How Asset Managers Drive Returns by Understanding Client Needs

Ryan O'Hanlon
3 days ago
3 min read

What You’ll Learn Below

Ask early, listen carefully, and document what matters most

Correlate client goals with operational focus (availability, ESG, risk reduction)

Use clear, simple data to show how alignment drives revenue

Adapt engagement over time as priorities shift

Stay proactive: check in, explain actions, and report outcomes

Introduction: Why This Matters Now

The renewable energy sector is maturing fast. With more wind farms in operation, investors and owners expect not just technical management but real partnership. An asset manager who listens and adapts doesn’t just reduce headaches, they can materially improve outcomes. By aligning operational focus with what clients actually value, you can directly impact revenue, extend asset life, and build trust that lasts.

Listening Well = Better Financial Outcomes

Listening sounds simple, but it’s the step that often separates “service providers” from true partners. Here’s how listening carefully can influence performance and revenue in tangible ways:

Cash Flow Priorities: If a client values steady monthly cash flow above all else, an asset manager can focus on predictive maintenance and availability guarantees. That means fewer surprises and a smoother revenue line, something investors reward.
ESG Targets: For a client under pressure to demonstrate carbon savings, highlighting avoided curtailment and maximised green MWh isn’t just good optics, it strengthens their position in sustainability, linked financing, which can lower their cost of capital.
Risk Appetite: Some clients are risk averse and want conservative operation, while others are open to pushing assets harder. Knowing which type you’re working with allows you to shape O&M decisions that either protect revenue stability or seek upside. Either way, aligning with their preference has a direct link to returns.
Communication Style: Even here, listening has an impact. A client who prefers detailed reporting might spot opportunities in the data you provide. Another who just wants “bottom line highlights” may act faster on recommendations because the noise has been stripped away. In both cases, the outcome is better financial decision making.

Quantifiable Examples of Listening in Action

To make this real:

Tailored Maintenance Strategy: By listening to a client’s concern about “unexpected drops in output,” one portfolio shifted to condition-based maintenance. This change lifted annual availability by 1.5%, worth an extra €150,000 per 100 MW installed.
Data Presentation That Clicked: Another client admitted they rarely read long reports. By switching to concise, visual dashboards highlighting lost MWh, they acted faster on recurring curtailment issues. Within 12 months, lost energy was reduced by 8%, with revenue improving accordingly.
Alignment with Financing Needs: For an owner refinancing debt, predictability was more valuable than chasing marginal gains. Listening to that need meant prioritising stable output, even at the cost of a slight efficiency trade-off. The reward was securing better financing terms, ultimately worth more than the energy “left on the table.”

Best Practices: Turning Insights into Outcomes

Ask the right questions upfront: “What does success look like for you this year?”
Document and revisit priorities: Needs change, what mattered in year one may shift by year three.
Translate technical realities into client language: Don’t just report downtime; show what it meant in euros.
Shape decisions around goals: Whether it’s cash flow, ESG, or refinancing, make operational calls with those outcomes in mind.
Communicate in their preferred style: Some want spreadsheets, others want quick calls, adapting here increases engagement and speeds up decisions.
Close the loop after every action: “Here’s what happened, what we did, and how it reflects your priorities.”

At EnergyPro, we believe listening is the most underrated performance tool in asset management. When we know what matters to you, whether it’s smoothing revenue, improving ESG metrics, or reducing risk, we can tune our efforts to deliver measurable outcomes.

If you’d like to explore how our Analytics and Asset Management services can align with your goals, we’d love to hear from you. Call our team at +44 7494 272 505, or send an email to sales@energypro.ie, and let’s talk about what really matters to you.