Technology Solutions and Services – The Smart Approach to Customer Engagement

Converging social will, environmental stewardship, and financial responsibility – or the Triple Bottom Line – requires that smart water metering technology providers adapt and deliver 21^st Century sustainable solutions.

We have seen successful smart water metering deployments where a vendor deploys a fixed network and ensures that hundreds of thousands of smart water meters communicate according to engineering specifications. The utility then quantifies field labor cost reductions, and identifies various opportunities to realize operational efficiencies. In the case of a progressive utility, additional success metrics relative to leak detection and a reduction in non-revenue water loss is also applied. Thus, tangible short-term and long-term benefits were realized.

While such success factors remain true, the water management landscape is increasingly becoming scrutinized within a broader landscape. This landscape includes municipal government entities leading regional conservation initiatives, and commercial and industrial customers routinely applying environmentally responsible solutions that reduce costs. Residential customers, now more than ever, are able to link modifications in water consumption behavior to reducing their carbon footprint. Solution delivery must now integrate environmental, economic, and social benefits. The end customer and external stakeholders will only become more empowered.

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Capital Improvements – It’s More Than a Construction Project – It’s a Message

By Todd Q. AdamsSeptember 13, 2013 Blog, Sustainability Cleveland, construction, Millennial Generation, Opportunity Corridor, regional growth, sustainability, sustainable, visibility

When we see cranes, earth moving equipment and road detours, it abruptly informs us of major community construction projects. I drive by such sites and wonder what is being built. Sometimes a sign may provide evidence of a new hotel, a state of the art classroom building on a college campus, or some public works project. In many instances, the active construction may take place for months before project details are known to the masses.

The tag line of our firm, Visibility Marketing Inc. (VMI) is “making you more visible.” Since it is our job to increase visibility to the respective stakeholders of our clients, I may be sensitized more than most people relative to huge projects that manage to exist with a degree of obscurity. However, we exist in a digital world where anyone can convey misinformation or biased messaging in minutes over the Internet. In a world inundated with 24 / 7 cable television and ubiquitous Internet access, it is now more important than ever to tell your story before someone else does.

The owner of a multi-million or multi-billion dollar construction project has to take a proactive approach in owning message delivery to its stakeholders. Any project must have a clear identity. This will essentially allow a project owner to define the project from pre-construction through completion. VMI provided related services to a Northeast Ohio construction firm that recently built a government services building. Trade unions, the surrounding community, and employees were among the stakeholders engaged on an ongoing basis. A newsletter was published that provided information such as employee profiles and project status updates. It was the human side of the project that really resonated with community stakeholders. Our client repeatedly emphasized that communication to the community successfully separated fact from speculation.

A compelling project narrative also serves a purpose beyond the project itself. Reinvestment and development in an economically depressed area can serve as an integral part of an urban revitalization effort. An article entitled “University of Chicago Works on Its Neighborhood” was published October 23, 2012 in the New York Times. The article highlights that The University of Chicago is investing $250 million in a mixed-use residential and retail project. Leaders at major urban colleges and universities understand that they can no longer exist in isolation while being surrounded by blighted neighborhoods. This neighborhood revitalization effort also includes a $130 million hotel project. The University of Chicago is sending the message that it is a catalyst for urban change, and it is sending another message that it can provide a superior quality of life to prospective students.

The $334 million Opportunity Corridor three-mile boulevard construction project was announced this past July in Cleveland, Ohio. At immediate glance, this is a massive road construction project. Business and government leaders are conveying the more powerful message of urban revitalization. The new boulevard is expected to provide access to existing cultural assets, educational institutions, and jobs. This is a welcome shot in the arm to a city that has been disproportionately plagued by the housing foreclosure crisis and manufacturing job losses. The collaboration among public institutions, government, and business leaders says to outsiders and native Clevelanders that the city is coming back!

The common thread in the Chicago and Cleveland illustration is that of sustainability. We now live in a world that is global, tech-driven, and knowledge-based. The attraction and retention of smart people within a city now determine whether the city lives or dies. Cities are essentially competing for human capital. Strategies that prompt migration and immigration are more critical than ever. An immigration attorney recently stated to me that, “smart people are the new oil.” They are definitely the fuel of innovation in a 21^st century economy.

