For Immediate Release:
April 28, 2023

 

VERSANT POWER RATED #1 AGAIN IN
ENERGY INDUSTRY BENCHMARK REPORT

 

100 Automated Phone Systems Evaluated by IVR Doctors
in the 18th Energy Utility IVR Benchmark Report

 

Versant Power remains on top in the 18th Annual Energy Utility Benchmark Report of Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems, released today by IVR Doctors. The 2023 Report compares 100 energy utility automated telephone systems in the U.S. and Canada.

 

“Gold Stethoscope” recognition was awarded to winners in 12 categories listed below, including Top Overall Company; Top Electric, Gas, and Combination Utility; and Top Canadian Utility, as well as to 11 “balanced companies,” whose automated telephone system achieved top quartile ratings in all rating categories. 

 

Eleven “Balanced companies” - recognizing top quartile achievement in all rating categories - are also Gold Stethoscope Winners and can be found at ivrdoctors.com/2023-balanced-companies.

 

“The Report looks at the IVR experience from two-perspectives - callers using it and those who manage it. It also highlights common design mistakes and demonstrates clearly how those errors can have a negative impact on a company and its callers’ experience.” said Mark Camack, IVR Doctors’ co-founder. 

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The Report identifies automated telephone systems that successfully balance company objectives and customer preferences in three key rating categories: Functionality, Usability, and Aesthetics, the major drivers of customer satisfaction and system utilization.

 

“No other benchmark report with such a consistent set of design principles has been in place and proven effective in the utility industry over the 18 years of this Benchmark.” said Peter Brandt, IVR Doctors co-founder. “Correlation between top-performance in this Report and a utility’s own internal performance measures is very high.”

 

The 100 automated phone systems evaluated in the 2023 Report were rated using standards which IVR Doctors can apply to other companies interested in inclusion in the Benchmark.

 

The 2023 Report is available online at ivrdoctors.com. As an additional benefit, Report buyers receive a customized online consultation with IVR Doctors targeted specifically to their company’s automated phone system.

 

2023 “GOLD STETHOSCOPE” AWARD WINNERS

CATEGORY / COMPANY

 

Top Rated IVR System - Overall

Versant Power (Bangor, ME)

                    

Top U.S. Combination Utility        

MidAmerican Energy - (Des Moines, Iowa) 

 

Top U.S. Electric Company        

Versant Power (Bangor, ME) 

 

Top U.S. Gas-only Company

SoCalGas (Los Angeles, CA)

 

Top Municipal Utility

Tacoma Public Utilities (Tacoma, WA)

 

Top Electric Cooperative

LCEC (Lee County Electric Cooperative, North Fort Myers, FL)

 

Top Canadian Utility

Nova Scotia Power (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

 

Top "Touchtone-only" system        

Versant Power (Bangor, ME) 

 

Top "Press or Say" system        

Idaho Power (Boise, ID)

 

Tops in Functionality             

NV Energy - North & South (Las Vegas, NV)

 

Tops in Usability 

Idaho Power (Boise, ID) 

 

Tops in Aesthetics            

Versant Power (Bangor, ME) 

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Special Recognition for the Most Improved IVR
Tacoma Public Utilities (Tacoma, WA)

 

Honorable Mention for Significant Rank Order Improvement - alphabetically
Central Maine Power (Augusta, ME)

MidAmerican Energy (Des Moines, Iowa)
SaskPower (Regina, SK)

Southwest Gas (Las Vegas, NV)

Xcel Energy (Minneapolis, MN)

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IVR Doctors, with over 30 years of market research, usability consulting, marketing, and call center management experience, specialize in automated phone system diagnostics and optimization. Their practice, with an energy utility specialty, is not limited to a single industry and covers companies large and small. For more information, visit ivrdoctors.com.

 

 

Contact:
Peter Brandt  | peter@ivrdoctors.com | (843) 469-4266 
Mark Camack | mark@ivrdoctors.com | (503) 449-5940      

 

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