It’s about the experience, an outcome and putting people first: partnerships revolutionising the new energy world
The latest in our series of profiles of people driving innovation in the world of energy, E.ON Next’s Andy Sage, Head of Partnership Propositions, is paving the way for innovative tariffs and products, helping consumers to get the most out of their energy in smarter more flexible ways
“The aim is to make energy an enabler for people’s lives, to create an environment where they see energy as the thing that enables what they want to do, by offering it in the right channels and with the right value attached to it.”
Andy Sage’s professional background consists mainly of developing new products and propositions in the finance and banking sectors. But his childhood and early life working in the family-run hotel in rural west Wales might be seen as the spark for his journey. It is that experience that sheds light on the transformative power of understanding consumer needs and putting people at the heart of the new energy world.
The personal service values installed in him while growing up in the family hotel in Pembrokeshire ignited a passion for prioritising customers and their needs, a philosophy he has carried into his career – mainly that people aren’t just buying products, they are buying an experience, an outcome, a peace of mind. “People didn’t travel to stay in the hotel, they wanted the scenery, the beaches, fresh air, great food. The hotel just enabled this.”
And Andy says it is by delving into the psychology of consumer behaviour and drawing inspiration from foundational marketing principles, that he has honed his skills in creating experiences rather than mere products.
For energy can be much like the finance sector; where products often seem the same, and the key is to differentiate by meeting customer needs beyond the need of the basic product features. Ultimately, says Andy, the goal is to provide an innovative offering by focusing on the best for customers – in both value and flexibility – and, in the case of E.ON Next customers, also driving them towards cleaner, greener energy.
As the energy market undergoes a transformative shift, Andy emphasises the need to make energy more relevant and necessary for consumers, mainly through personalised experiences – whether that is smarter energy use through time-of-use tariffs or solar and battery storage to power the family car.
By changing the way energy is viewed from ‘just’ a utility to a facilitator of diverse activities, Andy sees his role as driving E.ON and its customers towards a future where energy is perceived not as a standalone entity but as a dynamic service that adapts to consumers' evolving needs.
“Innovation isn’t just about being different or new or faster, it’s about being the first to understand and address what the real customer need is,” he says.
“Consumers buy for prestige, or they buy for ease of life or for enablement. The best relationship with energy is one where customers aren’t thinking ‘I’ve got to buy my energy now’. No one wakes up and says, ‘I’m buying energy today’, maybe they’ll buy an EV or a heat pump or they’re going to do something in their lives where energy enables it.
“Energy products have got to be there when that happens rather than being a separate journey. It’s all about placing energy in the right place at the right time and as a service. Customers don’t buy products, they buy the outcome, which could be the easiest way to heat your home or charge your car.”
Andy says he aims to enhance the customer experience by offering innovative products, such as flexible propositions and EV tariffs that work around customers’ lives, making payments easier and understanding customer preferences towards emerging technologies.
His career has been shaped by experiences in various industries, emphasising the importance of understanding customers and creating valuable experiences rather than just selling products. He draws on his time working alongside industry giants like Apple and Amazon, and emphasises the importance of simplicity and customer-centricity in driving mass acceptance, anticipating and fulfilling real customer needs. By aligning product offerings with customer desires for mobility, aesthetics, and simplicity, we will position energy not as a commodity but as an indispensable enabler of consumers' aspirations.
In a nutshell, Andy encapsulates his role as transforming energy into a seamless enabler of people's lives. By reimagining energy use as a background element that empowers individuals to pursue their goals.