Experience Better: The CX Podcast

What does it actually take for a utility to build trust with customers who are struggling to pay their bills? In this episode of Experience Better: The CX Podcast by KUBRA, we're sharing highlights from our recent webinar, "Supporting Vulnerable Utility Customers in Moments of Need," presented with our friends at Chartwell and featuring KUBRA's own Tara Mondelli alongside Chartwell's Casey Collins and Pat Ricks. Hear why financial vulnerability now reaches well beyond a small segment of customers, learn about the four moments that shape customer trust, and find out what utility leaders say works best, from understanding the whole household to partnering with trusted community organizations. Whether you're just starting to rethink how you support customers who are struggling or already building out your approach, this episode offers practical ideas to help you do it while keeping the customer experience front and center. Watch the webinar replay Whitepaper: Affordability & Trust: The Utility Industry at a Crossroads PART 1 Whitepaper: Affordability & Trust: The Utility Industry at a Crossroads PART 2

Utilities are facing a new kind of pressure, and it's not just about the grid. Rising infrastructure costs, extreme weather, and a growing shift toward digital payments are all converging at once, forcing utility leaders to take a hard look at how payment costs are managed and who absorbs them. In this episode of Experience Better: The CX Podcast by KUBRA, we're diving into one of the most timely conversations happening across the utility sector right now: evolving payment fee models. We'll walk through what's driving this shift, what options utilities actually have today, how changes to card networks are creating new possibilities, and what it takes to navigate all of this while keeping the customer experience front and center. Whether you are just starting to ask the right questions or actively evaluating a transition, this episode is designed to help you think through the landscape with clarity and confidence.

In this episode of Experience Better, guest host Erind Shkurti is joined by KUBRA experts Sara Small and Matt DeLaRosa to explore findings from the new 2026 Bill Redesign Insights and Preferences Report. Together, they unpack how today’s consumers interact with their utility bills, what information they value most, and why utilities are increasingly rethinking the customer experience behind both print and digital billing. From surprising insights about how little time customers actually spend reviewing their bills to the growing demand for clearer usage information and simpler layouts, the conversation reveals what utilities need to prioritize to keep customers informed and engaged.

What does it actually take to move customers from paper to paperless? In this episode of Experience Better: The CX Podcast by KUBRA, we're sharing highlights from our recent webinar, Navigating the E-Bill Currents, featuring Lindsey Parham from City of Charlotte and KUBRA's own Candice Merrifield. Hear how one of the fastest-growing cities in the country grew e-bill adoption, what barriers are standing between utilities and higher digital enrollment, and five proven strategies to overcome them. Whether you're just getting started or looking to accelerate your existing efforts, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you drive paperless adoption while keeping the customer experience front and center. Tune in and find out what's really working.

Digital wallets are everywhere,  from everyday purchases to peer-to-peer payments. But are they truly ready to take over bill pay? In this episode of Experience Better: The CX Podcast by KUBRA, guest host Cali Johnston, Senior Product Marketing Manager at KUBRA, brings you key insights from KUBRA’s latest digital wallets research, featuring expert perspectives from Yara Alatshan, Market Intelligence Lead, and Ashley Czajkowski, Enterprise Payments Strategy Manager at KUBRA, who explores what these trends mean for customer awareness, trust, and adoption. Through curated clips from our recent webinar, we explore how consumer expectations are evolving, why digital wallets are becoming a must-have in bill payments, and what’s still standing in the way of widespread adoption. If you’re responsible for customer experience, this conversation will help you prepare for what’s next in bill pay and how digital wallets fit into a better, more seamless customer experience.

As storm season winds down, utilities are taking stock of what they’ve learned to prepare for what comes next. In this episode of Experience Better: The CX Podcast by KUBRA, guest host Cali Johnston revisits highlights from a recent KUBRA webinar exploring how utilities can enhance their storm-season communication strategies. Featuring Todd Clement, Senior Product Manager at KUBRA, the episode explores how overlapping events, compressed timelines, and rising customer expectations are reshaping storm response. Todd shares lessons learned on boosting outage notification enrollment, running realistic drills, and preparing pre-scheduled communications that help utilities stay connected when it matters most.

Despite its importance, customer journey mapping remains a mystery to many organizations. Listen as we uncover it's untapped potential — from revealing hidden customer behaviors to aligning operations across entire organizations. We’ll explore how journey mapping can inspire innovation, streamline processes and drive smarter decision-making. This episode provides real-world insights and practical guidance for businesses ready to decode the customer journey and elevate their CX strategies.

Explore how utilities can enhance communication, build trust, and engage customers more effectively during crises and beyond with Part Two of this intriguing discussion with experts from Chartwell Inc. Shaun Jackson, Senior Vice President of Marketing at KUBRA, hosts this discussion, featuring special guests Steve Waters, Director of Councils, and Casey Collins, Senior Research Analyst. This engaging episode examines actionable strategies for improving outage communication, fostering sustainability engagement, and evolving the utility-customer relationship from a service provider to a trusted advisor. This episode showcases best practices and innovative ideas for utilities to strengthen customer connections, from leveraging transparency and empathy during outages to creating impactful environmental programs.

Get ready as we unlock the secrets of modern utility customer relationships with exclusive insights from Chartwell's 2024 Residential Consumer Survey. Steve Waters, Director of Councils, and Casey Collins, Senior Research Analyst at Chartwell Inc., reveal how utilities can transform customer insights into meaningful action that builds authentic relationships. Explore the diverse needs of your customer base – from young professionals to established households – and understand how their financial realities shape energy choices. Learn what drives customer trust and loyalty across different demographics, and why personalized engagement matters more than ever. Join us for a practical discussion on ways to strengthen customer relationships and position your utility for future success in an evolving energy marketplace.

Join host Shaun Jackson, Senior Vice President of Marketing at KUBRA, for an insightful exploration of the evolving payments landscape. Drawing from KUBRA's extensive consumer research, this episode delves into the current state of bill payment experiences and emerging trends shaping the future of payments. Discover why traditional payment methods like debit and credit cards remain dominant while digital wallets gain momentum. Learn about the growing interest in real-time payments and the complex dynamics of buy now, pay later services in the bill payment space. The episode also examines consumer attitudes toward cryptocurrency payments and the crucial role of security in driving payment preferences. Whether you're a biller looking to optimize your payment offerings or simply interested in the future of payment technology, this episode provides valuable insights into consumer preferences and the factors driving payment innovation in 2025 and beyond.