Beyond the Call: Reinventing Utility Customer Engagement with Cloud and AI Tools

At the 2025 Distributech trade show in Dallas, the focus wasn’t just on the latest in energy infrastructure—it was also on the invisible front line of utility operations: the contact center. With customer expectations rising and regulatory pressure intensifying, utility companies are discovering that outdated voice systems are no longer just a nuisance—they’re a liability. As utility customers demand more interactive and personalized experiences—combining real-time support with flexible self-service tools—many legacy systems are falling short of delivering on these rising expectations.

So how can utility providers modernize voice interactions, protect sensitive data, and drive down operational costs—all without sacrificing compliance?

In the latest episode, host Troy Cryer, Connected Experience Advisor for Verizon Business, is joined by Jerad Johnson, the company’s Principal Consultant for Customer Experience. Together, they explore how upgrading voice infrastructure with AI tools and cloud capabilities can radically improve both customer experience and business outcomes.

• Cloud-first modernization unlocks powerful features. Moving from self-hosted systems to cloud platforms allowed one utility client to integrate AI-powered tools like Google Dialogflow and Cisco CCAI, improving both efficiency and caller insights.

• IVR improvements drive down costs. By enhancing Interactive Voice Response flows and enabling smarter self-service options, customers are better directed—meaning fewer calls to live agents and a measurable reduction in toll-free minutes.

• Regulatory readiness through better metrics. The modernization effort didn’t just enhance customer experience—it also provided the tools to track and report on metrics required by industry regulators, improving compliance management.

Jerad Johnson is a seasoned contact center transformation expert with over a decade of experience in professional services consulting, specializing in platform engineering, systems integration, and process optimization. At Verizon Business, he has led end-to-end implementations involving ICM and VXML scripting, integrated QM/WFM/Analytics tools, and developed scalable workflows that drive operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. His career highlights include deploying over 2,000 contact center agents, managing large-scale global transformations, and delivering multimillion-dollar solution engagements across complex technical and regulatory environments.

Article written by MarketScale.