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Case Study - Customer Engagement for Utility Company

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Case Study - Customer Engagement for Utility Company Case Study - Customer Engagement for Utility Company Essex and Suffolk Water – Customer Engagement for Water Efficiency The water company supplying water and sewage services to Essex and Suffolk introduced a water efficiency programme to try to encourage customers to use less water in their everyday lives. Fieldwork Assistance carried out a series of projects for Essex and Suffolk Water (ESW) between 2012 and 2019. We worked in selected geographical areas such as Gt Yarmouth, Aldeburgh, Saxmundham & Leiston, Chelmsford, Grays and Brentwood. The activities required were varied, and were refined and developed as the project progressed. These included: ➢ recruiting focus groups Identifying and recruiting a representative group of customers for a series of focus groups. Organising venues, , managing incentive payments. ➢ moderated focus groups Developing topic guide in conjunction with client executives, moderating and reporting on the groups ➢ Recruiting to participate in a water efficiency programme Approaching customers by phone and through personal contact (door knocking, in the street at local shopping centres). Explaining and recruiting them to participate in a survey of water usage and organising plumber visits to fit water efficiency devises. ➢ Carrying out telephone interviews Phone calls to customers to complete questionnaire and provide information about water efficiency programmes running in their area. Fieldwork Assistance, 5 Inworth Grange, Grange Road, Tiptree, Essex CO5 0QQ. Telephone 01621 814740 Email: [email protected] www. fieldwork-assistance.co.uk Fieldwork Assistance is a Division of Bowman Warder Ltd Directors: T Ackland, M L Mackman, P E Ward – Registered Office: Pinfold House, Pin Mill Road, Chelmondiston, Ipswich IP9 1JE Vat Reg No. 947 0247 18 Registered in England No. 6833921 ➢ Carrying out face to face (doorstep) interviewing Approaching all customers in a defined geographic area to examine attitudes to water saving and water usage. ➢ Analysed and presented the data Collating and entering data into our proprietary market research software. Specifying and carrying out detailed analysis. Preparing charts and diagrams to illustrate the data. Presenting findings to client executives ➢ Organising and staffing information stalls in retail centres Identifying and booking suitable retail locations to set up information stalls. Booking and managing relationship with the retail centre management. Organising materials to be delivered into the stalls. Manning stalls with experienced staff to engage with members of the public. The objective of the project was to examine whether a programme which encouraged customers to adopt water efficiency habits such as turning the tap off when brushing teeth would lead to a sustained reduction in water usage. We worked with ESW to refine and develop the programme, using the data collected from customers and meter readings to help analyse the effectiveness of the different programmes. We advised and co-operated on the design and content of the initial questionnaire, carried out detailed analysis of the data, and helped develop subsequent activities. The series of programmes required consistent and reliable communications between our interviewing field force, FWA management and ESW executives. Communication was maintained through a mixture of formal meetings and informal conversation to ensure that each programme ran smoothly Essex & Suffolk Case Study June 2021 Page 2 .
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