Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) has won the Energy Network Consumer Engagement Award for 2020.

Energy Networks Australia (ENA) in partnership with Energy Consumers Australia runs the award, which recognises an Australian energy network business that demonstrates outstanding leadership in consumer engagement.

AGIG’s winning submission ‘Customers at the centre of our planning’ details its mission to embed a genuine customer focus across all aspects of future planning for South Australia’s gas distribution network. The campaign was based on genuine and effective engagement with a focus on empowering staff at AGIG to deliver the best outcomes for customers.

Energy Consumers Australia interim Chief Executive Officer, Lynne Gallagher, said the Consumer Engagement Award highlighted the work of many networks to lift engagement with consumers on their terms.

“This is a period of momentous change for the energy sector and it has tested the way energy companies engage with their customers. The approaches which have proven to work best are those which genuinely listen to what consumers value and place those insights at the centre of business decisions,” she said.

“We hope many of the good practices demonstrated by AGIG and this year’s award entries become common practice by sharing knowledge across the sector.”

ENA Chief Executive Officer Andrew Dillon said the Consumer Engagement Awards showed networks across Australia were taking tangible steps to mature their consumer engagement.

“We are seeing an uplift and commitment to working directly with customers by many network businesses, exploring new ways to deepen engagement and collaboration with consumers in the face of new challenges such as COVID-19 and extreme weather events.”

AGIG Chief Executive Officer Ben Wilson said AGIG was proud to be recognised for its engagement with customers.

“We know affordability is a key issue for our customers, so it has never been more important to ensure we understand how to deliver the best possible value. Customers in South Australia, from Mount Gambier to Port Pirie, were pivotal in shaping our future plans for the South Australian gas distribution network”