Water companies must build stronger, more memorable and relevant brands if they are to engage their next generation of customers, with one in seven young people declaring no interest in their water supplier according to a new report.
Research commissioned by Echo Managed Services into the perceptions of water companies held by people born between the mid-1990s and the early 2010s – the so-called Generation Z – “revealed a lack of brand profile and memorability in the way water companies present themselves to younger people in the communities they serve.”
The study found that 61% of Generation Z non-bill payers, and 11% of Generation Z bill payers, were unaware who supplied the water in the home they currently lived in. When asked how they would prefer to see water companies better engage and inform them, 14% of Generation Z was “simply not interested in hearing from their water company at all,” according to the report, A new wave of customers for water suppliers research.
Head of operations at Echo Managed Services, Vicki Dixon, pointed out that Generation Z was “noted for favouring brands and companies that prioritise environmental credentials,” She added: “Despite the work that water companies do in looking after local reservoirs, preventing contamination and pollution, and protecting and improving local habitats, less than half of current Generation Z bill payers are aware of it, compared to much higher levels of awareness amongst older generations.
"Focusing in on the things that matter most to Generation Z and promoting the great work that water companies do in these areas, could really help the sector build better brand awareness and relevancy with this new generation of customers."
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