The Millennial Generation (those born between 1980 and 2000) connect to smart urban landscapes. Their numbers are estimated to be 80 million people in America. High population density growth and transit-oriented growth resonated with them. Values such as green building and communities accessible by bike, rail, and foot are also important. Social, economic, and environmental factors now drive urban capital improvement initiatives. It is imperative that project owners articulate the project vision from the beginning of the project. Stakeholders must be engaged across various communication medium (print, Internet, community forums, etc.) during the entire project life cycle.

Local chambers of commerce and local politicians must convey a message that connects the dots for various capital improvement initiatives. A strategic urban plan has to communicate to diverse stakeholders that urban revitalization, transportation infrastructure improvements, and the expansion of a healthcare system is an integrated plan. Sustainable development facilitates diversity of people, of industry, and of thought.

Regional growth and sustainability will increasingly align physical infrastructure with social infrastructure. Smart construction accommodates people’s lifestyles and values. Messaging must assert that economic development and human capital development are inseparable. Messaging is also part of a continuum that may span for many years. More importantly, the project identity narrative must be concise, engaging, simple, and value-added to multiple stakeholders.

Smart Grid Best Practices – We Need to Understand Worst Practices

By Todd Q. AdamsAugust 12, 2013 Blog smart grid, sustainability

Integrating digital technology by various electric utilities represents the most significant change to the U.S. electric grid in over a century. As these Smart Grid deployments mature, business process transformation has become an absolute necessity for benefits realization relative to the unprecedented capital investment by such utilities. The pioneer utilities are blazing a trail within a landscape where best practices are still emerging. After all, the early adopters have to essentially assume risks that will likely be minimized for later adopters.

Strategic organizational change strategies will continue to be of significant importance when a utility enters the post Smart Grid era. The convergence of energy delivery challenges, diversity and inclusion, and environmental sustainability in our society are game changers for utilities. Social and political will along with the overhaul of an antiquated transmission and distribution infrastructure are redefining the energy landscape for generations to come. The failure by a utility to position the organization today to deliver 21st century energy solutions will facilitate a variety of worst practices in the future.

Consequently adopting an entirely new cultural mindset is a prerequisite for utilities seeking to add value to their stakeholders in the future. Many commercial and industrial customers are seriously assessing options for distributed generation (on site generation of electricity) and energy efficiency solutions for its buildings. Walmart already outlined its plans to generate and manage its own electricity. If this approach gains momentum, utilities will no longer “hold the cards”. Every utility should develop viable and competitive alternatives for the commercial and industrial customer of the future.

The Smart Grid will also continue to empower the residential customer. The “rate payer” has to give way to the “valued customer.” The digitization of the electric grid (Smart Grid) will also enable a plethora of home energy management options for customers. Customized energy management leveraged by mobile applications will become more commonplace. There is now a growing expectation that technology will expedite power restoration during a major storm. Messaging has to be accurate and well-managed. Reputation management is the social capital of the future for utilities.

Refusing to embrace strategic change management will also prove to be a future worst practice. Residential customer analytics will help utilities to better address the unique customer needs of diverse market segments. Language, race, income level, and environmental values will matter more than ever. Strategic communication planning and customer engagement has to be inherent to a utility just as it is to major retail giants today. The building blocks are already in place. The energy demands of tomorrow will clearly be delivered by those utilities that today already have the vision.

Environmental Sustainability – It Takes Real Organizational Change

By Todd Q. AdamsAugust 7, 2013 Blog leadership, organization, sustainability

As a management consultant I have helped many large corporations and public-sector institutions manage technological, strategic, and operational change. These organizations will develop business cases for various initiatives, and they will often tout success that is predicated on the realization of some set of quantifiable benefits. The problem is that business transformation and benefits realization are often defined using short-term quarterly profit driven standards that serve only the short-term.

