Large Ohio wholesale natural gas provider Beldenergy haslicensed Prosper NRG Marketing’s “Direct to Market” service toprovide marketers targeting Columbus, OH, with the capability ofgiving prospective customers “Instant Savings Analysis.”

Direct to Market puts a form in the hands of a supplier’sprospective customers through direct mail or insert intopublications. The end-user fills out the form with data on currentenergy costs paid to the incumbent utility and faxes it to Prosper.The form is machine read, and a rate quote is generated and faxedback to the prospect with a contract. At the same time, informationon the prospect is forwarded to the client or its call center. Thesupplier can then call the prospect for follow-up.

In March, Prosper Business Development Corp. formed Prosper NRGMarketing to assist energy companies in dealing with marketingchallenges of deregulation (see Daily GPI March 25, 1998). ProsperNRG Marketing offers a variety of turnkey products designed toenhance marketing efforts to the commercial and residentialsegments of the energy market. The products can be used to sellenergy without a direct sales force. The company, which has beenproviding similar services to media and telecommunication companiesmore than eight years, has been developing marketing programs forenergy since 1995 under contract with UtiliCorp United and EnergyOne.

“When energy deregulation happens in a market most residentialand commercial customers are confused by the tidal wave of directmail offers they receive from energy marketers,” said Prosper NRGMarketing’s Gary Drenik. “The Direct to Market makes it easier formarketers to sell and customers to buy because it automaticallycalculates savings. Customers can easily understand the financialbenefit they can receive from switching suppliers. When consumerscan get more information with less hassle they’re not as confusedand more willing to switch.”

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