How to Communicate Trust in the Energy Sector
Isobel Madle | February 18, 2025 | 5 mins
Trust is the cornerstone of every successful customer relationship, especially in the energy sector, where complex pricing, rising costs, and regulatory shifts can easily break down consumer confidence. For vulnerable customers, trust becomes even more critical as they often face additional barriers to accessing fair, reliable, and transparent services.
Thirteen of the biggest energy companies in the UK have signed the UK Energy Vulnerability Commitment in order to better support vulnerable customers in addition to the existing industry regulations. They commit to making sure they are identifying their most vulnerable customers, offering affordable payment plans, and staying aware of vulnerabilities within their prepayment customer bases. While this demonstrates trust to customers, how can we effectively communicate it and prioritise a human-first approach?
In this blog, we’ll explore the vital role trust plays in the energy sector and provide actionable strategies grounded in behavioural science to help your brand communicate trust effectively.
Understanding trust through behavioural science
Building trust isn’t just about delivering on promises, it’s about creating a consistent and empathetic experience that aligns with customer needs and expectations. From a behavioural science perspective, trust is based on three core elements:
Reliability: Do your customers believe you will do what you say?
Transparency: Are you clear and open in your communications and actions?
Fairness: Do customers perceive your services as equitable and considerate of their circumstances?
By addressing these elements, energy providers can create a foundation of trust that supports long-term customer relationships.
Challenges in building trust in the energy sector
Despite its importance, building trust in the energy sector comes with unique challenges:
Lack of transparency: Customers are often left confused by hidden costs, complex tariffs, and unclear billing processes.
Historical scepticism: Past experiences of poor service or mismanagement have left many consumers wary of energy providers.
Barriers for vulnerable groups: Vulnerable customers may face digital exclusion, financial strain, or limited access to personalised support, making it harder to trust providers.
Identification: What makes a vulnerable customer? A lot of consumers may not classify themselves as vulnerable or downplay their own challenges believing that others may be more deserving of support, which can see these customers fall through the cracks.
Acknowledging these challenges is the first step in overcoming them.
Practical strategies to communicate trust
To build and maintain trust, energy providers need to prioritise clear, empathetic, and transparent communication. But how can this be implemented?
Clear Communication - Use plain language in tariffs and contracts to avoid confusion. Provide upfront information about pricing and services to build confidence from the outset.
Empathy and Support - Tailor your communication to the needs of vulnerable customers. Offer accessible support options such as phone lines, live chat, or outreach initiatives, and ensure your tone conveys genuine care and understanding.
Transparency in Action - Simplify your pricing structures and billing processes. Showcase how your organisation is actively addressing customer concerns and meeting regulatory standards.
Nudges for Good - Use behavioural nudges to encourage positive actions, such as reminders to submit meter readings or tips for reducing energy consumption. Highlight incentives like green energy rewards.
Feedback Loops - Create opportunities for customers to share feedback through surveys, reviews, or direct conversations. Act on their input and communicate the changes you’ve made as a result.
Identifiable Victim Bias - Sharing real-life stories from consumers about the support they've received as vulnerable customers can help encourage others to come forward who may not recognise themselves as being in that category.
The role of regulatory compliance
With Ofgem’s Vulnerability strategy refresh, regulatory compliance has become crucial in building trust between energy providers and customers. These regulations emphasise transparency, fairness, and customer-centric practices, ensuring firms act in the best interests of consumers. By prioritising these principles, energy providers can not only meet their obligations but also demonstrate their commitment to ethical practices, particularly in supporting vulnerable customers. This approach helps position them as leaders in the sector, enhancing customer loyalty and trust, and strengthening their reputation for fairness and reliability.
Key takeaways
Trust is built through reliability, transparency, and fairness
Clear, empathetic, and transparent communication is key to supporting vulnerable customers
By addressing barriers and leveraging behavioural science, energy providers can create meaningful connections with their customers
Trust is more than a value; it’s an opportunity to create lasting customer relationships - if you’d like to discuss behavioural science as part of your marketing strategy, get in touch with our team to explore how we can help you build trust with your customers.