Priority Service Research Project
Consultation
- Upcoming
- Open
- Closed (awaiting decision)
- Closed (with decision)
Publication date
Closing date
Industry sector
Supply and Retail Market
The contractor reports from Accent and Mori have been attached to the consultation document and can be accessed by clicking on the + sign which appears next to the document on the Social Action Plan area of work.
Research scope
Domestic electricity and gas suppliers have licence obligations to offer special services to customers who are of pensionable age, disabled or chronically sick, which are available to these customers on their suppliers Priority Service Registers (PSR). These services include password schemes, repositioning of meters, redirecting bills to third parties, quarterly meter readings, provision of special controls and adapters, and gas safety checks. Electricity distribution network operators (DNOs) have licence obligations concerning vulnerable customers affected by supply interruptions. Gas transporters must provide adequate cooking and heating facilities to customers who are of pensionable age, disabled or chronically sick where their gas supply has been disconnected for safety reasons. Further, gas transporters, DNOs, and gas and electricity suppliers must provide appropriate communication services for blind or partially sighted or deaf or hard of hearing customers.Ofgem set out to investigate the quality of services provided under these obligations and the views of customers affected. Accent Marketing and Research conducted a mystery shopping exercise to test gas and electricity suppliers call centres. MORI conducted focus groups and awareness research and interviewed customers who had received gas safety checks.
Research findings
The mystery shopping results show that awareness of the PSR and the types of customer who might be eligible for it amongst suppliers frontline staff is variable and often not high. Improvements need to be made to the training of frontline staff so that they are better able to recognise and refer eligible customers. Improvements could also be made in the provision of follow up literature. Scottish Power and British Gas were the best performers amongst the six major energy suppliers tested. MORIs awareness research shows that 76 per cent of eligible customers had not heard of the PSR. Only 53 per cent of eligible customers recognised one or more services that suppliers provide under the PSR, including the free gas safety checks. In the focus groups, it was established that customers valued the services provided under the PSR. Additional services highlighted as being of potential value included special tariffs, appointments for meter readings, and bills with simpler layouts.MORIs research into the gas safety check found a high level of satisfaction among customers who had received the check. One issue was in relation to a few customers whose equipment had failed the check and who would have benefited from more follow up support. Research on DNOs and Transco, which largely comprised a data collection exercise by Ofgem, found few issues about the provision of these companies services. There was, however, evidence of a lack of consistency in the mechanism for referring eligible customers from suppliers to DNOs registers.
Recommendations and next steps
There is considerable scope for improvement if eligible customers are to receive the full level of service to which they are entitled. Suppliers need to do more to publicise the PSR and its benefits. They should consider the means through which they communicate with eligible customers and consider working with trusted agencies and intermediaries. Ofgem will carry out further awareness research in 12 months time to establish whether a greater proportion of eligible customers are aware of the PSR and the services available to them.Suppliers should review the training given to frontline staff to ensure they are better able to recognise and refer eligible customers. Suppliers also need to do more to promote the free gas safety check, which many customers are unaware that they are entitled to, and put in place arrangements for ensuring follow up for customers who have failed the check. Ofgem will provide guidelines to suppliers and DNOs regarding the referral of customers to the DNO to improve the quality of their registers. Ofgem is challenging the energy companies to review their performance in providing these services in the light of this research, and to publicise by the 20 February 2004 how they will respond to these recommendations. Comments on this research would also be welcomed from other interested parties.
Respond name
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