Eneco incentivizes customers to shift their energy consumption
In recent years, the energy sector has faced significant disruptions due to the energy crisis and the ongoing transition towards sustainability. Eneco, a leading producer and supplier of natural gas, electricity and heat in the Netherlands, recognized the need to not only adapt to these changing market dynamics but to take the initiative in fostering a shift towards more sustainable consumption behaviours. Their vision was not just to introduce a new product but to catalyze a profound behaviour change that benefits both consumers' wallets and the environment. Driven by a vision to empower consumers with greener, more cost-effective energy choices through dynamic pricing and a broad range of services and products, Eneco partnered with SparkOptimus to kickstart the transformation, set-up and delivery of these innovations.
SparkOptimus has been pivotal in steering us through this transformative journey, blending their digital acumen and strategic foresight with a pragmatic, no-nonsense approach. Together, we've not only envisioned change but successfully delivered it on time and within budget. SparkOptimus have been fantastic partners, deeply invested in our success, building our capabilities and inspiring us to celebrate every milestone.
To achieve Eneco's ambitious goals, we adopted a dual-track (simultaneous “discovery” and “delivery”) strategy. This approach entailed concurrently reshaping the operating model and conducting a detailed pilot to refine and validate our strategies in real-time, fostering cross-functional, end-to-end cooperation across multidisciplinary teams, each with clear, purpose-driven objectives and goals.
Our first priority was to set-up, design and launch the Dynamic Pricing product. From the beginning, we recognized the key elements at play: the intricate IT landscape, diverse business processes, and a substantial customer base of 2 million. Incorporating both the need for agility and conscientious planning, we designed a launch strategy that combined speed with risk management with a controlled, phased rollout with Eneco employees and a select group of early adopters. This method allowed us to gather invaluable feedback and make necessary adjustments in a controlled, iterative manner before a broader public rollout.
This phased, or "stage-gated" launch was operationalized through the development of several Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), each designed to test different facets of the dynamic pricing system, which allowed for a structured and strategic release schedule, ensuring that each phase of the launch was informed by the learnings of the previous one.
From the outset, SparkOptimus and Eneco co-led the project, driving the vision and decision-making. This collaborative approach facilitated a fast pace, measured in a matter of months, resulting in a successful build, test, and launch of the new proposition and digital products. As the project matured, SparkOptimus transitioned into a supportive role, setting up and transferring the capabilities and acting as a sparring partner and coach. This ensured a smooth knowledge transfer, empowering the Eneco team to confidently take the driver's seat, with SparkOptimus pushing boundaries by envisioning "what’s next."
Take the insights with you
Eneco Dynamic Pricing successfully launched in September '23, making Eneco one of the first energy giants to offer dynamic pricing. This strategic move not only bolstered customer retention but also expanded their base, offering diverse, future-proof energy solutions that empower customers to make greener choices and accelerate the transition to a more sustainable energy landscape.
Driven by swift action and clear milestones, we helped to transform Eneco into a self-learning organization. From conception to launch, our project journey was marked by agile collaboration and rapid learning. Delivering each MVP on time and within budget wasn't just an outcome, it was a confidence booster for both Eneco and our team. This confidence stemmed from SparkOptimus not just facilitating the project, but truly owning it: establishing its foundation, driving its milestones, and making critical decisions. This culminated in a successful launch that not only met business goals but also positioned Eneco as an agile player prepared to adapt to any market shift.
Ready to transform your organization? Discover how with our 1-week scan.
Budget Thuis is a leading energy and telecom services provider in the Netherlands, committed to providing reliable services at affordable prices. Serving more than a million customers, Budget Thuis holds a prominent position in the industry. Recognizing the substantial potential of Generative AI to enhance internal processes and the customer experience, Budget Thuis faced challenges in realizing its value independently. Therefore, they asked SparkOptimus’ support in identifying and prioritizing company-specific use cases, rapidly testing and proving the value by collaboratively building, testing, and improving MVPs, and designing an organizational setup for long-term, sustainable (Gen) AI innovation.
Henkel Consumer Brands (HCB) offers a wide range of consumer goods, represented by leading and well-known brands such as Persil, Schwarzkopf, and Dial. Committed to sustainability, HCB is transforming its product portfolio by integrating more sustainable solutions. The aim is to empower consumers to make sustainable choices not only in their purchase decisions but also in the usage of the products. To accelerate this journey, HCB collaborated with SparkOptimus to develop a comprehensive approach on shifting consumer behaviors and establishing sustainable choices as the new norm.
Zijerveld (a subsidiary of FrieslandCampina) is one of the largest cheese wholesalers in Europe. Recognizing the vast potential AI can bring to their business, they approached SparkOptimus for a one-week data scan. The scan consisted of identifying and prioritizing potential AI use cases across Zijerveld’s business and creating a first view of business value for selected use cases.
Gamma Belgium is a top 3 player in the Belgian DIY market. Every week 160,000 customers shop at one of 80+ stores in Flanders or Wallonia. As part of the Intergamma cross-channel strategy, Gamma Belgium launched their webshop in early 2014. SparkOptimus was asked to help build an adaptive and self-learning e-commerce organization with a constant focus on growth and profit maximization.
