Essex & Suffolk Water’s Post

Rounding off a great day 1 by bringing the conversation back to why we are all here, the customer! It has been great to hear from Dan Blake CIHCM and Victor da Cunha to understand how we can better meet the needs of our customers in these challenging times. #Housing #HousingFestival #CustomerFirst

Yesterday, we launched our first Community Walkabout for 2024, connecting with customers across our communities in Talke Pits, Congleton, and Cross Heath. These Community Walkabouts is our commitment to improving the quality of our communities and making a positive contribution to the neighbourhood where our customers live. At Aspire Housing, we understand that great neighbourhoods don’t happen by chance – they’re built through partnership, collaboration, and listening to the people who live there. That's why our Community Walkabouts provide a unique opportunity for customers and the wider community to meet with our locality coordinators, agency partners, and other stakeholders, ensuring that everyone has a voice in shaping a cleaner, safer, and more welcoming environment. 🏘️👥 We’re proud to see such active participation from residents in these areas, offering valuable insights and ideas on how we can keep their communities vibrant and thriving. This is just the beginning, and we have plenty more dates lined up September and October to ensure every voice is heard and every concern is addressed. 🔗 Check https://lnkd.in/gVFQVSYV for the full schedule and find out when we’ll be in your area! Why should you attend? By joining us at a Community Walkabout, you’ll have the chance to: Share your views on what matters most to you in your neighbourhood. Suggest improvements and solutions to maintain a safe and clean environment. Engage with our teams and partners, who are eager to hear your feedback and act on it. Together, we’re making meaningful strides towards improving our local communities, one walkabout at a time. Let’s continue working together to create neighbourhoods we can all be proud of! #CommunityWalkabout #NeighbourhoodEngagement #AspireHousing #CommunityImprovement #CustomerFirst #LocalSupport

Meet the Magenta Customers and Communities Committee... The committee consists of Magenta customers and community members. They are integral to the way we work – helping to make sure our decisions have a positive impact on our customers and the places we work in. At the last meeting, Chair, Wendy Gooley, invited a Board Member from Prima Group to share best practice in terms of our customer involvement approach. Also discussed were the Consumer Standards, social value and progress against our strategic plan. The Magenta Customers and Communities Committee continues to go from strength to strength. Our members are part of the National Housing Federation, Together With Tenants Tenant Advisory Panel, and we also have representatives working with the Housing Ombudsman, so not only influencing how we deliver services here at Magenta, but nationally too. #CustomerCentric #ResidentInvolvement #Housing #WeAreLCRHA

✨ What a day filled with insights, connections, and inspiration! ✨ 🚀 Two conferences, three dynamic sessions, and countless miles traveled, but the learnings gained were worth every moment. 🔍 Session 1 - National Housing Federation Customer Experience and Engagement Conference: Proud to contribute to the discourse on Supporting Vulnerable Customers. Shared the remarkable work Southdown is doing in this space and underscored the lesson that the care and support sector offers lessons for us all. Let's keep learning and growing together! #CustomerExperience #SupportingVulnerableCustomers #SouthdownCares 🔍 Session 2 - Westminster Insight Preparing for Housing Inspections Conference: Highlighting best practice when listening to customers at this insightful conference. Emphasised that it's not just about listening but working collaboratively. Are we turning words into actions? Celebrated the essence of a truly resident-led housing association at Eastlight Community Homes. #HousingInspections #CustomerEngagement #EastlightCommunity 🔍 Session 3 - National Housing Federation Customer Experience and Engagement Conference (Again): Returned for an engaging discussion on Achieving Excellent Satisfaction. Championed the importance of lived experience and understanding genuine customer happiness, recognising that our perceptions may differ from their needs. #CustomerSatisfaction #LivedExperience #CustomerHappiness I met some incredible people throughout the day, each bringing valuable perspectives. Hope everyone takes away something to enhance the lives of the people in their homes. Grateful for the shared commitment to making a positive impact! 🙌 #ConferenceHighlights #LearningJourney #MakingADifference

𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 I had a blast sitting in with Tim Bolen this morning on the CHCH TV Morning Show Live 🎥 Sharing our story and the Customer-Centric-Journey we are building here at Go Lime Inc. was a great start to the day 🌟 🏡 Households Deserve Choice 🏡 Over the last few months, we've witnessed a movement starting in communities right across the province. New customers are popping up in Hamilton, Halton, Kingston, Ottawa, Niagara, Gravenhurst, Barrie and that's just the tip of the iceberg. There are ~450 Municipalities across Ontario --- and we won't stop until we bring CHOICE to every single Ontario Homeowner ☑️ This morning arriving into our offices after the broadcast, I overheard one of our experts sharing a customer anecdote from earlier today, where a customer made the switch on the spot. That's how we know we are starting more than a campaign --- it's all about offering CHOICE and the customers come to you! 💡 BTW -- It's not just about providing options --- but it's about empowering homeowners to understand how to make that change, and we have a Digital First Platform that can support thousands of customers each week that want a better way. And this is just the start... 👉 Millions of Households across Ontario are ready for a change, and we are truly honoured to be a part of their journey. Thank you to our incredible team, partners, and customers for supporting this vision. The REVOLUTION has begun 🚀 #Purpose #CustomerCentric #Change #JoinTheRevolution

