The entire industry has a buzz about it at the moment. Admittedly, some of it comes from this very warm weather we’re having lately, but we’d say there’s almost a slight relaxation about it – because smart meters are on their way to save the day. Wrong.
Smart meters are part of the solution and very crucial to making change accessible. But we all know, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t force it to drink. That’s what our smart meters are doing, leading customers to their water data, but it doesn’t mean they’ll reduce their consumption.
In this article we’ll show you how you can focus on the right areas: your customers. Instead of relying too much on your smart meter roll out to work its magic.
Because here’s the real missing link: engagement.
People need more than data – they need motivation. We’ve used the COM-B behaviour change methodology for many years now and know that if all elements are not present, change does not follow. Your customers need to care. They need to shift from being passive customers into active water-saving participants.
Let’s face it – simply showing someone their water usage doesn’t guarantee they’ll do anything about it. But adding another layer, such as rewarding them for making a change, giving them a reason to do so, making it personal. That’s when the magic happens.
In the sections ahead, we’ll explore how we use behavioural science and reward-based engagement to support smart meter rollouts — and how we’ve actually made it work. Not in theory. In real households, with real savings.
Because the future of water saving isn’t just smart. It’s smart and human.
Making It Stick: Turning Awareness into Action
Smart meters deliver valuable insight, but insight alone doesn’t drive change. What does? A sense of purpose, a bit of healthy pressure, and something tangible in return.
This is where Greenredeem fits in. We work with water companies to close the intention–action gap by giving customers something more compelling than just a usage report. We help them want to change and then provide the tools to keep at it.
Using digital rewards, behavioural nudges, and localised engagement, we’ve helped households not only understand their water usage but actively reduce it over time.
Take our work with Thames Water, for example.
We partner with them on campaigns focused on high water-stress areas, where the stakes are particularly high. Smart meters were already installed, but the data was showing a worrying trend: despite access to usage insights, household consumption remained stubbornly high.
Through Greenredeem, Thames Water introduced a rewards-based platform that turned everyday water-saving actions (like shorter showers, using a watering can instead of a hose, or fixing dripping taps) into something visible and valuable. Customers could complete activities, earn points, and redeem them for vouchers or a variety of other rewards.
We didn’t just track engagement. We tracked impact.
Within the first phase of the programme, participants reduced their water consumption by an average of 17 litres per day, with some areas seeing reductions of 20 litres or more. Just as importantly, we saw sustained engagement over months which have now turned into years of learning – proving this wasn’t a one-time effort, but a shift in daily habits.
Why did it work? Because we made saving water rewarding, relatable, and easy. Customers weren’t just told what to do – they were invited into the process, supported with behavioural nudges, and recognised for taking action.
And crucially, it worked with smart meter data, not in place of it. The meters provided the insight. Greenredeem made it matter.
