Customer Engagement & Communication Planning

Overview

Implementing universal metering, particularly with volumetric charging, is as much a change-management programme as it is a technical or logistical project. Success relies on both sound infrastructure and strong community understanding.

It depends on:

• A clear, evidence-based business case

• Careful tariff design and testing

• Operational readiness across bylaws, systems, and field practices

• Thoughtful timing and pricing to avoid customer bill shock and hardship

Instituting a clear complaints and escalation process.All of the above needs to be effectively communicated to the community. Each community will have customers with unique perceptions, concerns and levels of acceptance that need to be adequately understood through meaningful engagement. This will ensure communications have the desired effect and public backlash is limited.

Developing a plan

A structured Customer Engagement and Communication Plan can be developed around the strategic objectives and customer outcomes of the metering project and should be linked directly to the project’s delivery stages. The plan should:

• • Map the Customer Journey end to end - Identify when and how customers will interact with the project—from early awareness through installation to using metered data , receiving volumetric bills and making payment. Each stage should outline key messages, channels, and responsible teams.

  • Characterise the Audience - Not all customers think or feel the same way about metering. Research and engagement [JF1] should be used to group them by relevant characteristics (e.g., residential vs. commercial, tenants vs. owners, high vs. low water users, demographic, language or cultural differences). Messaging can then be tailored to their needs and likely concerns.

  • Develop Key Messages and Narrative - Craft clear, evidence-based messages that explain:

    • • Why metering is being introduced

      • What the benefits are for individuals and the community

      • How the rollout will occur and what customers need to do

      • When charges will change and how fairness is ensured

      • Ensure consistency across all communication channels

  • Select Communication Channels[GU2]  - Use a blend of methods suited to local demographics: self-service channels (portal/app), website updates, social media, letters, local radio, face-to-face meetings, and targeted outreach for vulnerable or hard-to-reach customers. Communication needs to be proactive and timely. (Smart meters – customers expect to be notified of leaks and high use promptly)

  • Plan for Engagement at Each Stage - Link engagement actions to project milestones—e.g.:

    • • Planning stage: awareness campaigns, FAQs, public drop-ins, surveys etc.

      • During installation: courtesy door-knocks, contact centre scripts, field crew training, real-time updates.

      • After rollout: usage feedback, billing support, and water-saving education.

  • Build Feedback Loops and Listening Channels - Capture and track public sentiment, customer feedback, complaints, and frequently asked questions to refine communications and correct misinformation quickly.

  • Coordinate Internally - Ensure field crews, customer service teams, communications, and project managers are aligned so messaging is consistent and credible. Clear operating procedures and knowledge base all front-line teams can access[JF3] .  An unprepared frontline can undo months of careful engagement.

  • Monitor, Evaluate, and Adapt - Measure success through customer satisfaction, number of contacts, complaint volumes, and uptake of online tools or water-saving initiatives. Adjust the plan as the rollout progresses.

Understanding community concerns

The community readiness assessment provides the foundation for this stage, helping you understand current perceptions, potential resistance, and the concerns that may shape how your messages are received. The Infrastructure Commission’s Introducing Water Meters: Lessons and Perspectives provides good insights and practical lessons in this area.

Grounded in an understanding of community concerns, communication should be explicit about fairness. Research shows that most New Zealanders view water charges as fair. Sharing this evidence helps address equity concerns while reinforcing that hardship support will be available for households in genuine need.

Transparent, consistent and timely communications

Transparent, consistent communication is essential to building understanding, trust, and acceptance. Customers and the wider community should always know what is happening, when, and why. Communication should clearly outline the overall plan — from the installation of meters and development of tariff structures, through trial-read periods, to the introduction of volumetric billing.[GU5] 

Walking customers through each step of the journey, with timely and relevant information, ensures they are not surprised by changes and feel informed throughout. Ongoing communication should also reinforce the purpose and benefits of metering, such as the fairness of billing, leak detection, responsible water use and the long term lowest water servicing cost to consumers.

Installation communications

Communications around installation of water meters typically follow several steps

• 1. Pre-installation notifications to inform customers about the purpose, benefits, process, schedule and impacts (service disruptions) of the meter install.

  2. Courtesy door knock to advise works commencing[JF6] 

  3. Follow-up engagement

     • • Immediately when works such as surface reinstatement need to be completed at a later date.

       • When a leak has been found on the customer side of the toby.

       • General information such as “how to read your meter” guides or sample bills

The customer experience and engagement are critical throughout - clear advance notice, respectful interaction on site, and follow-up information help build trust and address concerns, as well as support a smooth transition to volumetric charging.

A question answered confidently in the first interaction leads to a happier customer and fewer repeat queries. This approach also frees up technical experts to focus on more complex installs, such as commercial sites, and on navigating more sensitive “who-pays” conversations.

Tailoring the messages to improve understanding

Tailoring messages for different audiences can get to the heart of specific concerns[JF8]  by  residents, avid gardeners, tenants and landlords, businesses, and community leaders, ensuring the right level of detail and tone in communications.

One powerful approach is to front-foot communications by meeting people face-to-face, investing in proactive outreach, and briefing community opinion-leaders and local board members who can amplify accurate messages. Using visual analogies for water volumes and focusing on outdoor water use often makes the issue more tangible and relatable.

Engaging trades and retailers including plumbers, hardware stores, and garden centres early creates partnerships that can help in shifting community behaviours. These groups can promote such matters as leak detection, using water-efficient fixtures and appliances, and low-water gardens with micro-irrigation systems and drought-tolerant planting, reinforcing the objectives of the metering programme through everyday customer interactions.

A strong engagement approach helps smooth the transition and turns metering into a shared solution, not just a technical project.

Making water metering engaging

Community engagement can also be fun and educational, especially through schools. Programmes like the School Water Detective Agency[JF9]  equip children with worksheets to record and investigate daily household water use. This shifts the household conversation from fear of “massive bills” to an informed, responsible approach to water use, often with children becoming enthusiastic advocates for conservation at home.

 Hot Tip

 Encountering a customer-side leak isn’t simply a technical issue, it’s a chance for a clear, calm conversation that explains what was found, clarifies responsibilities, and turns a potential complaint into constructive engagement[JF7] .