Genesis Energy delivers 650,000 'Do Not Knock' stickers to customers

Thursday, 23 July 2015

Kiwis are sick of dealing with up to 36 salespeople knocking on their door a year, according to energy company research.

Power company Genesis Energy has begun distributing Consumer NZ's Do Not Knock stickers to about 650,000 of its customers after the company put a ban on door-knocking last year.

A Lower Hutt resident initially contacted Fairfax Media, concerned the company was playing silly buggers with competitive marketing such is the energy industry's notorious reputation for interrupting people's dinners.

A spokesman from Genesis Energy said research it commissioned revealed 81 per cent of Kiwis did not like door-to-door salespeople coming to their homes, so the company pulled out of door-knocking as a means of signing up new customers in May 2014.

'The more we looked into it and took people's opinions into consideration the more we realised stopping it was the right thing to do.'

The stickers are part of a Consumer NZ campaign to bring peace for people in their own home so they are not harassed by unwanted salespeople.

The energy company will hand them out to its 650,000 electricity, gas and LPG accounts.

Genesis customers that receive a bill in the post receive the sticker as a bill insert. Customers who receive an online or email bill,were sent an email explaining the campaign and asking them to contact Genesis if they would like a sticker.

The research found that 67 per cent, or two in three New Zealanders, would like door to door sales to the home to be stopped completely, and 63 per cent find the practice both annoying and intrusive.

It showed some New Zealanders dealt with more than 36 sales people a year knocking on their door.

Consumer NZ chief executive officer Suzanne Chetwin supports the scheme.

'Often it is unscrupulous people selling poor products or just scammers targeting vulnerable, elderly people who can't say no. We have had a fantastic response to the campaign and have sent out for free nearly 500,000 stickers.'

A Nova Energy spokesman said the company respected that customers had a choice and 'it seemed odd that anyone would want to lessen competition in the marketplace for consumers'.

'We've found that 100 per cent of the people who have been door knocked and signed up with us were very pleased to be offered a more competitive deal.

'Competition is good - don't knock it.'