Los Alamos DPU Seeks Feedback in 2026 Voice of the Customer Survey

Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities is asking residential and commercial customers to weigh in on its 2026 Voice of the Customer Survey, a short but consequential poll that will shape local utility priorities and service delivery. The county news release says the survey runs Jan. 13 through Feb. 17 and is being conducted by GreatBlue Research using email, online links and phone interviews.

The announcement said randomly selected utility account holders would begin receiving invitations by email "this week." Telephone outreach to commercial customers is scheduled for Feb. 2 through Feb. 17, so many businesses are being contacted now. Customers who prefer to participate without an invitation can find dedicated residential and commercial survey pages on the Department of Public Utilities section of the county website.

Utility Manager Philo Shelton emphasized the practical purpose of the effort, saying, "Customer input drives how we improve our operations and customer experience." GreatBlue will analyze the responses, provide recommendations and help the department benchmark performance against other utilities. The county release framed the survey as a tool to identify opportunities to be more responsive, efficient and transparent.

The Voice of the Customer is the broader, annual instrument that captures views on service quality, reliability and overall engagement. It complements a year-round transactional survey for customers who have recently interacted with DPU staff; that ongoing survey is collected and summarized quarterly, though the county notice did not include a direct web address for it. Previous survey cycles influenced local staffing and programs: after 2022 results showed gaps in conservation information and options, DPU added a full-time Water and Energy Conservation Coordinator to expand customer outreach and resources.

For local residents and firms, the survey is a chance to influence priorities from outage response to conservation support. Commercial accounts should expect phone contact if selected; homeowners and renters who use online tools can take the residential survey through the DPU web pages. The department is using a random sampling approach for invitations to ensure a representative cross-section of account holders.

Los Alamos is small enough that changes in utility practice are immediately felt, and municipal utilities increasingly face regional comparisons on reliability, cost and customer service. The survey data will feed into budgeting and program decisions and inform whether recent initiatives - including new conservation staffing - are meeting community needs. Utility Manager Shelton has previously noted the importance of closing feedback loops: "The information we are able to glean from our surveys is important in helping us see any potential gaps so that we can remedy them," and, "Both surveys give us great insight into our service. Where we're successful, we want to continue to improve and where we're not succeeding, we absolutely want to make corrections."

The survey remains open through Feb. 17; responses now will be analyzed and used to guide DPU priorities and service adjustments in the months ahead. Residents and business customers who want their voices counted should visit the Department of Public Utilities pages on the county website and look for the Voice of the Customer links.