65% of UK consumers want more transparency in water company expenditure

Summary

Article

According to recent findings, 65 per cent of consumers in the UK are calling out for greater transparency on how their bill payments to water suppliers are being spent. These figured have been highlighted in Echo Managed Services “The Secrets of Better Billing” research report. The report examined consumer attitudes to and experiences of UK water bills and billing processes, as well as the pervasiveness of good and bad practice.

Why customers require transparency

The survey of 1,000 UK households looked into how consumers feel about the water bills they receive and discovered notable interest amongst the public to understand more about where their money is going and how companies spend it.

The main reason for this appeared to be curiosity and eagerness to learn more about why their bills were particularly high or have increased since the previous year.

Echo Managed Services stated that “these findings clearly highlight that many consumers want their water suppliers to go beyond simply providing an essential service. They want them to be more responsible, ethical and to “do the right thing”, and to be more open in sharing information with them.”

Lack of trust

Customers have revealed their mistrust for the sector, as well as the companies that operate within it. Echo described this as “unsurprising given recent headlines around water company profits and shareholder dividends.”

Customers also indicated concerns for water conservation, as well as a keenness to learn more about what suppliers are currently doing to reduce water waste.

For those who expressed no concern as to how their bills were spent, there appeared to be a theme of apathy. This came with the belief that, even if they were aware of the figures, it wouldn’t spark any meaningful change.

Provide clarity and expertise with courses from ECTA

As the first-person customers speak with face to face, it’s up to you to provide information and advice that will put their mind at rest. Of course, you need to be able to provide a basic service before you can offer anything else. This is why ECTA offers a wide selection of courses that can benefit your career choices. If you would like to learn more about our available courses, get in touch.

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