News & Insights

What’s the secret to member satisfaction? Key findings from Member Satisfaction Tracking in 2023

The Member Satisfaction Tracking Survey (MSTS) assesses cooperative performance in areas ranging from reliable service, to handling complaints, to community commitment. After crunching the results from all participating co-ops nationwide this year, here are key findings to keep in mind as you plan for 2024: 

Reliability and value are important to members right now 

In 2023, ‘reliable service’ and ‘restoring service’ were identified as the aspects of cooperative core services with the highest correlation to achieving high satisfaction among members.

Ranking second most important were factors tying back to
pocketbook issues: ‘providing good value’ and ‘having a goal of low cost.’ 

To boost satisfaction in 2024, continue to focus on effective communications during outages. Consider ways to emphasize the value that your cooperative provides to members, from infrastructure investments that improve service to tools that help members better manage energy use and achieve savings. And we know from the National Survey on the Cooperative Difference that when members understand they are members rather than customers, they are also more satisfied. Use your communications opportunities to reinforce the benefits for members and the community of the cooperative mission as a not-for-profit, at-cost provider.

Move the needle on right-of-way information and online services  

The MSTS also pinpoints member satisfaction with co-op interactions in areas such as right-of-way service, call center experience, outage restoration and more. Tracking these interactions is important, as each one is an opportunity to make a good impression and influence perceptions of your service. 

Overall, member satisfaction among participating cooperatives was high; however, satisfaction with right-of-way and online services lagged slightly behind.

To move the needle on satisfaction in 2024, consider how interactions like these can be an opportunity to create a positive experience for members. When right-of-way procedures impact members, are there opportunities to strategically adjust those practices or communications? Also consider the
experiences of your members on your website. What pages are getting the most traffic? Is the member experience on those pages a positive one? Are they achieving their desired outcome, or abandoning the page? 
These recommendations reflect findings from nationwide survey results. To learn more about how MSTS can provide detailed insight into your co-op’s performance, contact Lorrie Kristof, senior analyst on the Cooperative Insights team.