Electric cooperatives tops in consumer satisfaction

According to the 2014 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey released May, consumer-members belonging to not-for-profit electric cooperatives are more satisfied with their utility than consumers served by either investor-owned (IOU) or municipal utilities. Touchstone Energy Cooperatives received an overall customer satisfaction score of 81 — the highest score for any electric-only utility. IOUs and municipals received scores of 75 and 76 respectively.

Consumer-members gave their electric cooperatives high marks when asked to rate the overall quality of ­service. According to the ACSI report, “Perceived ­quality rates are ­highest among customers of cooperative ­utilities with a score of 85, followed by investor-owned utilities at 82 and municipal utilities at 81. Quality is the most important driver in deter­mining overall satisfaction with the customer experience.”

“These scores validate the cooperative difference,” said National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO Jo Ann Emerson. “Member-owned, not-for-profit electric ­cooperatives put members first and these ­numbers show why this ­business model has succeeded and why ­cooperatives continue to thrive even in uncertain ­economic times,” Emerson said.