It's true that the hard line often taken by the UK media towards the performance of water companies does not reflect the reality that most companies are actually performing well. The Institute of Public Policy Research stated in January '07 that "Leakage targets have been a success and overall leakage has reduced by about 1,400 megalitres a day over the past ten years". However, we know that performing well is not enough. Perception is what counts.
A customer's perception of their water company is not driven by how well that company has met its targets or how efficiently it is being run as a business. Customers form their opinions based on their personal experience of interaction with the company; they will compare their interaction with what the media tells them about the company and the industry, and the overall cost of the service they receive.
Echo's agents are exposed to public opinion and media influence on a daily basis. We have a first hand appreciation of the importance of public perception in delivering a high quality service. Echo's consultancy services support the efforts being made to address public perception - by ensuring that when customers interact with the company, they are not only satisfied with the resolution of their enquiry, but that they have a better understanding and appreciation of what their water company stands for and what it strives to achieve.
This can only be achieved by complementing a thorough understanding of our customer's objectives, with deep industry knowledge and experience. Echo's consultancy services aim to help enable management information to be used for more intelligent decision making, faster progression and greater efficiency.
"Customers will be pleased to learn that the service they get from their water company compares well with those in other countries. And we have found that companies in England and Wales are at least as efficient as their overseas counterparts."
Dr Melinda Acutt, Ofwat's Director of Network Regulation