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Ben Garside and
Sarah Best
8 December 2015
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Author name
Date
Ben Garside and
Sarah Best
8 December 2015
Improving customer information
and feedback mechanisms in the
electricity sector in Tanzania
Better Power
Protea Courtyard Hotel, Dar es Salaam, 8 December 2015
Ben Garside & Sarah Best, IIED
Workshop convened by the IIED/Hivos Energy Change Lab, Tanzania
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Outline1. Introduction: Energy Change Lab & Better Power research
2. Setting the scene:
• What’s the problem in grid and off-grid sectors? (IIED)
• What do people think? Citizens survey (Twaweza)
3. Learning from others:
• Ideas and prototypes (TAREA & Energy Safari)
4. Toward solutions
• Applying ‘accountability’ concepts to customer service (IIED)
• Working Group discussion
5. Next steps and wrap-up
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Background: “Energy Change
Lab” (HIVOS & IIED)
A purposed space to spark breakthroughs in Tanzania’s energy transition.
Focused on energy systems which are more
people-centred and green
We want to enable a future generation of changemakersand initiatives that enhance energy accountability and
customer service, promote decentralized energy access, spur job creation and support a thriving domestic-led
alternative energy sector.
http://www.energychangelab.org/
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Energy Change Lab focus areas
Energy and Jobs
Accountable energy
Decentralized energy
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Lab 2015/16 start-up activities
Energy, customer service & accountability: Sauti Survey
with Twaweza & workshop co-creating fundable solutions
Energy & Jobs: research on productive uses of energy in
minigrids - Njombe (publish in 2016) guidance & pilots
“Energy Safari” with Buni Hub: immersion learning with
Tanzanian youth innovators Safari community & mentoring
Decentralized energy: scoping research on ‘prosumer’
energy in low-income Dar iconic neighbourhoods
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Why look at ‘information channels’ &
‘feedback mechanisms’?
• Grid and off-grid face problems in product and service quality -
many routes to change (policy, finance, technical)
• Hypothesis: improving information and feedback mechanisms
between providers & users could help e.g.:
more demanding customers, more responsive provider
better customer awareness & perceptions of the service
better tracking of service quality informs policy and consumer choice
• Key questions e.g.
What do customers need information about, and why?
What is and isn’t working?
What opportunities and innovations are emerging?
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Defining our terms
• ‘Information channels’ – type and method of
communicating information e.g. radio, TV, face-to-face
discussions
• ‘Feedback Mechanisms’ – ways for customers to provide
feedback, complain or get their needs addressed e.g.
customer line, suggestion box
• ‘Accountability’ – both of the above PLUS the idea of
rules and enforcement, and active citizenship
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Better power: process
Research
• Key informant interviews & literature
• Sauti Survey
Prototype & Test
• Energy safari: youth innovation
• Better Power workshop
Publish and pilot
• Disseminate initial findings
• Help incubate solutions with others
Ben Garside and
Sarah Best
8 December 2015
9
Off-grid solar: sub-standard
products & customer service
Overview
• Sub-standard products is a major issue
• Problem has been mapped by Tanzania solar sector e.g.
• TAREA 2015 Assessment of Solar PV Legal Frameworks
• Lighting Africa 2013 Tanzania Market Intelligence Report
• After-sales customer service is also an issue
• Solutions emerging - but early days, incomplete or need
funding and scale–up
• Energy change lab research: What role could improved
customer information and feedback mechanisms play?
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Outlining the problem (off-grid)
• Growing solar industry has attracted importers of sub-standard products – usually priced more cheaply
• Risks declining consumer trust in solar market and creates unfair business competition for quality providers – affecting demand for whole sector
• Many government agencies are (or could be) involved in enforcing quality standards in one way or another (e.g. TBS, FCC, TRA, REA, EWURA)
• But despite some regulatory action, the problem remains – e.g. due to lack of human resource capacity, solar PV testing facilities or staff misconduct at Port inspection
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Outlining the problem (off-grid)
• There are other reasons why customers get poor quality products or service, beyond gaps regulatory gaps e.g:
• Products are damaged during transportation, when installed by unskilled technicians or after improper use by customer
• People buy bad products because they are much cheaper, or they can’t tell the difference between good and bad quality
• There are counterfeits – imitating labels of well-known brands
• Providers or retailers don’t offer after-sales service or warranties
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Grid electricity: outlining the issue
Mixed perception of grid performance by customers
• Many not connected but in general customers are happy
with the connection process
• Poor perceptions on quality of service, particularly on
planned power outages
• Mixed perceptions on dealing with complaints
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TANESCO – Customer Charter (2013)
• Connection within 7 working days where there is existing
infrastructure
• 5 day notice of a planned outage with outage period and reasons
• Planned outages by mutual agreement where possible for large
customers
• Informing customers when an unplanned outage will last longer
than 24 hours
• Log all complaints and respond to written complaints in writing
within 3 days
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TANESCO published KPIs
TANESCO Corporate Business Plan 2015 (2014 data)
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EWURA published statistics
• Reporting on state of regulation, licencing,
and trends/issues
• Quality and Standard of Services• Generation and Distribution Capacity; Generation mix; Rates,
charges, and price trends; Health, safety, & environment
• Public and supplier awareness raising on
EWURA & rules• tv/radio campaign; press statements; exhibitions
• suppliers are becoming compliant with the licensing conditions
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Discussing with TANESCO on
how it works in practice…
• Publicising planned outages generally 1-2 days before (more effective). Very large outages further ahead
• Vehicles with loudspeaker are most effective way of communicating
• Other established communication: radio/tv(announcements and shows); newspapers
• Feedback on effectiveness of communication comes through TANESCO district offices, and workshops (large customers)
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How it works in practice (cont)
More recent communication channels:
• TANESCO twitter and Facebook accounts
• SMS service (just starting)
• Revamp of TANESCO website (upcoming)
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Sarah Best
8 December 2015
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Sarah Best
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Sarah Best
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Sarah Best
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Sarah Best
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Sarah Best
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Sarah Best
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Sarah Best
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Sarah Best
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Sarah Best
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Sarah Best
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Contacts & Presenters
Ben Garside (IIED) [email protected]
Sarah Best (IIED) [email protected]
Eco Matser (HIVOS) [email protected]
Maimuna Kabatesi (HIVOS) [email protected]
Nellin Njovu (Twaweza) [email protected]
Godwin Msigwa (TAREA) [email protected]
Maisam Pyarali (Energy Safari) [email protected]
Remko Berkhout (Natural Innovation) [email protected]
IIED/Hivos Energy Change Lab http://www.energychangelab.org/
