RCR out on top
AS REGULAR readers will know we are not too enamoured by the many awards being given these days by so many organisations, but there is one award we feel is of significance, especially in view of recent comments and it concerning boaters.
River Canal Rescue has won the Customer Service Award at this year's [Wolverhampton] Express & Star business awards.
In the picture from left to right; RCR Director Pete Barnett and his wife Caroline, Councillor Peter Bilson, RCR Office Manager Charlotte Perry, RCR Operations Manager Jay Foreman and Council Managing Director Keith Ireland.
Recognises outstanding businesses
Breakdown and emergency assistance firm River Canal Rescue has won the Customer Services accolade at this year's awards. The event, held at Wolverhampton Racecourse on 11th June, recognises outstanding businesses based in the ‘black country' and South Staffordshire.
More than 120 companies entered 12 categories in the hope of picking up an award; these were then whittled down to 37 finalists. River Canal Rescue scooped the Customer Service gong after impressing judges by repeatedly achieving ‘very good' or ‘excellent' ratings during its 4,000 plus call-outs last year, peaking at an average of 140 per week in the summer.
Customers' needs first
Judges, Councillor and Deputy Council Leader Peter Bilson, Express and Star Editor Keith Harrison and Wolverhampton City Council Managing Director Keith Ireland, congratulated RCR and the other short-listed finalists on their unrivalled levels of customer service, which they said ‘demonstrated a desire to put customers' needs as the very heart of their decision-making'.
RCR's initial submission detailed its customer service policy—‘to go above and beyond the call of duty', service standards—with customers within four hours, update on ETA within 45 minutes and courtesy call following call-out within 24 hours, customer service ratings—‘very good' or ‘excellent' near on 90% or more for every month in 2014, including 100% in three, staff training/well-being initiatives—appraisals, mentoring, progression plans, courses, competitions, training and ‘time-out' days, employee loans/team events and IT innovation—a web-based database, waterway mapping system and cloud computing.
Recognition of hard work
During the judging process, Managing Director, Stephanie Horton, hosted an onsite visit, gave a presentation and undertook a Q & A session. She comments:
"We're all so thrilled; this is a team effort and the Award is recognition of all the hard work we put in over the year—and every year—to ensure boaters are moving again as soon as possible with the minimum of disruption and cost. We're very proud of our customer service ratings and will continue to endeavour to improve them."
The event was compered by Midlands Today television presenter Nick Owen, who described the finalists as the ‘cream of the crop'. This year, River Canal Rescue has also been short-listed and ‘highly commended' for its customer service and skills development in the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Awards and ‘commended' in the Staffordshire Business Awards.