Pre-Event Email

The pre-event email is a short message that tells customers when a peak event is going to occur. It displays user-friendly graphics and insights to motivate participation and behavior change. The email has a different appearance depending on which user experience variation the customer receives.

On this page:

Design

The following image is an example of the neighbor rank graph within the pre-event email sent to customers who receive the neighbor rank experience for hot-weather events. You can also use this email for cold-weather events, and include a peak day definition and actionable tips related to cold weather.

This Neighbor Rank graph example tells the customer where they are in the rank, and how they did in relation to other homes.

Configuration Options

For each element listed in the table, indicate the desired configuration in the Input Value column. If you do not provide an input for optional configurations, the default will be used.

Configuration Option	Input Value
Utility Logo The CMYK and RGB versions of the utility logo as an .ai file type.	Required Provide the utility logo in the Oracle Utilities Opower Platform Configuration Guide.
Account Number Format The number of digits displayed in the customer account number can be altered. Default: Four digits are shown in the account number.	Required Provide the account number format in the Oracle Utilities Opower Platform Configuration Guide.
Checkmark Icon (Not Depicted) The checkmark icon shown in the neighbor comparison can be altered. Provide the PNG file name of the desired icon. Note: The icon must be the same color as the “Efficient Neighbors” bar color.	Optional
Bar Colors The colors of the bars in the neighbor comparison graph can be configured to match utility branding guidelines.	Required Provide the utility branding guidelines in the Oracle Utilities Opower Platform Configuration Guide.
Peak Day Definition The definition of a peak day that appears in Behavioral Demand Response emails can be altered. Oracle Utilities has optimized and user tested the default definition. Changing the default definition is not recommended. Summer Default: “During hot days when demand is high, energy can seem expensive. By using less energy during peak days you can help keep costs down for everyone.” Winter Default: “During cold days when demand is high, energy can seem expensive. By using less energy during peak days you can help keep costs down for everyone.”	Optional Choose one of the following: Use the default option. Use the following peak day definition:
Tip Content Oracle Utilities provides a set of Behavioral Demand Response tips that can be dynamically placed within email communications and web content. The utility can review and edit all tip content. Default: Varies by tip.	Optional Talk to your Service Delivery Manager for tip editing options.
Link Color (Not Depicted) The color of links in Behavioral Demand Response emails can be configured to match utility branding guidelines.	Required Provide the utility branding guidelines in the Oracle Utilities Opower Platform Configuration Guide.
From / Reply-To Email Address (Not Depicted) Provide the email address that should appear in the “From” line of Behavioral Demand Response emails. Example: peakdays@utilityco.com	Required Email:

Configuration Option

Input Value

Utility Logo

The CMYK and RGB versions of the utility logo as an .ai file type.

Required

Provide the utility logo in the Oracle Utilities Opower Platform Configuration Guide.

Account Number Format

The number of digits displayed in the customer account number can be altered.

Default: Four digits are shown in the account number.

Required

Provide the account number format in the Oracle Utilities Opower Platform Configuration Guide.

Checkmark Icon (Not Depicted)

The checkmark icon shown in the neighbor comparison can be altered. Provide the PNG file name of the desired icon.

Note: The icon must be the same color as the “Efficient Neighbors” bar color.

Optional

Bar Colors

The colors of the bars in the neighbor comparison graph can be configured to match utility branding guidelines.

Required

Provide the utility branding guidelines in the Oracle Utilities Opower Platform Configuration Guide.

Peak Day Definition

The definition of a peak day that appears in Behavioral Demand Response emails can be altered. Oracle Utilities has optimized and user tested the default definition. Changing the default definition is not recommended.

Summer Default: “During hot days when demand is high, energy can seem expensive. By using less energy during peak days you can help keep costs down for everyone.”

Winter Default: “During cold days when demand is high, energy can seem expensive. By using less energy during peak days you can help keep costs down for everyone.”

Optional

Choose one of the following:

Use the default option.
Use the following peak day definition:

Tip Content

Oracle Utilities provides a set of Behavioral Demand Response tips that can be dynamically placed within email communications and web content. The utility can review and edit all tip content.

Default: Varies by tip.

Optional

Talk to your Service Delivery Manager for tip editing options.

Link Color (Not Depicted)

The color of links in Behavioral Demand Response emails can be configured to match utility branding guidelines.

Required

Provide the utility branding guidelines in the Oracle Utilities Opower Platform Configuration Guide.

From / Reply-To Email Address (Not Depicted)

Provide the email address that should appear in the “From” line of Behavioral Demand Response emails.

Example: peakdays@utilityco.com

Required

Email:

User Experience Variations

The user experience varies for customers depending upon their service types, available data, costs, and locale. Note that the following list indicates the primary user experience variations, not all possible variations.

Neighbor Comparison Experience

The pre-event email can use a neighbor comparison variation to motivate energy efficient behavior during the peak event. The neighbor comparison variation shows the customer their energy usage during peak hours compared with the same usage for average and efficient homes with similar characteristics.

The following image is an example of the neighbor comparison module.

The Neighbor Comparison Module shows the customer how they did on the last peak day in comparison to other homes.

Multi-Day Variation

If a peak event spans across multiple days, the following message is an example of what will appear at the top of the Behavioral Demand Response pre-event email during the summer months. It can also be used to show multi-day variation during the winter:

For the multi-day experience, we show the customer the date and time of the upcoming peak events.

Non-AMI Gas Experience

The pre-event email can vary if customers receive the non-AMI gas experience. In this case, both the pre-event and post-event emails use static content to invite customers to participate in a peak event. However, due to the absence of AMI data, the non-AMI experience does not include a neighbor comparison or neighbor rank module.