Water companies ‘failing to address customers’ concerns’

David Bird, retail director at Thames Water, said: “CCW have recognised the collaborative approach we have taken and that the improvements we are making are showing promise. However, we recognise we have more to do.

“Our turnaround plan is focused on resolving customer complaints and improving the quality of their interaction with our business, from first contact through to resolution.”

He said the company had an “ambitious business plan” based on customer feedback and insight. 

“Our customers told us to focus on delivering safe and resilient water supplies, address concerns over our overall performance including on customer service, and deal more effectively with wastewater,” he said.

“Our aim is to always deliver excellent customer service, and we’re determined to do better.”

Imran Patel, group customer experience director at Yorkshire Water, said: “We work really hard to make sure we do the right thing for our customers and we’re continuing to invest in new systems, training for our customer experience teams and our reporting to ensure we improve the service our customers receive.

“We have worked closely with CCW to audit our complaints process and have received positive feedback for our customer-focused culture and the speed and effectiveness of complaints resolution.”

He said the company had a series of investments lined up to improve the customer experience, and that it was committed to “improving Yorkshire’s environment and ensuring no household or business should be without reliable, safe, clean water”.

Water UK, the trade association for the water industry, said companies were working hard to “provide the drinking water that is independently rated the joint-highest standard in the world”.

It said a rise in customer complaints should be examined, but “not all complaints are necessarily evidence of poor service”.

It added: “A better measure is the number of complaints sent by the CCW to adjudication, which fell 37%, from 153 late last year to 57 for the equivalent period this year.”

It said firms were also being affected by funding cuts from water regulator Ofwat, which needed to “enable companies to provide [customers] with the service they rightly expect”.

Water companies have put forward plans for bill increases, although Ofwat has made proposals to cap them. It is due to make a final decision in December.