One of our major successes in 2009/10 stemmed from improvements we made in the previous year. In December 2009, we were delighted to win the 'Change Management Award' at the annual Utility Industry Achievement Awards.
This recognised an initiative called 'New Start' which brought numerous improvements at our Customer Centre in Swindon. Among these were the introduction of a new management system that ensures telephone calls and written queries are directed to the right member of staff to address the issue concerned.
Further improvements in our complaint handling process led to some notable achievements during the year. Written complaints fell by 14 per cent compared with the previous 12 months, and represented the third consecutive year-on-year reduction.
| 2006/07 | 2007/08 | 2008/09 | 2009/10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of complaints | 56,914 | 52,174 | 38,204 | 32,809 |
The number of complaints accepted for investigation by customer watchdog body the Consumer Council for Water also decreased by 87 per cent, from 191 to just 25.
In November 2009, ours was rated the easiest utility website to use in a report by user experience consultancy Webcredible, as reported in industry magazine Utility Week.
In February 2010, we opened our new state-of-the-art operations management centre, Kemble Court, in Green Park, Reading. For the first time, this has brought together all of our key operations staff in one location, with the aim of improving efficiency and service standards.
As part of this, the new building is also the base for those staff who deal with operational queries – including, for example, burst mains, leaks and blocked sewers, as opposed to account-based issues such as billing.
By integrating a number of key functions in this way, we will be in a much better position to plan and co-ordinate our work, allowing us to respond to customers faster and making us easier to deal with.
All operational call handling and correspondence activity has now moved to the new Reading base, while our Customer Services department in Swindon continues to manage billing and customer account contacts.
We have reviewed and changed the way in which we monitor performance within Customer Services, setting up a new system to measure the quality of our performance. This also ensures we set out to deliver a planned and consistently high-quality 'customer experience', with the aim of maximising customer satisfaction when they deal with us, whether face to face, by telephone or in writing.
We have introduced several key process changes to improve our service. In April 2009, for example, we made changes to the way we deal with queries from customers who need to replace their outside stop valve, which controls the flow of water from our main to an individual property. We now offer two levels of service, including a fast-track option for customers who need a quicker service, at a minimal cost.
In August 2009, we improved the way we communicate with customers who have experienced sewer flooding inside their homes. These customers now receive an initial visit from us and this is followed up by a telephone call within one hour to advise them of our next steps. We also keep them better updated on our investigations of the likely cause. This improved communication has helped reassure customers at what can be a very worrying time.
We continue to review and improve both our online and telephone self-service functions, with the aim of making them easier to use. In many instances, customers are now able to obtain the information they want or make specific requests without having to speak to a member of staff.
The success of these initiatives is highlighted by an increase of 35 per cent in the number of customers who have returned to use our website.
During 2009/10, we saw a near-threefold increase in the number of customers opting to receive their bills online. To help customers keep up to date with our latest news and campaigns, we have also set up social networking sites on Facebook and Twitter. Customers are also able to watch our latest films and appearances on YouTube.
We introduced a 'welcome pack' for customers who move house into, or within, our area, that provides a wide range of helpful information on the services we offer. The booklet also covers the benefits of water metering, tips on how to use water wisely and details of the assistance we can give to customers who are experiencing financial difficulties.
As in previous years, we also updated the leaflet we issue with our bills, summarising our main services, investment plans and contact details.
Throughout 2009/10, we issued around 9.2m bills and notices, as well as handling just under 3.8m enquiries from customers about bills and payments. At £303 per year, our combined average water and sewerage bill is still among the lowest in the country.
At the National Customer Services Awards, held in December 2009, we were among the finalists for three awards. We were shortlisted for the awards for best complaints team and best use of technology, and our leadership team was also among the finalists for management team of the year for improvements made at our Customer Centre in Swindon.
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