Why commercial customers are SIC of DSM [demand-side management] marketing

Studies have shown that the success of demand management programs, which have demonstrated economic benefits, depends on the level of customer participation. In order to have a better understanding of the decisionmaking process of commercial customers with respect to demand management programs, a study was undertaken to determine the preferences and the behavior of this class of clientele. This clientele, whose power consumption has been increasing at a faster rate than that of other sectors, represents a vast range of enterprises producing and supplying all kinds of products. Many of them operate from numerous geographic points on local, regional, national, and even world scales and are generally hierarchically organized. Because of these characteristics, their decisionmaking processes and their needs are equally complex, more so than in the residential sector. A multidimensional approach has been adopted to ensure that their needs are determined according to a quantitative and qualitative research method. The conclusions of the quantitative research have demonstrated that the frameworks representing different organizations respond differently to questions on their needs. It is also noted that certain commercial enterprises are of a cohesive nature (i.e. there is a consistency in understanding of corporate strategic and operational requirements at all hierarchical levels), while others are more diffuse. Those responsible for marketing demand management programs therefore must improve their understanding of the strategic and operational needs of their commercial customers in order to make their demand management programs productive in the view of the appropriate personnel at the hierarchical level applicable to the company concerned