AGL Energy : making energy easier for customers

Wednesday, 21 June 2017

AGL Energy (AGL) is introducing a range of initiatives to give customers greater control and transparency about using and paying for electricity and gas. This includes enabling customers to read their own meters.

AGL CEO Andy Vesey said that as a personalised retailer AGL must provide customers with tools to help them more easily understand and control how they use and how much they pay for their energy.

'We're committed to improving our customers' experience by making it easier to understand energy prices, compare energy plans, and enabling them to read their own meters,' Mr Vesey said.

'We're trialling a tool where customers without a digital meter can use their AGL app to read and submit their meter reading themselves any time that suits them.

'The Self Service Meter Read tool is one of the 'signature moments' we are introducing as part of our $300 million Customer Transformation Program.

'Since launching the trial we've received very positive feedback and significant organic uptake because it removes the uncertainty of estimated reads and gives customers control to monitor and manage their energy costs.'

AGL is also calling for an industry-wide solution to standardise how energy offers are presented so customers can easily compare plans.

'We're committed to having this in place by the end of the year and will work with regulators, retailers and community groups to help bring about this increased transparency for customers,' he said.

To help simplify energy offers and reduce multiple price points and complex structures, on 1 July AGL will introduce the AGL Everyday plan for customers in Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia.

AGL Everyday provides a guaranteed discount which is not dependant on conditions such as paying on time and makes it easier for customers to estimate and understand how much they will have to pay.

'We are proud to become the first major energy retailer to offer a guaranteed discount. We are also changing our standard tariff, which most of our customers are on, to one price for supply and one price for usage,' Mr Vesey explained.

'All these changes demonstrate our continuing commitment to personalising our customers' experience with us and meeting their needs with innovative products.'

About AGL
AGL is committed to helping shape a sustainable energy future for Australia. We operate the country's largest electricity generation portfolio, we're its largest ASX-listed investor in renewable energy, and we have more than 3.5 million customer accounts. Proudly Australian, with more than 180 years of experience, we have a responsibility to provide sustainable, secure and affordable energy for our customers. Our aim is to prosper in a carbon-constrained world and build customer advocacy as our industry transforms. That's why we have committed to exiting our coal-fired generation by 2050 and why we will continue to develop innovative solutions for our customers.