It is not enough to incorporate new business processes into an operation. Diversity of race, gender, thought, religion, and sexual orientation are requiring organizations to develop substantive plans to include all employees. This digital age has cultivated a global society where people expect personal and customized experiences. Generic commerce is no longer acceptable. Public and private organizations are also getting pressure from customers, regulators, shareholders, and other community stakeholders to prioritize environmental stewardship. Incorporating environmentally sustainable business practices ultimately overlaps with an ever-changing diverse and digital world.

The point is that environmental sustainability and social responsibility are inextricably linked to the financial bottom line. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has been in the news frequently for emphasizing environmental sustainability and his support for gay marriage. Many may not see the connection to selling coffee. They may be right because taking such a stance is much bigger than selling more medium roast coffee beverages. He has been on record saying to major shareholders that creating the right culture is the best business decision for the long-term.

Leadership sets the tone for any organization. This is true for a football team or a multi-national conglomerate. Much of our progress in the 20th century came at the expense of our environment. The legacy of 21st century business leaders will hinge on global economic development that fosters the protection of our environment.

Sustainable Cities – It’s All About the Human Ecosystem

By Todd Q. AdamsJuly 29, 2013 Blog ecosystem, sustainability

My friend, Simone Lightfoot heads up regional urban initiatives for the National Wildlife Federation. She and I recently shared ideas relative to the connection between urban revitalization in the Midwest and environmental sustainability. Since our discussion, I have engaged in other serendipitous discussions about the changing role of cities in the 21^st century.

My work with Visibility Marketing revolves around energy management, smart water management, and intelligent transportation. We have been increasingly delivering services within the context of organizational change, business transformation and public engagement. Well this is what I thought. Although our clients are public interest institutions, our solutions are an integral part of smart urban planning and the human experience.

A friend that teaches Urban Planning in Texas reminds me that environmental sustainability and urban revitalization in distressed cities are inextricably linked. My sister, Angela is a psychologist, and she connects personal environmental stewardship to the human psyche and behavior modification. Simone asserted that policy makers, lobbyists, and politicians frame the debate and influence funding to the landscape that impacts my work.

This prompted me to think of my recent business trip to Washington, DC. Evidence of a multitude of new energy efficient buildings, regional water conservation initiatives, and one of the most efficient subway rail systems in the United States are indicators that the type of work that we do is socially redemptive. The preponderance of construction cranes and citywide foot traffic are evidence that strategic environmental sustainability initiatives are essential to sustainable economic development.

The purpose of the trip was to collaborate with electric utility sector colleagues from around the world. The trip was successful, but my other experiences helped to complete the compelling narrative. My hotel was located in Chinatown, which has grown immensely over the last 15 years. It was a treat to “people watch” as I walked downtown on H Street. The anticipated 30,000 members of the African-American sorority, Delta Sigma Theta had already begun descending on the city. Gay and lesbian couples held hands, blending in with the crowd. Students, tourists, commuters, and people of all ethnic and racial background comprised the harmonious landscape.

I was a college student in Washington, DC over 30 years ago. The city has really evolved.

As I walked through downtown during my final night, it occurred to me that my work is more valuable than I realized. The triple bottom line – social responsibility, financial profits, and environmental stewardship is the real deal! My status as a husband, father, African-American man, and entrepreneur really allows this to resonate with me.

Sustainable cities facilitate the human ecosystem.

10 Steps for Energy Efficiency

By Todd Q. AdamsDecember 14, 2012 Blog environment, green, recycle, sustainability, sustainable

10 Steps for Your Business to Become Energy Efficient

“It’s not easy being green…”

That song from Sesame Street’s Kermit the Frog frequently pops in my mind when I think of becoming “green.” Kermit was lamenting about the hardships of being a frog. Some people may think that “going green” or becoming energy efficient is hard.

To help with possible reservations, The Small Business Administration (SBA) has made it a little easier for you. They have provided an area on their website called “Green Guide for New Businesses” which provides information on how businesses can adopt environmentally friendly and energy efficient businesses practices. These practices provide numerous benefits for new business owners looking to control costs, attract customers and become socially responsible.

Listed in this guide are 10 steps to help you develop an environmental strategy for your business. The list is below. Click the link that follows to get more in-depth information.

