Thames Water have appointed London-based firm Hugo and Cat as their digital supplier to deliver a better digital customer experience.
The service provider will create Thames’ “to be” vision for its website. The water company said the site re-structure/design is needed to express and bring to life the TW brand and TOV in a digital environment to promote engagement and work towards its brand aspiration.
Existing content will also be audited and rationalized based on usage, relevance, topic and format and revised architecture.
The contract also includes the requirement for future technology developments to be presented e.g. social contact, Webchat, Rant and Rave.
Thames is also aiming to ensure its brand “story” is embedded “to convey the emotional value of water and the precious nature of water (and Thames) in everyday life, work and play and in the longer term.”
Water companies will need to offer at least 3 online channels for PR19
Water sector regulator Ofwat is replacing the current service incentive mechanism (SIM) as a measure of customer service effectiveness and measuring success with WaterworCX for PR19.
WaterworCX is an umbrella term for a mechanism comprising two new measures:
- the customer measure of experience (C-MeX); and
- the developer services measure of experience (D-MeX).
One of the key drivers for the change was the fact that the SIM does not reflect changing communications technology and how customers interact with retailers.
Under WaterworCX, companies will need to offer at least five communication channels, including at least three online channels, to receive contacts and complaints.
C-MeX will have a reputational incentive on complaints performance and will also widen the definition of ‘complaint’ to include those made via any channel, including social media.
C-MeX will also offer higher potential financial performance payments than the SIM.
The water companies will be ranked annually based on their C-MeX scores, with the top three performers each year receiving a performance payment of up to 1.2% of residential retail revenues.
Higher performance payments of up to 2.4% of residential retail revenues would only be available if a company is within the top three performers and performs at or above the cross-sector threshold.
The poorest performers will receive a penalty of up to 2.4% of residential retail revenues annually.
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