Text message feedback service proves a hit with customers
Longhurst Group customers have sent more than 24,000 pieces of feedback over the last year via our text messaging feedback service.
We launched the service in June last year and feedback received has helped us shape and improve the services we provide. In the 12-month period from September 2020, customers have sent 24,017 pieces of feedback in response to surveys sent out after they’ve had contact with one of our services. On average, we’ve been receiving 1,847 pieces of feedback each month.
Helen Bird, Customer Engagement Manager, said: “We’re really pleased with how customers have responded to the service. “It’s helped us capture customer feedback in the moment, using a text messaging service and we use this feedback to build an accurate picture of what it’s like to be one of our customers. “This has helped us to make informed decisions and to better understand our customers’ wants and needs.”
Feedback received by customers on the repairs service has been used to create a wish list of things customers value that we’d like to see in our new repairs contract. This has been passed too our Procurement Team.
Meanwhile, feedback on customer service was gathered and used when creating our new customer charter. Melanie Groom, Income Recovery Manager, uses the system to gather customer feedback relating to our Income Team.
All your comments, are read with a view to ensuring that the service we provide as a Group is the best it can be.
She said: “Using the text messaging service has been a very easy and effective way of gathering customer feedback about my team. “It’s been a great tool to help measure our performance and I’m really pleased that the majority of responses have been positive. “The system does also give us the opportunity to ensure that any issues that do arise for customers can be dealt with promptly. “The feedback we receive is used to ensure that the team is adhering to policy and procedures.
To date, we’ve not had to change anything, but each week we make sure the feedback is given to the team. “To all the customers who’ve taken the time to respond to the text messages they’ve received, I’d like to say thank you. All your comments, are read with a view to ensuring that the service we provide as a Group is the best it can be.”
In the 12 months from September last year, the average score received from customers has been 3.64 out of 5. This means customers are, generally, more satisfied than not with the service they’ve received.
Some of the average scores received include:
- Annual gas servicing – 4.4
- Income Team calls – 4.4
- Sales Team – 4.2
- Planned Works – 4.1
We’ll soon be asking customers for feedback after they’ve contacted our Customer Services Team. Text messages will be sent from a mobile number and will clearly be from Longhurst Group. Text replies will be charged at your standard network rate, if you don’t have them free in your mobile contract.