From Huh? to Aha! Making Real-Time Pricing Make Sense

Summary

Real-time electricity pricing could save customers money and reduce grid demand—but complexity blocked adoption. I simplified branding, enrollment, and communications, making the program easier to understand and join. The result: 40% growth in enrollment and a 75% drop in acquisition costs through smarter, more targeted outreach and a clearer customer experience.

Problem

Electricity is one of the few products people consume constantly but rarely think about—unless the power goes out or the bill is too high. Traditional pricing structures treat electricity as a fixed cost, even though its real production cost fluctuates based on demand. Hourly Pricing, a program designed to reflect real-time electricity costs, could lower bills for consumers 90% of the time while also reducing peak demand on the grid.

But there was a huge behavioral hurdle:

  • People didn’t understand how real-time pricing worked.

  • The program had a complicated name, branding, and enrollment process.

  • Marketing efforts were inefficient, leading to high customer acquisition costs.

Solution

I led efforts to simplify the customer journey and improve program adoption, including:

  • Rebranding the program – Changed the name from the clunky “ComEd Residential Real Time Pricing Program” to ComEd Hourly Pricing for better clarity.

  • Simplifying enrollment – Designed a mobile-friendly interface with fewer steps, making it easier to sign up.

  • Clarifying communication – Redesigned complex energy price graphs into simpler, more intuitive visuals to help customers understand how the program benefits them.

  • Targeting the right audience – Used GIS and zip code demographic data to refine marketing outreach, reducing wasted effort.

  • A/B testing marketing materials – Measured effectiveness of different messages and eliminated tactics with low ROI, optimizing customer acquisition efforts.

Result

  • Program enrollment grew by 40% in one year after refining the branding and outreach strategy.

  • Pilot marketing test reduced customer acquisition costs by 75%, proving a more cost-effective approach to enrollment.

  • Simplified branding, enrollment, and communications led to greater customer engagement and awareness.

Takeaway

The best programs fail if they’re too complex for customers to engage with. By simplifying the customer journey, eliminating friction, and focusing on key user segments, I helped transform an overlooked utility program into an accessible, scalable, and high-growth initiative.