EDF: Industry must ‘redouble efforts’ on complaints

Energy retailers should “redouble their efforts” to ensure they are listening properly to customers’ complaints, an EDF Energy director has said.

Paul Spence, director of strategy and corporate affairs, made the comments during Utility Week’s latest #AskUsAnything webinar this morning (7 August) in response to a recent article by Stephen Littlechild.

In the article, titled Ofgem’s customer complaints: Is anyone listening? the former energy regulator asks whether it is worthwhile requiring retailers to publish quarterly complaints statistics when there are questions over their consistency and value to consumers.

During this morning’s webinar, Spence said finding ways to show customers the difference between suppliers is important in an “effective, competitive market” and “finding ways to make that visible, matters”.

He also said Littlechild was right to point out inconsistencies in how and what statistic are reported by suppliers.

“But I don’t think that’s an argument to give up,” he added. “That’s an argument to redouble our efforts to make sure that we are listening carefully and that we can get beyond a world where the energy sector is regarded as an area where people are dissatisfied and being clear about complaints is important in that.”

Spence pointed to the fact that Ofgem cited customer complaints as being a factor behind why the price cap will remain in place for 2021 as was announced today.

He said: “It’s interesting today that part of the reasoning that Ofgem has laid out for maintaining the price cap into the future is the fact that they are seeing rising complaints about some of the smaller suppliers.

“Clearly it’s an area that needs further attention. We all need to work on it. I can certainly say that we as EDF are going to be working hard to keep listening to complaints and keep improving our performance.”