Approach

Prague - Czech Republic

map Czech Republic

Water production and distribution

Customer relations are at the heart of the strategy applied by the Czech Republic's largest water utility (PvK).

Contract facts Operator:
PvK, subsidiary of Veolia Water
Contract start:
2001
Contract duration:
28 years

Key figures Population served:
1,400,000 inhabitants
Staff:
1,100 employees
Certification:
ISO 9001
OHSA 18001

Challenge

Since the acquisition of PvK in 2001, Veolia Water has accorded the highest importance to customer service. The main objective was not only to improve services but also to transform the engineering culture into a customer service culture. The improvement in services offered to consumers was one of the commitments taken by Veolia Water as part of the international call for tenders.

Objectives

  • Setting up a reception center for customers and a call center.
  • Improving customer information.
  • Transforming the in-house culture, to ensure uniform working principles and behavior towards customers.
  • Adopting a uniform legal framework: unified customer contract.

Veolia Water's solution

Quality customer service

  • The Prague Customer Service Center provides services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • One single reception point brings all departments together in a single location.
  • Communication has been brought up to date: direct mailing, communication via the media, new SMS INFO text message service.
  • All staff members are now trained for customer skills.

Result

Surveys show that 91% of customers and 94% of elected representatives are satisfied with the services provided.

Listening better to customers and elected representatives

To better respond to customer expectations, satisfaction surveys are carried out twice a year with consumers and once a year with Prague's elected representatives.

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"What I really appreciate is that the standard of service given to the people of Prague, as well as the management of the water system, has improved considerably since the introduction of the Call Center."

Milos Gregar, elected official to the Prague municipality.