Western Power Distribution
Western Power Distribution asked us to help improve communication with its 8 million customers during domestic power cuts. We worked closely with the company to design and build a power cut-reporting mobile app, as well as an application for their support staff to manage incoming reports and help them communicate with consumers directly via the app's text messaging feature.
It's incredibly convenient and reassuring to be able to chat to a human being that can help during a mini-crisis, like a power cut at home. The mobile app includes the option to set up alerts for specific locations, which is useful if you have a relative that would find a power cut distressing or you have a business premises that relies on electricity. The app will also notify you if a power cut has been recorded nearby.
Users with specific and crucial power needs can sign up to a Priority Services Register, through the app.
The Power Cut Reporter mobile app is available on both iOS and Android smartphones. The Support Dashboard has been built in node.js which is ideal for fast browser-based applications.
The platform has proved to be an extremely useful customer service tool. It has been well-received by users, and from launch in 2016 the app has had 7,416 unique users, 61,217 sessions, more than quarter of a million screen views and an 88% return rate.
To promote the app, Gravitywell also designed and delivered an online marketing campaign, which included video production, digital adverts and social media campaigns.
As a starting point we identified the main use cases for the mobile and web apps: 'Report a power cut', 'Live chat and updates', 'Alerts for saved locations' and 'Sign up to the Priority Services Register'. We then created personas for customers that would benefit from them. The aim was to demonstrate how useful the app can be for different types of users, during a power cut.
It was also important for the campaign to reflect the client's brand. We focused on Western Power Distribution’s desire to take care of their customers, as the purpose of the mobile app was to further extend this care. We allowed two themes to steer the style and content of the short films: ‘We’re never too far away’ (to get in touch with) and ‘We’ll let you know’ (if a power cut might affect you or a loved one).
"We're never too far away" campaign video
We produced two adverts / films that reflected each of the two campaign messages. ‘We’re never too far away’ follows Andrew and his family experiencing a power cut on their farm, and showcases the ease of communication between customers and Western Power within the app, even in a rural location. Whilst ‘We’ll let you know’ tells the story of Reena on her way home from work, receiving a notification from the mobile app about a power cut at her grandmother’s house in another part of the city. Locations were chosen from various parts of the country where Western Power Distribution provides coverage.
"We'll let you know" campaign video
Production of the videos included storyboarding, casting, location scouting, set dressing, video and photography, directing, editing and animation/effects.
We provided a number of additional materials such as stings and stills for use across Western Power Distribution’s social media channels, and mapped out a campaign and schedule to be used by their social media team.
You can download the Power Cut Reporter mobile app from the App Store and Google Play.