A giant amongst energy providers, E.ON has confirmed its commitment to helping its customers become more energy efficient by encouraging its staff to get smart over smart meters with on-going training.
With the opening of the company’s new smart meter customer service centre in Bolton, employees are being retrained to be able to offer energy consumers advice about the technology.
Smart meters are designed to enable households to not only keep on top of their energy use, but, more importantly, control it. They send electronic meter readings automatically to energy suppliers to provide accurate readings.
E.ON says it has seen interest grow considerably in the technology and the second smart meter customer service facility has been launched due to an increase in the amount of enquiries it receives, which the energy giant says has trebled over the last twelve months.
The service centre in Bolton has created 85 new jobs and E.ON has also retrained around 160 of its existing staff to become specialist fitters and give specialist advice to customers over the phone. Over the past twelve months the company has fitted 125,000 smart meters and says it is committed to installing a million by 2014.
“What we’re seeing here is a real shift in demand; our customers understand the benefits of smart meters and they want them now – they want to see how much energy they’re using and they want more accurate bills.” commented Tony Cocker, chief executive of E.ON in the UK.
E.ON has also confirmed that next week will mark the launch of its Smart Plus Monitor service. To utilise the service, customers will need to have smart meters fitted, as well as a ‘smart plug’ installed in rooms where you’re going to want to be able to control devices remotely. Customers will be able to keep on top of energy use and change thermostat settings by either logging in via a PC or through smart phone apps.
Thanks to the Smart Plus Monitor service customers will have the power literally at their fingertips to turn off appliances like TVs and washing machines remotely, or turn down the thermostat on the central heating.
Smart meters will help people get smart when it comes to energy efficiency, leading to reductions in energy bills.
Eon offered my smart gas and electric meters going on for four years ago. I had to pay a small amount to have them fitted but have love all the benefits that come with them.
Last week I had solar PV fitted. My installer said that my smart meter may also work as an export meter, also down as one of the benefits on the energy saving trusts website; http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/In-your-home/Your-energy-supply/Smart-meters . However I have just spoken to Eon re my FIT application form to be told smart meters are not compactable with Solar PV and they will have to change the meter… Waiting for conformation, surly it can’t be true.