West Midlands community hub scoops Customer Satisfaction Innovation award

South Staffs Water and its partner, utilities customer contact outsourcer, Echo Managed Services, have claimed the Customer Satisfaction Innovation Award at this year's Institute of Customer Services UK customer satisfaction awards.

The accolade was awarded to the water company and its partner for their innovative community initiative – The South Staffs Water Community Hub, an accessible space, opened on Wednesbury high street in Staffordshire.

The hub was recently awarded the Community Initiative of the Year prize at the Utility Week awards, in December, and also won a Celebrate Sandwell Community Award last June.

The walk-in centre, which recently welcomed its 10,000^th visitor, was designed to create a trusted, friendly and accessible location for South Staffs Water’s customers to interact with the company and other local organisations and charities face-to-face.

South Staffs Water had noted a growing shortage of easily accessible community services, and decided to open the space to support one of its most socially deprived areas.

The hub is the first of its kind in the water sector, and provides a space that creates genuine social value for the local community. It not only offers water bill support but creates a much-needed community space to bring local organisations together to offer rounded support to local people.

The UK Customer Satisfaction Awards recognise organisations and individuals across the UK that have implemented successful customer service strategies over the past 12 months. The awards are judged by industry experts, business leaders and academics from a series of business industries.