The Invisible Water Utility

The Invisible Water Utility was a PhD research project about the relationship between customer perception and employee behaviour.

Water utilities strive to render their services invisible to customers by emphasising a high level of reliability. In the developed world this reliability has moved water to the background of everyday life. This research project investigated the value proposition of water services within the Service-Dominant Logic model of marketing.

If you are interested in water utility marketing, then please consider reading Customer Experience Management for Water Utilities publishing by IWA. The article on this website illustrate various aspects of the research.

Customer Experience Management for Water Utilities: Marketing Urban Water Supply

Customer Experience Management for Water Utilities: Marketing Urban Water Supply

Practical framework for water utilities to become more focused on their customers following Service-Dominant Logic.

IWA Publishing

Many people are repelled by the idea of drinking recycled water in the form of treated sewage because of the so called recycled water yuck factor.
The Psychology of the Recycled Water Yuck Factor
Many people are repelled by the idea of drinking recycled water in the form of treated sewage because of the so called recycled water yuck factor.
Marketing
Invisible Water Utility
The water quality paradox: even when providing a technically perfect service, customers are not necessarily happy with the level of service.
The Water Quality Paradox and Perceptions of Service Quality
The water quality paradox: even when providing a technically perfect service, customers are not necessarily happy with the level of service.
Marketing
Invisible Water Utility
Describing the value of water from a marketing perspective helps water utilities to understand the value proposition of tap water.
The Value of Water — A Marketing Perspective on Tap Water
Describing the value of water from a marketing perspective helps water utilities to understand the value proposition of tap water.
Marketing
Invisible Water Utility
Tap water supply is provided through complex engineering. Utilities are staffed by engineers who believe that customer focus is not needed. Are they right?
Do water utilities need to have customer focus?
Tap water supply is provided through complex engineering. Utilities are staffed by engineers who believe that customer focus is not needed. Are they right?
Marketing
Invisible Water Utility
Bottled water marketing is one of the greatest business successes in history. Why do people buy bottled water when tap water is 1000 times cheaper?
Bottled Water Marketing: The Importance of the Place of Origin
Bottled water marketing is one of the greatest business successes in history. Why do people buy bottled water when tap water is 1000 times cheaper?
Marketing
Invisible Water Utility
The article discusses the role of consumer involvement in marketing toilet paper. Marketing toilet paper is effectively about increasing involvement.
The Evolution of Marketing Toilet Paper
The article discusses the role of consumer involvement in marketing toilet paper. Marketing toilet paper is effectively about increasing involvement.
Marketing
Invisible Water Utility
Water utilities think they sell water, but is this really the case. I think most suffer from marketing myopia and need to look beyond the physical service.
Marketing Myopia in Tap Water Services
Water utilities think they sell water, but is this really the case. I think most suffer from marketing myopia and need to look beyond the physical service.
Marketing
Invisible Water Utility
Literature review of the effects of water privatisation on customer satisfaction with recommendations for further research.
Water Privatisation and its effects on Customer Satisfaction
Literature review of the effects of water privatisation on customer satisfaction with recommendations for further research.
Marketing
Invisible Water Utility MBA