Upgrades reduce complaints by 10 percent

A number of customer service improvements across the business have helped Thames Water cut complaints by 10 per cent since April.

The company is now targeting a 20 per cent drop by the end of the financial year ahead of the upcoming launch of a new Customer Charter, which will set out its strong commitment to customers.

The improved performance follows last year’s Beast from the East, which froze and cracked pipes, and summer heatwave, which led to an unprecedented increase in demand for water. Both put a huge strain on the company’s operations and caused a spike in unwanted contacts and complaints.

Kelly Macfarlane, Thames Water customer experience director, said: “The combination of these factors over the course of a year created a perfect storm that had an unacceptable impact on our customers. We feel and regret that deeply, and have already taken action to improve service and get things right first time for our customers when they need us.

“We’re introducing an industry-leading billing and account management system, are putting more than 2,000 employees through specialist training and are investing in a new website which will be easier for customers to navigate and use.

“These improvements will create the right foundations for us to meet our customers’ needs and expectations, whether they are contacting us or self-serving online, and to achieve the targets we have set ourselves of significantly reducing complaints this year and beyond.”

Thames Water, which serves 15 million customers across London and the Thames Valley, has been working with other utilities to share best practice. The new Customer Charter launches in early October.