[Leslie Cook (Adm)]

Thanks for allowing UAI to feature you, @Carrie, in our February Member Spotlight! It is great to get to know you even more through this interview.  I love and agree with your comment for the fourth question, “one very unique aspect of the utility industry that isn’t discussed enough (or appreciated enough) is that we can share so much within our industry network. We can problem-solve, share best practices and even commiserate with one another. I don’t know of any other industry where this is possible, and we need to take advantage of it more!“

Cheers!

     Leslie
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Leslie Cook
Membership & Digital Engagement Manager
Utility Analytics Institute (UAI)
719-203-8650, lcook@utilityanalytics.com
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-02-2022 09:00
From: Kevin Praet
Subject: February (2022) Member Spotlight: Carrie Mokros (NiSource)

Carrie Mokros is an active UAI member and provides outstanding influence and contributions to the UAI community through any of our multiple channels, including, but not limited to engagement on UAI Connect, volunteering with UAI, involvement and/or leadership in monthly Community Conversations, and/or speaking at UAI events, plus so much. As thanks, we are featuring her in the UAI Member Spotlight. Carrie is a Manager on the Customer Insights & Performance team at NiSource based out of Columbus, OH. After 20 years in Customer Experience and Marketing in a variety of industries, Carrie has always been passionate about the customer and acting upon customer improvements based upon VOC feedback.

 

Kevin: How did you get into the utility analytics industry?

Member:

When I joined NiSource approx. four years ago, I was brand new to the utility/energy industry. My role on the Customer Insights & Performance team includes helping measure the success of customer improvements and experience metrics in addition to voice-of-the customer insights. My former leader suggested I get involved in UAI when I was looking for ways to learn about the industry. Once I did some research on UAI, I determined that not only would this be a great way to dig deeper into analytics, but I could also create a great network and learn best practices within the industry…a win/win!

 

Kevin: What project have you enjoyed working on most in your career?

Member: For me, anything that gets me close to the customer. I have a passion for bringing the customers’ voice to the table when the organization is looking at prioritization of corporate initiatives. One specific “project” that has really stuck with me is the insights engagement we conducted shortly after the beginning of COVID-19 (who knew that two years later it would continue to impact our daily lives as much as it has!). We conducted an online discussion forum with our customers asking our customers about their worries, thoughts and plans for facing this different world. I think it was a great way for our customers to know we were listening and were partners in helping them navigate this new normal.

 

Kevin: What has been your biggest professional challenge and how did you work through it?

Member: Currently, it is all about data. How can we get it, where can we store it and how/who can access it? With a fast-paced ever changing digital environment, we are continually be asked to do more with less and turn it around quicker than we ever imagined. So how do we accomplish it and still maintain the quality of insights? How we are currently working through it is taking partners internally (it seems as though each team has a piece of the bigger puzzle) and leaning on industry best practices, like those we gain from UAI, eSource, Chartwell and other organizations we are a part of.

 

Kevin: If you could go back in time and give yourself one piece of advice before entering the utility analytics industry, what would it be?

Member: Really take the take to ask questions about the industry and how it works. You have great resources within your own company, but even more within the industry network you create. My career has included professional services, retail, and consumer products in addition to the utilities, and the one very unique aspect of the utility industry that isn’t discussed enough (or appreciated enough) is that we can share so much within our industry network. We can problem-solve, share best practices and even commiserate with one another. I don’t know of any other industry where this is possible, and we need to take advantage of it more!

 

Kevin: What would you like to talk to fellow colleagues and members about in UAI Connect? Or, what issues or topics would you like to see more discussions on in UAI Connect?

Member: Understand how others are solving the customer data challenge of the need/want to gather more and more demographics and customer-specific data when we are being challenged with more and more privacy and data security policies.

 

Kevin: Thank you so much for sharing with us and for being a highly engaged member of UAI!

Do you have any final thoughts, ideas, or comments you would like to share with your fellow UAI members?

Member: Thank you all for continuing to welcome me to your network and sharing so much with me. Each and every month I learn something new or receive nuggets of info to take back to my organization. I appreciate the transparency and openness this group has provided over the years, and I continue to look for ways to give back to an organization I continue to learn from.

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Kevin Praet
Membership Coordinator
Utility Analytics Institute (UAI)
Boulder CO
315-440-3033
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