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ESB NETWORKS LTD

June/July 2012 www.esb.ie/em

Check out our feature on the National Smart Electric Conference

page 23

EADAOIN SMITH GRADUATES

EADAOIN SMITH has graduated with a First Class Honour from an MSc in Development Studies at the School of Politics and International Relations, UCD.

Éadaoin is also a member of the ElectricAid committee where she is able to utilise her Masters, particularly in the evaluation of project proposals that are sent in for funding.

ESB Telecoms takes part in Sligo Walk

WELL DONE TO David Barnes, Audrey Burke, Padraic Concannon, Colm Conheady, Frank Donnelly, Fergus Duffy, Bill Ebrill, Mick Harkin, Ronnie Horan, Derek Jones, Brian Matthews, Padraic McSharry, Michelle Montayne, Daragh Mulligan, Fergal O’Buachain, Aaron O’Reilly, Bob Preston, George Rathborne, Noel Rushe, Eamon Ryan, Bernard Shaw, Eadaoin Smith, John Wallace, Helen Cherry, Eugene Curry, Tony Dunne, Michael Hanley, John Keane, Caoimhe Mckenna, Caroline O’Doherty and Joe Sinnott who completed the Sligo Walk on the 12th of May from ESB Telecoms Ltd and Telecom Services.

ESB Networks all time high in Customer Satisfaction Surveys

ESB NETWORKS is delighted to report that customer satisfaction with our services continues to increase. The most recent RedC customer satisfaction surveys for 2010 and 2011 indicate that the overall key performance indicator (KPI) for customer satisfaction is at an all time high of 81%, having risen consistently over the last few years from a figure of 70% in 2006.

Feedback from our customers indicates that they have a strong desire to be “in the know” regarding resolution time and to feel “looked after” by ESB Networks. We see good performance across all our service areas, in terms of ‘ability to deal with query immediately’, provision of ‘up to date information’ and ‘call back to clear queries’. These aspects of communication are key drivers of overall customer satisfaction.

Improvements achieved across a wide range of service areas

One big positive thing we have seen during 2011 is that we have improved our ability to deal with queries immediately and Networks’ Customer Care Centre (NCCC) can take great credit for resolving queries, which we know is key to the overall customer experience. The overall key performance indicator rating for the NCCC has increased by a further 1% to 84% during 2011, while ‘dealing with contact centre queries immediately’ is now at 93% – up from 82% in 2008.. We have always scored very highly in terms of politeness, friendliness and professionalism and these aspects of our service continue to be praised by customers. Jimmy Larsen of Red C comments: “This is much higher than what is seen across most other companies where customer satisfaction surveys are undertaken by RedC.

The RedC Customer Satisfaction survey is carried out biannually, conducting 2,490 telephone based interviews with randomly selected domestic and business customers who have had some interaction during the previous six month period with ESB Networks‘ services e.g. New Connections, Loss of Supply, Planned Electricity Interruptions, Rectified Voltage Complaints, Contact Centre and Meter Reading.

While the average overall satisfaction for 2011 is 81%, it is very encouraging that no individual service area achieved less than 74% satisfaction and some achieved levels in excess of 81%. We have improved our satisfaction scores in process areas such as ‘getting a new connection quote in a timely manner’ and our ‘payment process’. We also see customers becoming more aware of our online facilities for meter reading submission and online application for new single house domestic connections. The introduction of PowerCheck will further improve the online options available to our customers.

Big improvements in important areas

In particular we see significant improvement in how we deal with;

1. Voltage Complaints Rectified

2. Unplanned and Planned Electricity Interruptions

3. New Connections – Business Customers

Looking at each of these in turn:

1. Voltage complaints rectified

The key performance indicator for satisfaction with Voltage Complaints Rectified increased significantly during the period 2008 - 2011. This is driven by increases across most customer contact and service areas but especially staff’s ability to deal with queries in a friendly and professional manner, the ease of contact, the process for reporting problem and the time taken to confirm problem.

2. Unplanned and planned electricity interruptions

The key performance indicator for customer satisfaction with Planned Interruptions has increased from 86% to 89% during 2011. We found that 91% of customers surveyed believed that the amount of notice provided is “just right” and 90% indicated that the planned interruptions were resolved before the stated timeline – this is up from 86% in the previous survey and has been increasing over the last number of years. Great credit is due to the crews for improving this very important aspect of our customer service.

The key performance indicator for customer satisfaction with Unplanned (Fault) Interruptions has increased from 80% to 84%, mainly due to higher satisfaction with the information provided during the interruption but also due to us restoring power rapidly/effectively.

3. New connections for business customers

The key performance indicator for the New Connection (Business) area has increased by 5% to 80% in the most recent survey. Most aspects of our service see higher satisfaction scores including ‘efficient and prompt installation’. When customers were asked for their suggestions re improvements, most mentioned review of costs, increased speed of installation and improved communication. Within this category the KPI rating for builder/developer is 84% while the KPI rating for business end users is somewhat less at 79%.

Meter Reading

Satisfaction with meter reading remains high at 82%. It is very encouraging that 89% of customers who receive a reminder card from the meter reader have subsequently submitted a meter reading. While customers state that the telephone is the most widely used channel for submission of a meter reading, we see increased usage of SMS and email. Customer awareness of our website facility for sending in meter readings has also increased from 49% to 56%.

Looking ahead

The surveys are telling us that we are delivering excellent service to customers. This has not happened by chance and is down to the efforts of staff who are out meeting customers as well as those who deal with them on the phone, behind the scenes and through our systems. All of these people are a credit to the business.

As our business environment changes the service we deliver will become more and more important for our continuing success.