ARTICLE
Utilities, DERMS, and implementers invest both time and money in enrolling customers in load flexibility programs, but the real value comes from sustained participation over time. Strong retention helps ensure customers continue showing up to manage demand when the system needs it most.
Start with a retention mindset
Retention starts in program design, not after enrollment. Event frequency, event duration, notification timing, override options, incentive structures, and whether participation happens automatically or requires customer action all shape whether the program feels fair and manageable across multiple seasons.
Programs that balance meaningful grid impact with clear expectations, program education, and reasonable comfort protections are better positioned to maintain participation and reduce unenrollments over time. In practice, that means treating retention as a design objective from the start, not just a communications problem to solve later.
Build welcome journeys that inspire confidence
A customer’s enrollment experience, as well as their first touchpoints after enrollment, often determines whether they feel confident or uncertain about participating. Clear, upfront education during enrollment helps customers understand what they are signing up for, what participation will look like, and how the program can benefit them. A strong welcome journey should then build on that foundation, going beyond confirmation to explain how the program works and why their participation matters.
For device-enabled programs, welcome communications should clearly explain expected event windows, how notifications will be delivered, what override options are available, and what comfort protections are in place. Including one or two immediate next steps, such as checking thermostat settings or confirming communication preferences, can make participation feel simple and manageable from day one.
Use ongoing touchpoints to educate and reduce churn
Retention is built through ongoing touchpoints that help customers stay informed, prepared, and
confident in their participation. Communications are most effective when they both explain how to get value from the program and make participation feel simple.
Reminders before peak events, practical tips for preparing devices and schedules, and short explanations of why events are being called can reduce surprise and make the experience feel more transparent. When those touchpoints are timed around meaningful customer moments, such as before the event season begins or when device connectivity issues arise, they are more likely to feel helpful than disruptive.
Clear, low-effort calls to action also matter. Whether the goal is confirming participation, updating contact information, or reconnecting a device, communications should make the next step obvious and easy to complete.
Communicate impact
Load flexibility programs make a real difference, but that value can fade if customers never see the results of their participation. Communicating impact shows customers that their actions not only deliver financial benefits, but they also help reduce demand when it matters most to support a more reliable grid for their community.
Impact updates can include individual metrics such as successful event participation, estimated bill savings, or reduced usage during peak periods, as well as collective outcomes like total peak load reduction. Thank you messages paired with simple outcome reporting help customers feel recognized and remind them that their actions contributed to something larger than a single event.
Treat retention as a strategy
Retention works best when it is managed as an ongoing strategy rather than a one-time campaign. That means assessing current retention performance, identifying where customers are disengaging, and refining messaging, cadence, and targeting over time.
A strong retention strategy creates a feedback loop between program design, customer communications, and participation data. When those elements work together, load flexibility programs are better equipped to grow participation and deliver reliable results season after season.
Ready for more?
Onward Climate helps utilities, DERMS, and implementers strengthen customer engagement, reduce drop-off, and drive sustained participation. Get in touch to discuss how we can help you meet your goals.