Utility Week - authoritative, impartial and essential reading for senior people within utilities, regulators and government
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UTILITY WEEK | 29TH JANUARY - 4TH FEBRUARY 2016 | 17 The 6.5km-long Lee Tunnel is London's deepest tunnel and the big- gest project in the history of the UK's water industry since it was privatised in 1989. Construction work started in September 2010. The main tunnel will be 25km long when it is finished in 2023 and will cost an estimated £4 billion. If you have an asset or project you would like to see featured in this slot, email: paul.newton@fav-house.com Pipe up James Muir T he water industry is on the cusp of change with the clock rapidly ticking towards non-household competition in April 2017 and indications that the domestic market may open up sooner than expected, following chancellor George Osborne's November announcement that we may see market reform as early as 2020. While there may be uncertainty as to how the next few months and years will unfold, there is one piece of certainty: the customer will be at the heart of everything we do and customer service standards will reach a new level of importance. We know that a great reputation in business is a pow- erful asset; we have seen this with the likes of John Lewis and Amazon, where the mere mention of their names ignites recognition of excellent customer service. As we move into this new era of customer choice, it is time to understand the elements that generate the perception of our customers and seek to influ- ence this through customer- focused goals and objectives to establish a reputation that will serve us well in the future. Customers rate organisations based on their experience; they rarely care about the activities behind the scenes or if their supply issue is the responsibil- ity of the production team, back office team, planners or contractors. They care only about what happens to them, how good we make them feel and how easy, speedy and rewarding their experience is. Right now our challenge is to engage with all employ- ees through authentic leadership and share messages that allow them to understand their purpose, their value and their ability to make a difference. We must employ tools and techniques that empower individuals to deliver the very best of service at all times and to fully under- stand that their actions can and do create a perception of excellence (or not), for our customers, regardless of their role or hierarchical level within the organisation. The future reputation and success of water companies will be based on everything the customer is experiencing right now, from the sight of a team working on a main road, the handling of a call when they reach out for help, the letter they receive in response to a complaint and even the tweets they read relating to others' experiences. Great service can be determined only by customer perception. We have the power to influence perception, ensuring our reputation serves us well in a new and customer-focused industry. James Muir, customer excellence training leader, Northumbrian Water Group "A great reputation in business is a powerful asset; we have seen this with the likes of John Lewis and Amazon" Customers care only about what happens to them and how easy, speedy and rewarding their experience is Operations & Assets