North Central Electric Cooperative (NCEC) in Bottineau ranked 14 points above the industry average, and two points above the Touchstone Energy cooperatives‘ average in the most recent American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). NCEC members, like Hadlee Brandt, pictured with her family, ranked her local electric cooperative high for several reasons.
When you sign up to belong to an electric cooperative, know that members matter most. It’s a philosophy deeply held in the hearts and minds of both the directors who represent you and the employees who serve you.
As a member, you have the benefit of an entire network of people wanting to supply the best power possible. That’s why electric cooperatives across the nation conduct research to see how members rate their service. This research is one of many benefits of being a Touchstone Energy® Cooperative.
One of the methods co-ops use is the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®). The ACSI is the only national cross-industry measure of customer satisfaction in the United States. Through science-based insights, it measures how satisfied people are with the products and services provided to them.
The ACSI uses a zero- to 100-point scale to develop the score. Touchstone Energy cooperatives ACSI score is based on three parts: overall satisfaction, expectations and comparisons to an ideal utility company.
Based on these metrics, Touchstone Energy cooperatives received an average ACSI score of 85 in 2021. This result puts Touchstone Energy cooperatives 12 points above the “industry average” of 73. And in the third quarter of 2022, these scores hold steady.
“Having the option to receive free ACSI scores is such an important benefit of being a Touchstone Energy member. It allows co-ops to measure their member satisfaction and see if they’re on track,” says Jana Adams, executive director of Touchstone Energy Cooperative.
How does the Touchstone Energy cooperatives‘ score of 85 rate among other industries? By comparison, Apple scored 82 among computers, Chick-fil-A scored 83 in the fast-food industry and Lexus led luxury cars with a score of 84.
Year after year, members rank Touchstone Energy cooperatives among the highest scoring organizations in the energy utility sector.
Clarice L. Kesler is communications manager for the N.D. Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives and a Touchstone Energy Brand Ambassador. She can be reached at ckesler@ndarec.com.