Comply with Environmental Regulations
Develop an Environmental Management Plan
Build Green
Buy Green Products
Adopt Energy Efficient Practices
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Wastes
Conserve Water
Prevent Pollution
Create a Green Marketing Strategy
Join Industry Partnership and Stewardship Programs

For some, like Kermit, it may not be easy being green. Some changes may result in increased costs. What is important, is that eventually, we will all benefit from “being green.”

We Need Black and Brown in Green

By Todd Q. AdamsFebruary 13, 2012 Blog, Sustainability

You can call me an energy technology nerd, but I enjoy assisting clients in the development of energy management solutions that help to reduce our societal carbon footprint. More importantly, I find it intrinsically gratifying to develop successful consumer engagement strategies that incentivize the average citizen to reduce water and energy consumption. After all, we should all be good environment stewards. Yet, I attend energy and water management conferences where I am literally one of few Black people among conferences with attendances that range between 8,000 and 12,000 people. I also struggle to find Hispanics attending such events.

Since environmental sustainability is a global issue, it would stand to reason that initiatives related home energy management, water conservation, or recycling of any kind be targeted in an equitable manner. My point is not to make this a race issue, but to acknowledge “the elephant in the room”. A white upper middle class public utility corporate communications specialist inherently knows how to connect to her suburban neighbors. Tactics such as community forums, high-touch mobile displays, and engaging the church pastor will lead to significant traction in communities of color. Politician running for office have known that for a long time. After all, we are ultimately seeking ways to modify human behavior. The methods and the messenger matter for African-Americans and Hispanics – a lot!

The 2010 U.S. census counts almost 90,000,000 African-Americans and Hispanics collectively. Race or ethnicity aside, the fact is that we have to develop substantive consumer engagement strategies for such a large demographic. After all, everyone consumes water, uses electricity, and heats their homes. Institutions that serve the total public such as utilities and local governments have an obligation to create value propositions for all. If we are asking people to change habits, they have to understand what is in it for them. For poor and working class people of color, water and energy conservation has to be linked to cost savings. However, being an environmental steward may resonate more with higher income people of color. If the message of environmental stewardship is being driven home by someone with significant social or political capital within the community, then you will have more success. I have not even begun to overlay regional and age differences among communities of color. The larger point is that it is time to better engage people like me.

Despite all of this, I see progress on the horizon. Just as wireless phone providers slowly learned that people of colors also use cell phones, business models emerged to facilitate consumer preferences for communities of color. Various studies now show that African-Americans have a higher cell phone adoption and use rate than America in general. I expect the same phenomenon to occur in communities of color relative to the adoption of home energy and water management technology. At a recent consumer engagement symposium in Texas, a utility executive told me that he is engaging African-American pastors and politicians as a means of generating Smart Meter and energy management awareness within the service territory for his utility. Major energy trade organizations have made recent public declarations to develop consumer engagement strategies targeted to communities of color.

All of this signifies opportunity for people of color experienced in the development of customer segmentation strategies. Whether you be the owner of a public relations firm or a corporate communications specialist for a utility, this is represents a tremendous opportunity to contribute to your triple bottom line (financial, environmental stewardship, social responsibility). Retailers such as Best Buy are beginning to sell home energy management electronics. Green is becoming main stream. Pastors and grass roots community leaders also need to step up to the plate. Being a protector of the planet is a spiritual matter. The advocacy of green jobs workforce development programs can serve to economically revitalize many African-American and Hispanic communities. Although I believe that government and public sector institutions need to do more to ensure equity in the green movement, ultimately African-Americans and Hispanics have to take ownership of changing the landscape.

Sustainability – It’s a Matter of Stewardship

By Todd Q. AdamsNovember 15, 2011 Blog, Sustainability

While engaged is a discussion today regarding consumer engagement strategies for home energy management solutions, a colleague raised the question, “How do you make environmental sustainability resonate with the average person?’ For that matter, does the average person really connect personal driving habits to air quality? As we turn on our tap water, do we ever question whether clean water will flow? As I pondered these questions, it occurred to me that the questions are not really about conservation or reducing pollutants. We have to probe further into human nature to ask the right questions.

