Leuven 29.05.2017

The path to purchase for energy supply

How GfK Belgium and Engie-Electrabel researched the customer journey via passive internet tracking

Engie-Electrabel is the market leader for energy supply in Belgium. In order to strengthen their position they wanted to understand how consumers switch energy supplier.

GfK Belgium provided answers on how, when and why digital media is used during the path to purchase, pinpointed the moments of truth during the customer journey and quantified the impact of on- and offline touchpoints towards the Engie-Electrabel brand. The research also showed which information channels are being used by customers (online, offline, cross-device) and which topics are researched during the path to purchase.

The GfK Purchase Journey methodology mapped the path to purchase and its moments of truth by capturing on- and offline behavior of consumers with a switching intent. We observed online activities of switching intenders via internet tracking on participants’ desktop, tablets and smartphones for 6 weeks. Via weekly surveys, we captured exposure to and impact of offline touchpoints and attitudes of participants towards energy suppliers.

By integrating established survey techniques and behavioral data, we were able to map the path to purchase for energy supply and understand specifically the role of mobile and fixed devices. Because of the research, Engie-Electrabel could optimize their usage of digital and traditional touchpoints and improve both its retention and acquisition strategy for consumers.