Smart Technologies and Digital Assistants Are Helping Utilities Engage With Their Customers
In-home tech is also saving people money on their bills
A decade ago, long before the Internet of Things was an industry buzzword, Reliant, a Texas-based energy company owned by NRG, began installing smart meters in homes across central and eastern Texas to read energy consumption per house more than once a month. First was a weekly email to prevent “sticker shock” by showing a customer usage for the past week. Later came a mobile app, and earlier this year, it debuted voice commands through Google’s smart speakers and thermostats from Google’s sister company, Nest.
This story first appeared in the July 23, 2018, issue of Adweek magazine. Click here to subscribe.
