In 2024, Niagara Peninsula Energy Inc. (NPEI), the local distribution company that services four communities between Niagara Falls and the Township of West Lincoln, launched a plan to improve customer service, explain how it delivers power, and encourage customers to switch from paper to digital billing.
The plan focused on three steps:
- Creating simple videos to explain NPEI’s work
- Launching a new, easy-to-use app
- Running a digital billing campaign that supports local charities
Explainer Videos
NPEI created two animated videos to help customers understand their electricity service. The first video, Understanding Your Electricity Bill – Where Does Your Money Go? shows how NPEI divides a typical bill. It also explains that local municipalities own the company—meaning customers’ payments support their own community The second video, Keeping Your Power On – How Do We Do It?, shares how NPEI maintains and upgrades the power system. In an average year, the company could spend more than $50 million on these efforts.
New App
NPEI also launched a new smartphone app in 2024. The app lets customers check their energy use in real time, look at past bills, and track changes in their usage over time. It also gives NPEI a way to send alerts straight to customers’ phones during emergencies, like power outages or downed lines.
eBilling Campaign
From September to December 2024, NPEI ran a campaign to get more customers to switch to paperless billing. For every person who signed up, the utility donated $10 to a local charity. It was promoted through their website and included inserts in paper bills with safety tips for Electrical Safety Awareness Month.
The Results
All three parts of the plan worked well. The videos reached thousands of viewers, and customer service saw fewer calls about the topics the videos explained. Customers gave the app strong reviews, and nearly 6,000 people—about 10% of NPEI’s customer base—switched to digital billing. In total, NPEI donated over $60,000 to local charities, showing its strong support for the community.