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As a communications agency owned and led by utilities, we’re guided by you. Every two years we survey Utility Pioneers to find out how we’re doing in sharing stories together and to identify how we can better serve members.
On the 2025 Pioneer Pulse survey, our team was happy to see member satisfaction remains exceptionally high, with strong marks for service quality, staff relationships and core offerings, even as members look to Pioneer for expanded digital and multimedia support.
As a utility-owned and led co-op, we always try to improve transparency. Since we asked you to share feedback, we thought it only fair that we share how your thoughts are guiding Pioneer’s growth!
High Marks from Members
More than 100 Pioneer, Efficiency Services Group and NewsData clients scored their satisfaction with Pioneer in the “excellent” range.
While a few scores dipped by a fraction of a point from the last survey, overall performance continues to reflect deep trust in Pioneer as a communications partner.
People, Service Drive Satisfaction
When asked what contributes most to their satisfaction, members consistently point to:
- Customer service and communication: Professional, friendly, knowledgeable staff who respond quickly and feel like an extension of members’ teams.
- Pioneer Social support: High-quality content and round-the-clock social media monitoring makes work easier.
- Website services delivered by Powerful: Web design and maintenance supported by our partners at Powerful earned high marks.
- Magazines and content production: Engaging, well-designed publications, including Ruralite, Currents, Tennessee Connections, enchantment and the regional telco magazines, backed by strong editorial support.
I always appreciate reading comments with phrases describing our team like “hyperattentive,” “always on it” and “consistently going the extra mile.”
It’s clear that for members, Pioneer’s people are the heart of the co-op’s success.
Pioneer’s services again earned outstanding satisfaction scores:
Key support processes, including overall service quality (9.47), issue resolution (9.41), timeliness (9.41) and deliverable quality (9.40), all scored above 9.0.
Turning Challenges into Opportunities
We asked broadband and electric communicators what their top day-to-day pain points in their roles within their organizations. Answers fell into two clear categories where I’m confident Pioneer can help:
- Limited time and resources: Small teams and competing priorities leave little time for updating and creating new communications projects.
- Content creation and engagement: Brainstorming fresh, localized stories, producing videos, managing online feedback and explaining complex topics to members.
These challenges align directly with Pioneer’s strengths and point toward future service opportunities.
Where Members Want More Support
One of my favorite questions on the survey is where we asked you to look ahead five years to help us identify where we can offer support. Needs include:
- Digital marketing: More personalized social media, targeted digital advertising and dynamic, mobile-friendly websites delivered by Powerful.
- Multimedia content production: Short-form and animated video, podcasts and other storytelling formats.
- Strategic guidance and innovation: Crisis communication planning, AI-powered tools and professional development.
The Future of Communication Channels
Survey results show continued high value for social media (9.21 projected in 2030) and Powerful websites (9.16), with the largest growth in perceived value expected for:
- Podcasts (+2.15)
- Video (+1.69)
- Paid digital advertising (+1.59)
- Digital magazines (+1.37)
Meanwhile, perceived value for print magazines is expected to decline over the next five years (-1.19). I’ll make an important note that print remains one of Pioneer’s highest-rated services and a proven tool for reaching every member’s home, building trust and offering space for in-depth storytelling. We know that readers value magazines and spend an average of 38 minutes with them, but we also know member habits and demographics do change over time.
Next Steps
Thank you to everyone who took the time to share your insights. The 2025 Pioneer Pulse confirms what past surveys have shown: our members trust Pioneer and value our services as a communications partner with exceptional staff and the ability to adapt to changing needs.
I’m proud that analysis of our member feedback, our management feedback and our board visioning documents are all remarkably aligned. Look for more information coming out about how that alignment is guiding us in the future. We’re using your feedback to revamp and strengthen existing services, including Pioneer Social, while investing time to help you take advantage of artificial intelligence innovations for responsible and efficient storytelling.
By continuing to strengthen our brand, invest in talent and expand digital and multimedia offerings, Pioneer is well-positioned to deliver even greater value in the years ahead.
Have more thoughts to share? Let us know! We are always happy to jump on a call to discuss your evolving needs. Whether it is ideas to expand the reach of the local stories featured in your magazine or how podcasts provide YouTube and social content, let us know how we can help support your story. You can schedule a call with me or reach our team at hello@pioneer.coop.