An elightening AGM from NABO
OUR Mick Fitzgibbons, as a member of the National Association of Boat Owners (NABO), attended its AGM over the week-end, telling it was an enlightening meeting and reports its activities.
The reason why I joined NABO was that I believed it was a real campaigning association. A title that I believe the IWA lost some time ago. NABO holds the protection of the boating community as being paramount. Since I joined, NABO has done nothing to change my opinion.
Complimentary
The Chairman, Mike Rodd, spoke of the last boating year. And as you might expect, the working relationship with CaRT was a significant topic. He was complimentary about the improvements in dealings with CaRT since the arrival of Richard Parry. He talked about the excellent work being done by a couple of council members on the moorings issue and the ongoing monitoring along the Kennet & Avon. He also talked about how NABO had successfully been proactive in cutting the association's operating costs. Apart from the usual AGM requirements and the Q and A with the treasurer over the accounts, business was quickly concluded.
Then we had a talk from Dean Davis the Interim Manager of CaRT Customer Services. He is an engaging character who is refreshingly very candid—about what are obvious issues and failings that boater hold. I can see why he was appointed to head up customer services. It was generally agreed in conversations I had with others in the lunch break that his temporary appointment was a very good and shrewd move on behalf of Richard Parry. I predict that Dean will rise through the ranks. I hope that his obvious enthusiasm, humour and knowledge were infectious with his colleagues.
Significantly improved
Quite a broad range of issues were touched upon by Dean. I was particularly drawn to a couple where I had previously thought that things could be significantly improved. The two issues I felt were very enlightening towards what I think is a new ethos. The first which was very obvious, was around addressing the expectation that boaters currently hold of a poor customer service performance.
Dean talked not only about changing and improving the customer face of CaRT, but also of the internal wrangling that was going on to dispel the notion that customer service stopped within the customer service team. I have the feeling that his ideas were being cascaded into areas where meeting the customers needs and expectation were previously at zero priority.
Changing the ethos
The second, which was quite subtle, was of changing the ethos of the way that CaRT actually work with the public. That people with direct responsibilities at a local level should not be dealing with issues at arms length. If a problem is local—then it should be dealt with at the local level. This means granting a certain amount of direct autonomy to the right people. With that autonomy, would come direct responsibility. Essentially it was cascading issues in both directions to get a consistent outcome. If nothing else, I found both issues and the remedy to be a refreshing change. That's to be congratulated and encouraged.
The last item was a talk from River Canal Rescue (RCR)—this was a bit of an ad hoc presentation, because of the recent tragic fire where two people lost their lives. As a result of the fire, RCR was to receive a significant blow to their operations when their building was also destroyed. In a rather curious way—the very nature of the presentation gave some insight into the personnel of RCR and the fact that they were very knowledgeable. Issues such as the cause, effect, diagnosis and remedy of Diesel Bug were discussed. As were a number of common faults and diagnoses of engine issues. I rather liked the less formal style of presentation, especially the way that the flow of the conversation linked the office staff with the day to day running of the engineer in the field. Well done RCR to meet the challenge.