AESP Key Takeaways: 'More Data,' Said No Customer Ever

If there’s one thing that the energy world loves, it’s data. They track everything - peak demand, energy efficiency, the number of kilowatt-hours saved on a Tuesday in July when Mercury was in retrograde. They collect more data than abuelita collects Tupperware lids.

But let’s be real: customers? They don’t want more data. They want answers. They want action. They want to know, What’s in it for me?

That’s exactly why the session “More Data,” Said No Customer Ever at AESP’s Annual Conference hit home. The message? It’s not about more data...it’s about the right data, at the right time, in the right way.

Below are some key takeaways for how to stop drowning customers in numbers and start making engagement effortless. [PS: this applies to everyone, not just the Energy industry]

Customers Want Confidence, Not Confusion

You know what customers don’t love? Making expensive, complicated decisions with no clear guidance. (I mean, same.)

Take heat pumps. We all know they’re a game-changer for electrification, but convincing someone to install one? Oof. It’s not as simple as replacing a busted microwave. Heat pumps require planning, quotes, and a solid understanding of why they’re the right move.

Abode figured that out fast. Instead of overwhelming customers with numbers, they acted as a trusted third-party advisor; no sales pitch, just real talk. And guess what? Customers who had a consultation were 17% more likely to install a heat pump.

The lesson? Context is queen. Give people clarity, not chaos.

Personalization Overload? No Gracias.

Uplight took this idea even further, tackling one of our biggest industry struggles: getting customers into the right programs without bombarding them with options.

Their solution? A demand stack—a way to match customers to programs based on what actually makes sense for them.

Think about it: Not everyone can (or wants to) sign up for every program. Renters aren’t installing solar panels, and a customer with a shiny new EV needs different incentives than someone rocking a 1997 Toyota Corolla.

Uplight’s goal? Meet customers where they are. Guide them to what works for them, instead of hitting them with a one-size-fits-all email that goes straight to the junk folder.

Because let’s be honest - if your “personalized” marketing feels like a bad Tinder opener, it’s getting swiped left.

Want to Break Through the Noise? Show, Don’t Tell.

If I had a dollar for every time I saw an energy efficiency marketing campaign that customers completely ignored, I’d be retired, sipping a mojito on Crash Boat Beach in Aquadilla.

It’s not that utilities aren’t marketing these programs (oh, they are). It’s that customers are busy, distracted, and generally uninterested in a generic “Save Money on Your Energy Bill!” email.

That’s where MyHEAT flipped the script. Instead of telling people their homes were inefficient, they showed them... with heat loss maps that make energy waste visible. These images acted as a “pattern interrupt” (a.k.a. something customers actually notice), sparking action where words alone fell flat.

Moral of the story? Give customers something they can see, feel, and react to. Less “data,” more “damn, I need to fix that.”

Contractors Don’t Want Homework, Either.

You know who else doesn’t want a flood of unnecessary data? The contractors.

A lot of energy programs expect contractors to do the most: sell the tech, explain the incentives, and hold the customer’s hand through decision-making. Meanwhile, contractors are out here just trying to close deals and keep their business running.

Abode tackled this by making things easier, not harder. Instead of drowning customers in endless equipment specs, they created a simple scoring system. Instead of "Here's an overwhelming amount of information," it was "Option A is rated an 8.6, Option B is a 7.8."

Guess what? That tiny change made a huge difference. Customers felt more confident, contractors made more sales, and the program saw higher adoption rates.

Takeaway? If we want contractors to help push energy efficiency, we need to make it as easy for them as ordering a Prosecco at their favorite bar... ok ok ok - not all contractors drink Prosecco but it's my post and I'm sticking with it.

Final Thoughts: Less Noise, More Action

Let’s be real - customers aren’t waking up thinking about energy efficiency. (We are. But that’s a personal problem.) If we want real engagement, we need to stop throwing data at people and start making it easy for them to act.

Keep it simple. Don’t overcomplicate the message.

Make it visual. Show customers what’s in it for them.

Support contractors. If they win, we all win.

We’re all competing for the same thing: attention. And in a world overloaded with information, the brands that make things effortless will be the ones that win.

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