Standard content for Members only
To continue reading this article, please login to your Utility Week account, Start 14 day trial or Become a member.
If your organisation already has a corporate membership and you haven’t activated it simply follow the register link below. Check here.
Northumbrian Water Group Business “wants to look like a new entrant”, according to managing director Lucy Darch.
Speaking at WWT’s Water Scotland conference in Glasgow, she said: “We want to look a lot like a new entrant as we join the market, but we are a former incumbent.”
She told delegates retailers should make sure they understand the market, but “don’t be afraid to break the mould if it’s not going to work for the future”.
She also said it was important that, as retail businesses launch, expert knowledge of the water industry is retained. “We’re very pleased that our customer account managers are joining us in our retail business, their expertise is extremely valuable.”
In the same speech, Darch said she felt the Scottish definition of an eligible business customer is “easier to work with” than the English definition.
“Eligibility is defined differently in both of the markets,” she said. “In England, the definition is where a premises is not a domestic residence, or where the principal use is not a domestic residence, so that is open to some interpretation and has been the topic of some discussion in English forums.
“In Scotland, the definition is really tight – it’s where a premise is not liable for council tax, or where it’s liable for both council tax and business rates. I think that is easier to work with because you can have a very binary answer to that question. It is a bit more cut and dried in Scotland.”
In March, Northumbrian Water Group rebranded its business retail arm as ‘Wave’, to be led by Darch.
At the time, she said: “I am determined to grow the new retail business and view us as a very strong contender. I am a believer that to be successful all our decisions need to work towards providing great value and customer experience.
“This ethos is clearly demonstrated in the billing system we have chosen to use, Gentrack Velocity, which will offer our customers the flexibility they may need.”
WWT’s Water Scotland conference was held at the Crowne Plaza in Glasgow on Wednesday 5 October 2016
Please login or Register to leave a comment.