Business strategy segments: Commercial customers and energy efficiency
- Ontario Hydro, Toronto (Canada)
- Wales Behavioral Assessment, Solana Beach, CA (United States)
For energy efficiency programs to effectively reach commercial customers, the programs must fit into the customers` business approach. Ontario Hydro investigated program participants in commercial conservation programs and found that their basic business strategies differ from non-participant customers. Ontario Hydro conducted a survey of over 4000 commercial customers. Approximately three fourths of these customers constituted a random stratified sample of the entire commercial customer base. The remaining approximate 1000 customers were sampled from records of program participants in Hydro`s commercial energy efficiency programs. Five segments were developed with customers differing on dimensions of: utility support, energy management, cash position, preference for lease/borrow, environmental concern, need for backup generation, equipment maintenance, out-sourcing, employee orientation, cost control, and decision making. Typically program participants are higher on business strategies that include energy management and environmental concern. They typically are more predisposed to lease equipment and to borrow for financing than non-participant firms. They also tend to be proactive in human resources issues and are far more likely to form consensus for decision making.
- Research Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States); Synergic Resources Corp., Bala-Cynwyd, PA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 102714
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-TR--104558
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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