It’s no secret that I am a huge cheerleader for businesses in the Hutt, and retail plays a significant role in that. Today, I am excited to announce the launch of Hutt City Council's new programme aimed at bolstering retail safety and addressing the increasing instances of crime and anti-social behaviour in our city. In a significant move to support our retail sector, we have introduced the Kia Haumaru – Safer Centres Programme. Launched in July 2024, this initiative is designed to enhance staff skills and improve safety measures for retail businesses across Lower Hutt. Developed in collaboration with First Retail Group (FRG) and the New Zealand Police, the Kia Haumaru programme aims to improve the wellbeing and safety of retail staff and the general public. The programme offers free training to all customer-facing businesses in Lower Hutt, equipping them with the necessary skills and confidence to manage the risks associated with crime. Retail businesses across various sectors have been facing heightened challenges, including anti-social behaviour and theft. Additionally, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of vulnerable individuals in commercial areas, which businesses are keen to assist. The Kia Haumaru programme has been warmly received by these businesses as it aims to build capability, confidence, and guardianship, thereby reducing risks and enhancing responsiveness. This initiative ensures that Hutt City’s centres remain safe and welcoming places for visitors, workers, and residents. In addition to the training programme, the Council is introducing a Business Safety Support Fund, allocating $150,000 to help retail and hospitality businesses in Lower Hutt purchase essential safety equipment. This fund aims to provide businesses with the necessary tools to combat retail theft and anti-social behaviour, making their workplaces safer and more secure. Simple but effective measures such as safety mirrors, internal bollards, and CCTV cameras can play a crucial role in preventing theft and enhancing security. This funding initiative complements the Council’s substantial $3.5 million investment in the Long-Term Plan for a city-wide CCTV network, demonstrating a strong commitment to improving safety across Lower Hutt. You can learn more about these two initiatives at: https://lnkd.in/ghEdSb2E

👭 I had a great day at the first National Housing Federation Customer Experience and Resident Engagement Conference. 🧠 It was good to focus on one area for the whole day. It meant we could really unpick the subject and delve into the challenges, and share best practice. 💡There were some excellent speakers who shared an insight into how they engage with their customers, and recommendations on overcoming barriers to positive and meaningful resident engagement. 💪🏼 My highlight of the day was the session around challenging negative perceptions, and the stigma attached to social housing; something I feel strongly about working in Specialist Supported Housing. Some powerful words from Kai Jackson. 💫 The common themes from the day for me was the importance of face to face interactions, as well as how crucial it is to know who our customers are. Sounds obvious doesn’t it? Yet it was clear to see just how challenging this can be across the sector. ✍🏼 Time for me to now put pen to paper and think about our own Resident Involvement Strategy. 🙌🏼 Also good to see a shout out to the upcoming #HousingCommunitySummit.

One of my favourite sayings is 'let's make toast the american way, you burn it I scrape it'. Signifying the lazy ways organisations deal with products/services in that if a customer complains it is cheaper to correct a service failure than it is to design it right in the first place. And with the recent Institute of Customer Service findings highlighting that organisations are spending on average 4 days a month dealing with complaints we must be getting through a lot of metaphorical Warburtons toastie loaves at the moment. However with this comes a risk that the pendulum swings too far the other way. For example if you read recent Housing Ombudsman's reports picking up on some of the poor complaints procedures in place at #socialhousing landlords, is the natural response then going to be on designing great complaint procedures/experiences instead of addressing the issues which led to the complaint arising in the first place? Strawberry jam or marmite? #housingassociations #housinginnovation Paul O'Neill, Paul Taylor, Matthew Gardiner, Susie Braam, John Mortimer, Dave Skinner

During the COVID-19 pandemic, BFI worked alongside Union County Social Services to create a safe and functional workspace by introducing 25 Framery Service Pods. These private pods are soundproof, easy to clean, accessible, and promote health and safety. The installation enhanced daily operations for staff and clients and continues to impact the community. Click to read the full case study. >> https://buff.ly/3ZElkAt

One really bad customer experience can quickly undo 40 years of goodwill. I’ve had a mobile phone with Vodafone since 1985, the year mobiles became available in the UK (and were the size of a small carry-on bag). Their first UK office was next to where I worked, and since then, I’ve been with Vodafone - either through my IT Comms work or as a personal customer. I’ve recommended Vodafone to friends, family, and neighbours as a reliable, cost-effective provider based on my long-term experience. Sadly, all that goodwill has now been wiped away. I retired (early) nearly 10 years ago and have spent the last 6 years volunteering as chair of a community group that has successfully saved and reopened our local village pub, The Plough Inn, Longparish. It’s a not-for-profit, cooperative pub that’s been open for three years, serving locals and visitors alike. Seems we're quite good at it too - we’ve earned awards and rave reviews - if you’re ever passing along the A303, check us out (www.ploughinn.org). One recent review called it “a beautiful country pub, conveniently located between Windsor Castle and Stonehenge.” Naturally, when we needed a broadband provider, I turned to Vodafone, and again when we added employee mobile phones. But last week, I ran into an issue after over 3 years as a happy business customer. I placed an online order for a new mobile contract, which was acknowledged but then vanished. After many hours on the phone and online, I learned our “business account” has become corrupted to appear as “part consumer.” This means we can’t deal with the business team, as they think we’re consumers, and the consumer team is blocked from helping because we’re a business. After my wasting over five hours trying to resolve this, Vodafone’s only suggestion is for me to create an entirely new business account, with all the time and effort that entails, and then try to transfer assets across from the broken account. At no point has anyone at Vodafone taken ownership of the issue, even though it’s clearly of their making. The Plough Inn is a small village pub, never going to be a big customer for Vodafone, but we have over 300 shareholders in our community business, which runs purely for community benefit. In the current climate, hospitality is a tough sector to be in with two pubs closing every day across the UK. We have far more pressing issues than dealing with mobile SIM contracts. If our pub treated customers like this, they’d simply find somewhere else to eat and drink. Vodafone, you’ve successfully lost all my goodwill and support after nearly 40 years as a loyal customer. I’ll now be looking at other providers for mobile and broadband services.