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Stream Energy CEO: "We're Going After The Home," As Company Beta Tests New Services, Launches Mobile

January 5, 2015

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Copyright 2010-15 EnergyChoiceMatters.com
Reporting by Karen Abbott • kabbott@energychoicematters.com

Stream Energy has set its sights on being a provider of comprehensive home services, and the upcoming official nationwide launch of its wireless communications offerings in late January will serve as a platform for that growth, Mark "Bouncer" Schiro, Stream Energy CEO, told EnergyChoiceMatters.com

"Mobile is the remote control of our life," Schiro said, making it an effective springboard for the offering of additional home services, many of which may ultimately be controlled through mobile devices.

"It's a platform with which we can communicate with our customers," and gives Stream an entry into interacting with customers in an increasing array of services.

Click here for our prior story on Stream's entry into wireless telephone offerings. A formal launch for Stream's nationwide mobile service is scheduled for later this month.

Although Stream has not definitively determined what additional services it will roll out, Schiro said that home automation, security, energy management, home protection & warranties, digital television, real-time remote monitoring, internet services, and member services are all potential services that are being considered

Stream is actively beta testing certain connected home services right now, Schiro confirmed.

One of these is a smart thermostat/home automation offering, which Schiro described as being in, "our near future," though further testing is still required before a decision on the offering is made.

"We're going after the home," Schiro said.

Schiro said that Stream plans to announce its next definitive steps regarding the connected home in the fall.

While Schiro would not disclose specific new services beyond the mobile launch, the strategy for Stream in offering any new service is clear.

Stream, Schiro said, will white-label the service, and build the Stream brand.

"Our goal is to build our brand. I have no interest in being a reseller like other direct selling companies have been in the past," Schiro said.

For its mobile offerings, while Stream's product uses the AT&T and Sprint networks, Schiro said that Stream will provide enrollment, customer service, and payment portals.

Although the smart home is drawing interest from heavy hitters from a variety of worlds -- cable, telecomm, internet -- Schiro is unfazed by the potential competition.

Schiro notes that Stream took on the incumbent brands TXU and Reliant in Texas electricity, and sees Stream's warm marketing approach having the same success in home services.

Schiro cited customer acquisition costs of $200-800 per customer for traditional providers such as Verizon, Time Warner, and Dish Network, compared to the low cost-to-acquire under network marketing.

Another key strategy -- pricing -- is also set for any home services Stream will offer. Specifically, as Stream now does with energy and mobile, customers will get their service for free if referring a threshold amount of customers (currently 15 for energy), with tiered discounts for referrals under this threshold.

Schiro has set a goal of doubling Stream's customer base by the end of 2016, and set a further personal goal of having non-energy customers comprising one-half of that customer base

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