As an electrical contractor, how would you define innovation in the prepaid electricity sub-metering market? Would it be the sub-meters themselves? Would it be the services provided around the sub-meters? The answer is – yes. Innovation is more than just technology or advanced prepaid sub-metering solutions, it’s communication, systems, support and agility. It’s the ability to adapt to changing market needs and create solutions and systems that support electrical contractors in their businesses, and in managing changing customer requirements.
“To create the most compelling prepaid sub-metering vending solution on the market today, a company has to do more than just provide some kit, some instructions and a half-baked call centre,” says Carel Scheepers, General Manager: Sales at Citiq Prepaid. “There has to be value-added in terms of services, innovations delivered in terms of capability, and support provided across multiple platforms.”
Let’s face it, one thing that everybody wants – whether the electrical contractor or consumer – is fast and efficient support. How often have you sat on hold, listening to dubious music for hours, just to get an answer to a simple question? The answer is probably, ‘One time too many’. Support isn’t a ‘nice to have’ in the prepaid electricity sub-metering space, it’s essential. Customers need to know that they have access to informed and interested professionals, and contractors want to install solutions that offer excellent service to their customers.
“Citiq Prepaid has invested into support, not just as an essential part of our infrastructure, but as part of how we build relationships with our electrical contractors,” says Scheepers. “We believe that innovation is people – the people we work with and how we help them to overcome challenges and grow their businesses. This underpins our continued investment into two call centres, a well-developed website with plenty of support articles and videos, and detailed support materials available on request.”
Citiq Prepaid equips contractors with the right information at the right time and in the right format. Every part of the support system is designed to work holistically, helping you make decisions and resolve problems at speed, on-demand. By constantly innovating support offerings and solutions, Citiq Prepaid is focused on encouraging contractors to expand their knowledge base by working with a partner that understands what they really need.
“The Citiq Prepaid website has recently undergone a complete transformation, redesigned to align with our support ethos and our commitment to making life easier for our customers,” says Scheepers. “We have ensured that the site contains relevant information about our products and services along with videos, blog posts and articles designed to make life easier. We have also enhanced our social media platforms with curated content designed to provide readers with instant titbits of information.”
The Citiq Installation Club (CIC) is another area where Citiq Prepaid has put a lot of effort into supporting electrical contractors with a rewards-based loyalty programme. The CIC gives back tangible financial rewards to Citiq Prepaid electrical contractors and connects members to customers through the customer support centre. In this way, Citiq Prepaid helps contractors to expand their businesses while earning money back for all their hard work.
“We want electrical contractors to choose Citiq Prepaid, of course, so we’ve done our best to make what we offer you as alluring and exciting as possible,” concludes Scheepers. “Want support? Online insights? Community? Rewards? We’ve ticked all these boxes, and we plan to do even more in 2021.”
