Recognized in "Best Non-Residential Marketing" category for savings achievements and improved customer service for underserved small businesses

Charleston, SC, January 21, 2019 - AM Conservation Group, a leading provider of energy and water conservation products, kits and marketplaces for utilities in North America, announced today that its small business marketplace, developed for Michigan public utility Consumers Energy, has won the 2019 Association of Energy Services Professionals (AESP) Energy Award for Best Non-Residential Marketing.

The marketplace has helped Consumers Energy cost-effectively serve businesses in every corner of its service territory, including rural areas, without negatively impacting other small business programs within the utility's commercial portfolio. The self-service platform leverages e-commerce functionality, digital marketing and tools like online chat to increase savings and improve energy services for hard-to-reach and underserved small business customers, while improving their overall customer experience.


"We're honored to have our marketing team recognized at this year's AESP Energy Awards for the marketplace they designed, developed and marketed on behalf of Consumers Energy," said John Bailes, president of AM Conservation Group. "Consumers Energy has embraced innovation and created a space to test pilot programs like the marketplace and innovative digital marketing, generating valuable knowledge and best practices that can be scaled. The marketplace helps us live our purpose, which is to help all people use our world's precious resources more efficiently. That in turn helps small businesses save energy, cut costs and become more educated consumers in a way that's convenient for them. When implemented by the right people, like the Consumers Energy and AM Conservation Group teams, the results are resoundingly successful."


The marketplace program delivers incentives and earns energy savings at approximately one-third the cost of implementation of a traditional small business program. The marketplace achieved its annual order goal six months into its first program year, and exceeded its energy and gas savings goals nine months into its first year, all while remaining under budget. At year end, the marketplace's scalable, predicable marketing enabled it to serve as a savings lever for Consumers Energy's entire commercial portfolio and resulted in the entire portfolio achieving their annual goals.


"We are thrilled to receive a 2019 AESP Energy Award for the marketing that has powered the success of our small business marketplace," said Joseph Wadel, manager of commercial and industrial pilot programs at Consumers Energy. "Our goal with AM Conservation Group was to develop a scalable and innovative self-service marketplace that would enable cost-effective savings for small business, especially those in our rural markets we've been unable to reach with traditional program designs. The marketing team used growth-driven design to continuously improve the marketplace based on actual user behavior, and extended this same test-and-learn approach to the marketing, which helped us turn small improvements into large program gains over the course of the year. The resulting marketplace exceeded all of our goals—including our stretch goals—and extended valuable program offerings to hard-to-reach customers."


Members of the AM Conservation Group and Consumers Energy teams were presented with the award during the AESP 29th Annual Conference on January 21 in San Antonio, Texas.


About AM Conservation Group

Established in 1989, AM Conservation Group, Inc. is a leading provider of online stores, energy and water conservation products to utilities and municipalities. Founded on principles of customer service and energy conservation, AM Conservation Group provides each and every client with personalized service, attention to detail, and appreciation of individual business needs to ensure objectives and ultimate satisfaction are met. AM Conservation Group develops, administers, and services kit, online store and marketplace programs, as well as manufactures and distributes professional-grade products for the conservation industry. Since its inception, AM Conservation Group has managed some of the largest and most successful conservation programs in U.S. history with utility companies, government agencies, and municipalities. For more information: www.amconservationgroup.com.

About Consumers Energy

Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest energy provider, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.7 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

###

Media Contact:
Antenna Group for AM Conservation Group

Liz Crumpacker

liz@antennagroup.com
646-494-7482