Electric Kiwi and Flick Electric Co Have the Power to Satisfy

Electric Kiwi and Flick Electric Co are joint winners of Canstar Blue’s award for Most Satisfied Customers | Electricity Providers

Regardless of your energy needs, only you have the power to secure a better deal on your electricity bill. In New Zealand, the five main energy companies are also the main generating companies. However, consumers still have a lot of choice when it comes to their power provider.

Over the past two decades, a lot of smaller players have emerged. Harnessing the power of new smart electricity meters and the internet, they’ve driven competition in the market and helped keep a lid on prices. In the process, they’ve shifted control of power bills into the hands of consumers.

There are now 39 different electricity providers in the market, from the big players and their own smaller brands, to independents. As part of our mission to inform consumers of the best NZ has to offer, Canstar Blue canvassed the opinions of 3986 New Zealanders who have electricity accounts across a range of categories, to measure and track their satisfaction.

To decide which electricity provider offers the best level of customer satisfaction, each was rated across the following categories:

• Overall Satisfaction
• Bill & Cost Clarity
• Customer Service
• Ease of Sign-up
• Focus on Environmental Sustainability
• Online Tools and Advice
• Value for Money

As joint winners, Electric Kiwi and Flick Electric Co come out on top, taking home Canstar Blue’s award for Most Satisfied Customers | Electricity Providers. The award is a great achievement for the two independent power company start-ups. Each earned five 5 Star ratings, including for Overall Satisfaction, and two 4 Star ratings. Also performing well in Canstar Blue’s latest survey is Powershop, which took out three 5 Star ratings.

What Customers’ Want

Electricity is electricity. It doesn’t matter which provider you use, the power you receive does the same job in every room in your home. However, as Canstar Blue’s research highlights, there are major points of difference between power companies. For those respondents in our survey, Value for Money (34%) is the main driver of satisfaction, followed by Customer Service (26%) and Bill and Cost Clarity (18%). The biggest surprise is how few consumers rate the eco-footprint of their electricity provider as a major concern, just a paltry 5%! Overall, the main drivers of satisfaction:

Changing Your Energy Habits

Throughout Canstar Blue’s research, the message was the same: people are worried about their home energy usage. Nearly 40% of those in our survey say they’re worried about their power bills, and an even greater percentage are trying to reduce them.

Half of respondents say they use blankets and extra clothes to keep warm inside during winter, rather than turn the heating up. An even greater proportion (75%) are actively trying to reduce their power usage by using energy saving light bulbs and appliances.

However, far fewer people are pursuing the easiest way to reduce their power bills: seeking out a better deal on their provider. While just over a third of people canvassed by Canstar Blue have compared electricity providers over the past year, just 13% have made a switch and saved money!

Thanks to new electricity providers such as Electric Kiwi and Flick Electric Co, there are now plenty of players in the NZ market. This benefits consumers through increased competition for customers and, ultimately, lower prices and better service.

If you’re considering a switch, let Canstar Blue’s latest electricity ratings guide your choice. For whether you choose Flick Electric Co or Electric Kiwi, you can rest assured that both come with Canstar Blue’s 5 Star rating of approval.