Utility Heartbeat: Quarterly Reports on Industry Hot Topics
Bellomy’s Utility Heartbeat Polls are quarterly, cross-panel surveys designed to deliver timely, big-picture insights on pressing topics in the utility industry.
By leveraging our network of customer panels and communities representing 20+ utilities across the United States, these polls provide valuable peer analysis and benchmarking data.
Each quarter, Bellomy collaborates with utility partners to select relevant topics—such as electric vehicles, sustainability, or customer communications—and fields a rapid poll with consistent questions across all participating panels. This approach ensures that clients receive actionable, comparable insights.
These polls offer a unique opportunity to keep customer panels engaged during quieter periods, while also providing utilities with comprehensive, industry-wide perspectives.
Anonymized, topline results are available for download. Check out the topics we’ve covered below!
Q2 2026: Perspectives on Energy Bill Affordability
Are affordability concerns shaping your customers’ expectations?
While utility bills have long been a baseline concern, our Q2 2026 Utility Heartbeat poll reveals a stark divide between how customers view their bills today and their affordability concerns for the year ahead. In this report, we explore:
- The Future Outlook: Why customer concern is forecasted to increase over the next twelve months and what is driving that lack of confidence.
- Attribution of Costs: The primary external and internal factors customers believe are currently pushing utility costs higher.
- Paths to Support: What customers want to see from their providers to manage long-term affordability.
Q1 2026: Perceptions of the Impact of Data Center Growth
How Are Customers Feeling About the Boom in Data Centers?
Our Q1 2026 Utility Heartbeat report captures the voices of consumers from across the US, revealing their awareness, concerns, and expectations around data center development and its impact on their communities.
This report covers:
- Insights into consumer awareness of data center expansion
- Customer perceptions of the benefits and challenges data centers bring to local communities
- Attitudes toward the impact of data centers on energy use and reliability
- What utilities need to know to engage more effectively with their customers on this topic
Q4 2025: Appropriate AI Use for the Utility Industry
Curious about what your customers think of AI-powered services?
Our Q4 2025 Utility Heartbeat report, Appropriate AI Use for the Utility Industry, reveals key findings on customer sentiment, trust, and expectations around artificial intelligence in the utility sector.
Discover:
- What drives customer trust in utility AI use
- The importance of transparency, privacy, and human connection
- Where customers draw the line on AI involvement in their services
Q3 2025: Brand Perceptions Report
Discover the latest insights into utility brand health—what customers value most today and where perceptions still fall short.
Bellomy’s Q3 2025 Utility Heartbeat Cross-Utility Poll, based on feedback from over 3,000 utility customers nationwide, reveals topline brand sentiment and attribute ratings.
A few quick takeaways:
- Dependability, trustworthiness, and a genuine focus on customer needs reign supreme
- Utility brands are middle of the pack - many are seen as “about the same” as other service providers
Q2 2025: Chatbot & Virtual Assistant Perceptions
Unlock the latest insights on how utility customers feel about chatbots and virtual assistants.
As more utilities lean on digital self-service tools to lower costs and improve customer satisfaction, understanding consumer perceptions of these technologies becomes critical.
To gauge where consumers stand, Bellomy fielded our Q2 2025 Utility Heartbeat Cross-Utility Poll to more than 3,000 utility customers across the nation, asking their views on chatbots, how comfortable they are with them, and what tasks they’re most willing to tackle with AI-powered help.
A few quick takeaways:
- Speed matters—providing responses quickly is critical to increase use
- Capability gaps remain—few believe a virtual assistant can handle any question they ask
Utilities operate in a landscape unlike any other sector.
The stakes are high: delivering essential services that underpin daily life, economic activity, and public safety. With more than 30 years of experience providing insights to Utility clients, Bellomy understands the nuances of the utility industry and has developed tailored techniques, solutions, and technology tools to specifically address industry needs.
We are thrilled to provide these Utility Heartbeat reports as a sneak peek into our passion for the industry. Learn more about our utility expertise here.
