Abt SRBI understands the challenges of conducting quantitative and qualitative research for clients in the electric and natural gas industries, especially as consumer choice becomes a reality in many states. Abt SRBI takes pride in assisting its clients to prepare for industry restructuring with actionable research findings based on the highest quality data collection and analytic techniques.
Abt SRBI provides custom solutions for research with business and residential customers. Abt SRBI's experience in utilities research includes customer satisfaction and loyalty, switching behavior and customer churn, new products and services, market segmentation and positioning, advertising tracking, national and key accounts, energy services and pricing studies. Abt SRBI uses a variety of methodologies in its energy research, including telephone, mail, on-line and in-person data collection. State-of-the-art analysis techniques are used to enhance the value of Abt SRBI's research for its clients.

Forthcoming
Abt SRBI will be conducting two important multi-client studies in Spring 2008:

• The Second Annual Climate Change Public Opinion Monitor. This study will build upon our baseline research conducted in 2007 to provide insight into public opinion about climate change and its implications for utility energy efficiency programs and corporate communications. The survey will be conducted by telephone with 400 consumers nationwide and a proprietary over-sample of 100 consumers from each sponsor's service territory. This year, the study will also include benchmarking of utility websites with respect to providing information about climate change, and a media analysis of material on climate change and electric utilities from 110 major media sources in the 60 days prior to the survey.
  


• 2008 Energy Conservation, Efficiency, and Demand Response: The Fourth Biennial Survey. First conducted in 2002, this will be the fourth biennial survey to provide comprehensive information about consumer attitudes and behavior related to energy conservation, efficiency, and demand response. This year, the study will also feature a market segmentation of consumers with respect to energy efficiency. The survey will include 800 interviews with consumers nationwide and proprietary service territory over-samples of 100 for each sponsor.
  

Please contact Carla Jackson, Vice President of Energy Research, at (239) 278-4044 or c.jackson@srbi.com for additional information about either of these studies.

Survey Quality
At Abt SRBI, surveys are not a commodity. Rather, each study is customized to our clients' needs from questionnaire design to CATI programming and testing to data analysis and reporting. We listen closely to our energy clients' needs to deliver custom solutions to fulfill specific research needs. With 500 CATI stations located in our five telephone centers (New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Florida, and West Virginia), we can meet even the most difficult project schedules without sacrificing research quality. We also have a corps of executive interviewers noted for its skill in reaching even the most difficult-to-interview business customer.

Multi-Client Studies
Abt SRBI occasionally conducts multi-client studies for the energy industry. Past studies have explored bill payment and presentment, investor opinions of energy companies, and energy efficiency. Abt SRBI normally limits participation in these studies to ensure that sponsor input can be accommodated in the development of the research instruments. The same high quality control standards used in our custom research projects are also maintained in these multi-client projects.

Achieving Synergy
In addition to a strong background in energy research, Abt SRBI's extensive experience in the telecommunications industry represents a valuable resource for utilities clients. Abt SRBI has worked with a variety of telecommunications clients, including: NYNEX, Bell Atlantic, BellSouth, AT&T, MCI and South New England Telephone (SNET). This work has involved: assessment of consumer reaction to new products, development of market segmentation strategies for current and future services, evaluation of client image relative to competitors and measurement of advertising effectiveness.

Abt SRBI's National Center for Energy Research is led by Carla Jackson, Vice President, who has nearly 20 years of client-side experience in energy market research. To be placed on a mailing list to receive information about future Abt SRBI multi-client studies for the energy industry or for further information, please contact Carla Jackson at c.jackson@srbi.com.