Energy providers are falling short of customer’s expectations in terms of the digital services they provide.

According to new research from Accenture, consumers’ expectations have become more demanding as other industries set high standards in digital areas, such as online banking.

A third of energy consumers said their provider’s digital channels, such as websites and mobile applications, could not meet their requirements.

Around 38% of the digital dissatisfaction stemmed from struggling to find information on supplier’s websites.

More than a third of consumers also said these sites took too long to load, 31% said they lacked information and 28% suggested they were not adequately personalised.

However, the report suggests energy providers are still more trusted than new competitors expanding into the industry.

Tony Masella, Managing Director of Accenture Energy Retail and Customer Services, said: “These shortfalls are significant to note as energy providers are under more pressure than ever to rotate toward new, integrated end-consumer solutions and rapidly launch new products and digital services.

“Providers need to move quickly to shift from decades of long planning cycles and rigid processes to quickly create a new culture that reshapes and delivers personalised customer experiences, before agile competitors who are ahead in the digital game get there first.”