers. Data was most readily obtained by direct surveys of the utility’s customers, and integrated resource plans forced utilities to estimate the potential for modification of specific load types as well as testing 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.

PSE has found it most efficient to team with a local market research firm when doing survey research projects for our clients. PSE typically 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. Our market research affiliate can assist with either piecemeal or turnkey 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 Market Research & Survey offerings 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