Utility Week

Utility Week 9th March 2018

Utility Week - authoritative, impartial and essential reading for senior people within utilities, regulators and government

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UTILITY WEEK | 9TH - 15TH MARCH 2018 | 25 Customers Views from the speakers: 1. Collaboration is key. Sharing knowledge and data between utility companies will allow customers who are struggling to be identifi ed more easily. 2. Prevention is better than cure. Companies must do more to try and engage with customers in vulnerable circumstances early. 3. Think outside your industry. Avoid becoming too focused on your own industry. Learn from best practice in other sectors. 4. Talk to customers. Engaging with customers is the best way to solve debt. 5. Engage with the third sector. Consumer groups are often more readily trusted by customers, so can gain a greater insight into their circumstances. Key points Sarah Sargent, UK director of customer experience, Lowell Group "In fi nancial services, probably fi ve or six years ago we recognised that we needed to tailor our support for vulnerable customers." Meghna Tewari, head of retail market policy, Ofgem "The price cap must not dilute the importance of good customer service." Margaréta Serfozo-Matharu, principal, strategy and policy, Ofwat "Aff ordability is a huge challenge for the water sector, and it doesn't look like it's getting better." Rob Mayer, head of collections strategy and business improvement, British Gas "Not all levels of engagement are equal… We need to ask: how can we help, not hinder?" Brought to you in association with John McMahon, C&R thought leader, EMEA, FICO "What are your customers expecting from you? And how are you going to pro- gress that within your current industry and within your current processes?" Michelle Atkinson, head of income domestic retail, United Utilities "By better under- standing our customers, we can use a targeted and segmented approach to debt recovery and adopt diff erent col- lection strategies for can- and can't-pay customers"

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