FORUM | COMMENT
The water indus- try has evolved a lot, the proof of which has been demonstrated time and time again
The arrival of AMP6 will bring with it a culture based around total expendi- ture (totex) that will drive greater effi- ciency in the water industry as well as reduce costs. That’s how it should be. But while the spotlight is being put on totex, we mustn’t forget that innova- tion must also play an important role if the industry is to overcome challenges brought by a growing population and climate change.
Innovation doesn’t just relate to prod- ucts and technologies. It applies to other areas as well, such as health and safety and customer service. Companies have these schemes in place, but those that are innovative have initiatives that go beyond what is expected of them. The water industry has evolved a lot, the proof of which has been demon- strated time and time again in the eight years since the water industry “Oscars” began. And that’s fantastic.
So if your company is innovative and thinks outside of the box, tell us about it and enter the awards. The closing date is just days away – December 16! Finally, myself and the rest of the WET News team would like to wish all our readers and advertisers a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. See you in 2014!
Maureen Gaines Editor
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December 2013 | WET News | 7 VIEWPOINT By Andrew McMillan
Reputation often arrives on foot and leaves on a fast horse!
THE UTILITY, sector’s regulatory landscape is changing, with new incentive mechanisms coming into play in a bid to drive greater performance in customer and stakeholder satisfaction. Now, six months in to RIIO GD1, and with the pain and gain factor prompted by these shifts in the regulatory framework so influential, there are some who would argue that the sector is still in the foothills when it comes to customer experience.
Delivering a strong customer experience is a key competitive differentiator for businesses, yet the utility sector is often seen and scored as something of an underachiever in this respect. The first vital building block in customer service should be to define how it wishes to be perceived in terms of reputation, personality and behaviour, not only by its customers but also by its employees – the people who, after all, hold ultimate responsibility for understanding, believing and delivering the strategy in question.
A key differentiator behind the customer service success stories seen in other sectors is the role and the attitude of the organisation’s workforce itself. The key is to ensure that the customer experience delivered by staff is so consistently strong that the employees, themselves, become the organisation or the brand in the eyes of its customers. Establishing consistency in clearly defined values will engender employee engagement and help to sustain strong service levels, thereby gaining the long- term trust of customers that is essential in building and managing reputation. Tracking the progress, and measuring the outcomes, of these desired behaviours is also crucial, as is the way in which an organisation communicates to employees in order to achieve consistent and sustained internal engagement. Equally, enhancing
employee experience through effective and consistent reward, recognition and appraisal can also play an instrumental role in reducing costs through improved productivity, lower staff turnover and more ‘right first time’ responses. What is also clear is that utility contractors, operating on the frontline in upgrade and maintenance programmes across the UK, have an instrumental role to play in shaping the reputation of their clients. Identifying and implementing service improvement initiatives and innovative techniques, systems and practices will enable utility contractors to add significant value in the race for customer excellence. To the road user or customer, the work of utility
companies is
perhaps nothing more than a ‘point of inconvenience’ – a difficult starting point from which to begin creating a good customer experience. This starting point adds a greater responsibility to the way in which utility contractors must communicate, interact and engage with local communities. As custodians not only of their own brands but also that of their clients, contractors should be looking to raise the bar in timely, effective and innovative public communications and stakeholder engagement. The customer service experience will become even more pivotal as companies in the utilities sector look to differentiate themselves from the competition.
Very few industries can compare to the sector in terms of delivering products and services that are so similar, so delivering above customer expectations will always present an opportunity for the more forward thinking organisations to gain a competitive edge and stand out from the crowd.
Andrew McMillan was speaking recently at the Morrison Utility Services Customer Service and Innovation event.
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