E.ON is ramping up its mobile strategy after seeing traffic from mobile devices surge 50% in the last year.

The energy giant is planning to increase its focus on smartphone and tablet activity over the coming year, including plans for mobile site developments.

E.ON head of digital Pardeep Duggal told new media age there are major opportunities around mobile, and the aim is to develop a “mobile-first” strategy.
The company has seen traffic from mobile devices jump 50% within the last year, according to Duggal.

“Mobile has to be a key area we focus on. We have a mobile app and mobile sites are also on my agenda. The more interesting area around mobile is how an energy company can add value. How do you engage customers in a topic like energy consumption digitally. We have some plans around that in the pipeline,” she said.

The energy sector has lagged behind other sectors, including banking, which have more advanced digital, mobile, and personalisation strategies, according to Duggal. “As a sector we have always thought telephone first, it has been a major shift for the energy industry to even think digital first. To be a leader we need to be thinking mobile first,” she said.

Her comments come as E.ON unveils a simpler tarrif scheme, along with a new loyalty reward scheme. It has introduced an online tool as part of the launch, aimed at helping customers identify the best tarrifs for them.

Dugall said the launch ties in with the energy giant’s increased commitment to using digital channels to engage its customers, which will include using its customer data sets to render digital consumer experiences more personalised. “Personalisation is an untapped area in the energy sector and it’s an area we want to build,” she added.