Season Transition Module

The Season Transition module notifies customers when their peak to off-peak price ratios or peak hours are changing. This module is sent one week before the transition date, and again one week after the transition date, along with the regular cadence of the TOU Rate Coach emails. This module can be included in the Weekly Coach email or the Peak Usage Summary email, depending on the timing of the change.

Design

Pre-Transition Module

This image shows an example of the module:

Figure 7-30 Season Transition Module - Pre-Transition

Post-Transition Module

This image shows an example of the module:

Figure 7-31 Seasonal Transition Module - Post-Transition

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
Pre-Transition Subject Line Specify the subject line for emails that include the pre-transition module. Default: Hi [first name], your weekly Rate Coach has an update coming [date].	Required Choose one of the following: Use the default subject line. Use the following subject line:
Pre-Transition Header The header statement educates customers about an upcoming change to their TOU rate plan. While it is recommended to use the default heading, it is configurable to meet the needs of the utility. Default options: When peak hours and price ratios change: "Coming soon: changes to peak hours and pricing." When peak hours change and price ratios stay the same: "Coming soon: changes to peak hours." When peak prices change and hours stay the same: "Coming soon: changes to peak pricing." When peak and partial-peak hours change and price ratios stay the same: "Coming soon: changes to peak hours."	Required Choose one of the following: Use the default headers. Use the following headers:
Pre-Transition Insight Statement An insight message below the header describes the upcoming change. Depending on whether both peak price ratios and peak times are changing, the following default insight statements are used: Starting [date], peak hours and pricing will change for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours. Starting [date], peak hours will change for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours. Starting [date], peak pricing will change for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours While it is recommended to use the default values, these can be configured to meet the needs of the utility.	Required Choose one of the following: Use the default statements. Use the following statements:
Post-Transition Subject Line Specify The subject line for emails that include the post-transition module. Default: Hi [first name], your weekly Rate Coach is here with new peak details.	Required Choose one of the following: Use the default subject line. Use the following subject line:
Post-Transition Header The header statement educates customers about a recent change to their TOU rate plan. It is recommended to use the default heading. Default: Here are the new peak hours and pricing.	Required Choose one of the following: Use the default header. Use the following header:
Post-Transition Insight Statement An insight message below the header describes the recent change. Depending on whether both peak price ratios and peak times are changing, the following default insight statements are used: As of [date], peak hours and pricing have changed for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours. As of [date], peak hours have changed for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours. As of [date], peak pricing has changed for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours. It is recommended to use the default values.	Required Choose one of the following: Use the default statements. Use the following statements:
Column and Row Labels in Pre-Transition and Post-Transition Tables It is possible to change the column and row labels (for example, Current, New, Dates, Peak Hours, Price Difference), to meet the needs of the utility. However, it is recommended that you use the default values, except where the name of the peak period needs to be updated to reflect the naming used by the utility. Default values for peak and partial-peak periods are Peak Hours and Partial Peak Hours.	Required Choose one of the following: Use the default values. Use the following values:

Configuration Option

Input Value

Pre-Transition Subject Line

Specify the subject line for emails that include the pre-transition module.

Default: Hi [first name], your weekly Rate Coach has an update coming [date].

Required

Choose one of the following:

Use the default subject line.
Use the following subject line:

Pre-Transition Header

The header statement educates customers about an upcoming change to their TOU rate plan. While it is recommended to use the default heading, it is configurable to meet the needs of the utility.

Default options:

When peak hours and price ratios change: "Coming soon: changes to peak hours and pricing."
When peak hours change and price ratios stay the same: "Coming soon: changes to peak hours."
When peak prices change and hours stay the same: "Coming soon: changes to peak pricing."
When peak and partial-peak hours change and price ratios stay the same: "Coming soon: changes to peak hours."

Required

Choose one of the following:

Use the default headers.
Use the following headers:

Pre-Transition Insight Statement

An insight message below the header describes the upcoming change. Depending on whether both peak price ratios and peak times are changing, the following default insight statements are used:

Starting [date], peak hours and pricing will change for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours.
Starting [date], peak hours will change for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours.
Starting [date], peak pricing will change for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours

While it is recommended to use the default values, these can be configured to meet the needs of the utility.

