Smart meter technology acceptance at EANDIS

Abstract

This case could be taught in a course of operations management or technology management. It leads to some solutions to the difficulties that Eandis was facing during its smart meter installation projects: uncertainty of the link between smart meter installation and energy saving; users were not taking efforts in energy saving; customers were challenging these projects with regards to security, privacy and trust to the system, and so on. The case gives suggestions in Eandis’ possible further actions, by applying the UTAUT (Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology) framework in the field of social psychology. The case discussion will be directed to analysing the challenges during smart meter installation rollout within the UTAUT framework. There are a number of discussion topics: what should Eandis do in order to raise the concern of energy saving? How to overcome customers’ privacy concerns regarding smart meter installation? How can Eandis analyse based on current data on hand and what further analysis Eandis should perform? What is currently missing in the UTAUT framework and what actions should be taken in the future? These points come together providing an integrated solution as a whole to increase customers’ acceptance of smart meter technology.