Wales & West Utilities has marked National Customer Service Week 2017 by leading a roundtable debate with key customer service players to discuss how they are each rising to the challenge of meeting the growing expectations of future customers.
The event, which was held at the Celtic Manor Resort, was led by the company’s People and Engagement Director, Sarah Hopkins and Mark Oliver, Director of Business Services. Participants included representatives from Business in the Community, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, Motonovo Finance, Action on Hearing Loss, Cardiff Blues, Morrison Utility Services and Rutherford Cancer Centre.
Gas emergency and pipeline service Wales & West Utilities, which was reaccredited by the Institute of Customer Service as achieving its ServiceMark with a distinction earlier this year, led discussions around the shift in customer expectations and how these have impacted business, the biggest challenges facing customer focussed businesses and what the customer of the future looks like and the challenges and opportunities they present.
Wales & West Utilities brought its own experience of delivering on its customer strategy and how its internal culture drives outstanding service for the 7.5 million people the company serves across Wales and the south west of England.
The event was held to mark National Customer Service Week (2-6 October) which raises awareness of customer service and the vital role it plays in successful business practice and the growth of the UK economy.
Mark Oliver, Wales & West Utilities Director of Business Services, said:
“The event was a great opportunity to discuss the future of customer service with our peers and we all got a great deal out of it. We put our customers first – and their needs at the core of our business. We’re always working harder to improve the customer experience – be that an internal or external customer – and as businesses we can all learn from each other.”
In January this year Wales & West Utilities was awarded a ServiceMark with distinction by The Institute of Customer Service after receiving an overall customer satisfaction score of 90.4, considerably higher than the utility sector benchmark of 73.3 and the all-sector benchmark score of 77.4, reinforcing Wales & West Utilities market leading customer service standards. ServiceMark is granted for the next three years and is The Institute of Customer Service’s most meticulous and thorough accreditation.
Wales & West Utilities, the gas emergency and pipeline service that serves Wales and the south west of England, puts customers at the heart of the business and is rated the top utility company in the UK for customer service. If anyone smells gas, thinks they have a gas leak, or suspects carbon monoxide poisoning, they should call us on 0800 111 999 and our engineers will be there to help, day or night.
The company also has a multi-million pound, 30-year gas pipe investment programme which began in 2002. Old metal pipes within 30 metres of buildings are being upgraded to with new long-lasting plastic ones with a lifespan of more than 80 years, to make sure homes and businesses continue to receive a safe and reliable gas supply now and in the future.