CNG, SCG Exceed All Customer Service Targets, Make Significant Strides over 2023

Major investments in digital tools and resources drive significant improvement in customer satisfaction, other metrics over 2023, in alignment with regulatory and internal targets


ORANGE, Conn. — September 24, 2024 — Today, Connecticut Natural Gas (CNG) and Southern Connecticut Gas (SCG), subsidiaries of Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), announced the companies are exceeding all customer service metrics, including contact satisfaction and customer complaints that are established internally by the company, in addition to the average speed of answer for calls whose targets are submitted to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA). Additionally, both CNG and SCG are on track to improve their customer service metrics over their 2023 results. Company officials attribute the improvements to significant investments in digital tools and resources aimed at promoting ease and convenience for customers, such as the launch of a new mobile app and a new Move In/Move Out tool in which customers can request a start or stop service at their home, among others.

“Ensuring our SCG and CNG customers experience best-in-class delivery service starts and ends with the team on the frontlines of our companies and the investments they’ve brought to bear in promoting a seamless customer journey for the residents and businesses we serve,” said Frank Reynolds, President and CEO of CNG and SCG. “I am proud of the team’s hard work in not only far exceeding our steep targets of excellence, but also for making many impressive strides over last year’s metrics. Committing to these new tools and resources has paid dividends in improving our service to our customers, and I look forward to new investments that bring us to even further heights of customer satisfaction in 2025.”

The 2024 targets for customer service metrics for both CNG and SCG included:

  • More than 95.0% of service appointments met within the scheduled timeframe,
  • Average speed of answer on any calls of 90 seconds or less,
  • Contact satisfaction of 83% or greater, and
  • Customer complaints per 100,000 customers of 7.90 or less.

Year-to-date in August 2024, CNG and SCG have exceeded all customer service targets. The average speed of answer of customer phone calls at CNG is 47 seconds, a significant improvement of the 2023 average of 73.76 seconds, while at SCG, the average speed of answer is 38 seconds, besting the 2023 average of 50 seconds. Customer complaints per 100,000 customers have dropped significantly year-over-year, with CNG only registering 3.21 complaints year-to-date compared to 7.47 in 2023, and SCG only registering 3.41 complaints year-to-date compared to 4.79 in 2023. Finally, at CNG, 96.7% of service appointments have been met in the scheduled timeframe, while 96% of SCG appointments have met that target, both of which match last year’s figures.

CNG and SCG utilize a data-driven approach to determine the drivers of improvements in customer satisfaction and low customer complaints. Using multi-channel customer survey data, customer interviews and focus groups, customer complaint data, internal staff interviews, and external benchmark indicators from JD Power, the companies gain insight into customer satisfaction and complaint drivers, which are then incorporated into their “Voice of the Customer” (VOC) program. In turn, VOC allows the companies to make key process improvements and investments to meet the evolving expectations of customers in terms of digitization, communication, and operational processes. 

Utilizing feedback gained through the VOC, the companies determined that significant investments in digitizing the customer journey would improve customer satisfaction. Thus, the companies undertook several initiatives to build digital tools and resources, launching a new mobile app to allow customers to manage their energy account. To date, the “Southern Connecticut Gas” app and the “Connecticut Natural Gas” app have received more than 190,000 downloads with a satisfaction rating of over 4.5 out of 5 stars on Google and Apple app stores. CNG and SCG also launched a New Connections installation website that allows contractors and customers to complete an application for a new service entirely online, with the ability to track the progress of the request and to make a payment for service. Customers can now also make online requests to start and stop service via the online Move In/Move Out function, which the companies have aimed to make even easier than setting up new cable or internet service. Finally, the companies are newly offering digital payment services through Apple and Google Pay, making it as convenient as possible to pay for their services, and more than half of customers have now elected to “go digital” and opt for electronic billing.

“Our customers are our number-one priority, and it’s heartening to see that across the board, the digital improvements we’ve made and tools we’ve built have resulted in much higher customer satisfaction,” said Tracey Pelella, Vice President of Customer Service at CNG and SCG. “When we consistently provide our customers not only with safe, reliable service but also with tools and resources that make it convenient for them to access, adjust, and manage their own accounts, we make it clear we’re listening to their priorities by empowering them with the information they’re asking us for. I’m proud of our team’s commitment to putting our customers first, and I’m looking forward to seeing the continued results of investing in the tools and resources we offer them.”

To download the SCG app, please visit: Southern Connecticut Gas on the App Store (apple.com) for Apple products and Southern Connecticut Gas - Apps on Google Play for Android/Google Play products. To download the CNG app, please visit: Connecticut Natural Gas on the App Store (apple.com) for Apple products and Connecticut Natural Gas - Apps on Google Play for Android/Google Play products.


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