Riverside and Switchee are finalists for two prestigious accolades at this year’s European Contact Centre and Customer Service Awards.
These awards recognise organisations from across Europe who are leading the way in delivering exceptional customer service.
Riverside has been nominated in two categories: Best Innovation in Customer Service and Best Cross-Functional Collaboration.
Both nominations recognise Riverside’s work with the Switchee device – how data from the device is used to offer a pre-emptive service to customers and how teams from across Riverside collaborate to make it a success.
Last year Riverside launched a pilot to install 450 Switchee smart thermostats into customer’s homes. This hi-tech device enables customers to easily control their heating and hot water, reduce energy use and bills and communicate directly with Riverside through its messaging feature.
This messaging feature enables Riverside’s Affordable Warmth team to proactively offer customers at risk of fuel poverty both money and energy saving advice.
Following the success of the pilot, Riverside is installing further Switchee Smart Thermostats into its customers’ homes this financial year.
This will enable Riverside to continue to improve the quality of its housing and communicate more efficiently with customers about repairs.
These nominations follow Riverside winning the Regional Vulnerable Customer Support Organisation of the Year at the North West Energy Efficiency Awards. This recognised Riverside’s commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable people with Switchee.
The European Contact Centre and Customer Service Awards is due to take place on Tuesday 22 November 2022.
Karen Dooley, Riverside’s Director of Customer Services, said:
“We’re really excited to be nominated for these awards, which are very much the Oscars of the customer service world.
“The Switchee device gives us valuable insights into our customer’s energy needs and allows us to have meaningful and proactive conversations. Based on this information we can deliver a pre-emptive service, which sees us offering repairs proactively. It also enables our affordable warmth team to focus on helping customers get reconnected to their gas supply, access cheaper tariffs, apply for warm home discounts and give advice on the most energy efficient ways to heat their home.
“As the only housing association in the finals, we’re very much flying the flag for the sector and it’s testament to all the hard work that has gone into making our work with Switchee a huge success.”
Tom Robins, Switchee CEO, said:
“This project at Riverside is a fantastic example of partners coming together and collaborating with one main aim – to improve the quality of life for people living in rented homes.
“The real-time Switchee insights provided to Riverside’s Affordable Warmth team, enables them to offer customers at risk of fuel poverty, financial support and energy saving advice. Data-led proactive action is fundamental to helping people through the energy crisis. We are delighted to be recognised with Riverside for such a prestigious award.”