Required

Choose one of the following:

Use the default statements.
Use the following statements:

Post-Transition Subject Line

Specify The subject line for emails that include the post-transition module.

Default: Hi [first name], your weekly Rate Coach is here with new peak details.

Required

Choose one of the following:

Use the default subject line.
Use the following subject line:

Post-Transition Header

The header statement educates customers about a recent change to their TOU rate plan. It is recommended to use the default heading.

Default: Here are the new peak hours and pricing.

Required

Choose one of the following:

Use the default header.
Use the following header:

Post-Transition Insight Statement

An insight message below the header describes the recent change. Depending on whether both peak price ratios and peak times are changing, the following default insight statements are used:

As of [date], peak hours and pricing have changed for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours.
As of [date], peak hours have changed for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours.
As of [date], peak pricing has changed for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours.

It is recommended to use the default values.

Required

Choose one of the following:

Use the default statements.
Use the following statements:

Column and Row Labels in Pre-Transition and Post-Transition Tables

It is possible to change the column and row labels (for example, Current, New, Dates, Peak Hours, Price Difference), to meet the needs of the utility.

However, it is recommended that you use the default values, except where the name of the peak period needs to be updated to reflect the naming used by the utility.

Default values for peak and partial-peak periods are Peak Hours and Partial Peak Hours.

Required

Choose one of the following:

Use the default values.
Use the following values:

To see how this module fits into the overall user experience, see Design and Configuration: Time of Use Rate Coach.

User Experience Variations

This section discusses the user experience variations in the Season Transition module.

Peak Hours Change but Price Ratios Stay the Same

When only the peak hours are changing, and the ratios are staying the same, several items in the pre-transition and post-transition modules vary.

Pre-transition variations:

Header: The module header is, "Coming soon: changes to peak hours."
Insight Statement: The insight statement is, "Starting [date], peak hours will change for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours."
Peak Details Table: The table does not include the price difference row.

Post-transition variations:

Header: The module header is, "Here are the new peak hours."
Insight Statement: "As of [date], peak hours have changed for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours."
Peak Details Table: The table does not include the price difference row.

Price Ratios Change but Peak Hours Stay the Same

When only the price ratios are changing, and the peak hours are staying the same, several items in the pre-transition and post-transition modules vary.

Pre-transition variations:

Header: The module header is, "Coming soon: changes to peak pricing."
Insight Statement: The insight statement is, "Starting [date], peak pricing will change for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours."
Peak Details Table: The table does not include the peak hours row.

Post-transition variations:

Header: The module header is, "Here is the new peak pricing."
Insight Statement: "As of [date], peak pricing has changed for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours."
Peak Details Table: The table does not include the peak hours row.

Peak and Partial-Peak Hours Change but Price Ratios Stay the Same

When only the peak and partial-peak hours are changing, and the price ratios are staying the same, several items in the pre-transition and post-transition modules vary.

Pre-transition variations:

Header: The module header is, "Coming soon: changes to peak hours."
Insight Statement: The insight statement is, "Starting [date], peak and partial-peak hours will change for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours."
Peak Details Table: The table includes a row for partial-peak hours and does not include the price difference row.

Post-transition variations:

Header: The module header is, "Here are the new peak hours."
Insight Statement: "As of [date], peak and partial-peak hours have changed for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours."
Peak Details Table: The table includes a row for partial-peak hours and does not include the price difference row.

Peak and Partial-Peak Hours and Price Ratios Change

When the peak and partial-peak hours are changing, and the price ratios are also changing, several items in the pre-transition and post-transition modules vary.

Pre-transition variations:

Header: The module header is, "Coming soon: changes to peak hours and pricing."
Insight Statement: The insight statement is, "Starting [date], peak and partial-peak hours will have new hours and pricing for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours."
Peak Details Table: The table includes a row for partial-peak hours.

Post-transition variations:

Header: The module header is, "Here are the new peak hours and pricing."
Insight Statement: "As of [date], peak and partial-peak hours have changed to new hours and pricing for the new season. To save more, try to avoid using high-energy use appliances during peak hours."
Peak Details Table: The table includes a row for partial-peak hours.