ABSTRACT
This chapter offers an in-depth look at the electricity market of Texas, focusing on its oil and gas resources, interconnections to the other two United States power grids, and its fast-developing renewable energy sector. This provides a backdrop for the discussion of the CPS Energy brand. The company’s motto is “People first”. As America’s largest municipally-owned energy utility in a state known for its pro-business and liberal-market leanings, it strives to give its customers all of the benefits of an open market, while retaining its communal focus. The company’s CEO Paula Gold- Williams believes that utilities improve through a better understanding of their relationship with technology. As one of the measures of such improvement is enhanced customer satisfaction, views on converting satisfaction into brand loyalty are analysed, following the seminal work of Richard Oliver. This connects with a discussion on ‘“American customer service culture’”, as defined by Micah Solomon.