Although the “green movement” has gained significant momentum, tom many, environmental issues still remain abstract. Humans respond to things that are immediate and personal. People that experience the death of a loved one to cancer will often become the most passionate champions of charities committed to cancer research. The fact is that sustainability and environmental stewardship have to be personalized in similar ways.

Environmental stewardship has to be linked to outcomes that align with human values. Electric utilities have found that saving money on a monthly bill can motivate consumers to conserve energy. A reduction of carbon emissions may be viewed as a good thing, but financial stewardship at home in a tough economy is viewed as absolutely necessary.

In urban communities, people are more likely to live near electric generation plants that emit pollutants into the air. Environmental justice advocates assert that pollutants from cars and factories also disproportionately impact underserved communities and communities of color. They cite the skyrocketing rates of asthma in such communities as proof. Thus, many people are beginning to see environmental stewardship as a matter of life and death – literally. We are now speaking of a public health issue and not merely an environmental issue.

The fact is that we have to communicate to people in ways that are personal and compelling. The success of recycling programs, home energy management programs, and water conservation initiatives depend upon strategic public relations campaigns. After all, the focus is not the environment – it is ultimately the manner in which people treat the environment.

A Sustainable Planet – We Need to Educate

By Todd Q. AdamsMay 3, 2011 Blog, Sustainability

As an energy management professional, I am always reading terms such as “Smart Grid,” “energy efficiency,” and “carbon footprint.” Among my peers, I also use such terms. However, the esoteric use of such language is proving to have little effect among the masses. Some of us are attempting to be good environmental stewards, but let’s face it – most of us are energy hogs.

I say this to illustrate a point, and it is not my intention to be judgmental. The fact is that public-interest institutions and organizations have to do a better job in delivering a value proposition to the average citizen. Utilities have to engage consumers in ways that encourage them to embrace behavioral modification that results in energy conservation.

It is imperative that local governments develop communication plans designed to engage citizens in substantive ways that make them want to recycle. I live in a small suburb of Cleveland that offers weekly pick up of recyclable material (cans, glass containers, plastic). Yet there are only a few of us on my entire street that voluntarily place their recyclable items curbside.Surely, a community of educated and professional people knows better.

The fact is poor messaging results in a lack of awareness in any community. All schools should integrate environmental and energy literacy into the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) curriculum. Religious institutions need to align spiritual messages with principles of environmental stewardship. Every level of government should have someone who ensures that we meet our growing energy needs without compromising our planet. In addition, this person should lead effective public education and awareness campaigns. It is also about time that utilities develop hands-on tactics that enable customers to save money while reducing energy consumption.

The point is that we need to leverage those with existing political and social capital to drive home the message. We have to educate, and then reinforce what’s learned.

From your preferred position, let us advocate for a sustainable tomorrow.

Green Visibility

By Todd Q. AdamsMarch 1, 2011 Sustainability

Almost every day I am reminded of being a good environmental steward. Public service announcements have President Obama encouraging home energy efficiency from the oval office. News articles tout the value of water conservation. In my local community, I can place my recyclable glass, plastic, and aluminum cans for weekly curbside pickup. Since this is voluntary in my community, I really feel like feel good to know that I am doing my part in preserving life on earth.

However, various studies have shown that most utilities have a long way to go on educating consumers about smart energy and water management. Furthermore, I notice that very few of the neighbors in my suburban development recycle. Surely, many of my educated and professional neighbors should understand the value sustaining our planet.

The fact is that this entire “green” movement is still abstract to the average person, and it does not resonate to most of us in a way that is immediately personal. As I engage people on topics of the environment, it has occurred to me that I spend most of the time simplifying the message for people. At that point, I get the “now I get it” response.

Messaging and strategic communication are critical. Government entities, utilities, and major community stakeholders have to simplify the message. We are told to get ready for the Smart Grid or to reduce our carbon footprint. If we are to really prompt public behavior modification, then we have to put an end to the esoteric jargon. This necessitates effective public relations and strategic communication planning. When my 93-year-old grandmother understands exactly how reducing her carbon footprint can require less of her fixed income, now we are onto something.

Todd Q. Adams is Visibilty Marketing’s Chief of Sustainability & Innovation