Consumers

Attentiveness, information, services—over and beyond the basic public health requirements associated with its business activities, Veolia Water works with public authority clients to satisfy consumer expectations in all their diversity.

Thus, Veolia Water's teams conduct surveys among consumers at every stage in their service provision in order to measure customer satisfaction levels and assess their requirements. Consequently, more than 50,000 interviews are conducted each year. These are then used to provide an ever more comprehensive service.

Veolia Water also spearheads outreach campaigns aimed at encouraging reasoned use of water as a precious resource.

Day in day out Veolia Water's teams make every effort to provide their customers with the best possible quality of service.

To this end, the company regularly conducts opinion surveys wherever it operates throughout the world. These surveys are used to find out what consumers want and to have a better understanding of how they feel about the service they receive.

In every country where these surveys are carried out, they show a marked trend among consumers to be more informed about their water services. Veolia Water has both developed and uses a wide variety of communication materials in order to meet these needs. They range from pamphlets mailed out with bills to text messages sent out when an interruption to the water supply occurs for instance.

In order to improve facilities for customers, water board offices are changing. They are undergoing modernization in order to reduce waiting times and to provide a more personalized service. They may also be mobile thanks to specially equipped buses which criss-cross isolated or rural areas. In addition, Veolia Water has opened 24 Call Centers contactable 24/7. Customers can use these call centers to carry out a series of transactions without having to leave the comfort of their own home.

Another innovation is installing remote devices which use radio waves to read water meters. Veolia Water's meter readers can then record how much water has been used by using pocket computers located in their vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with on-board information and communication systems.

In several countries, Veolia Water has shown its resolve to provide a quality service by introducing Customer Service Charters, whereby the company undertakes, for example, to respond within a given timeframe if maintenance work or repairs need to be carried out and to provide a minimum service guarantee to its customers. Customers may receive compensation, should the commitments made in the Charter not be adhered to.

One of Veolia Water's priorities is providing facilities for customers as well as accessibility to services.

Currently there are 24 Call Centers in eight countries in Europe as well as in America, Asia and Africa. They can be reached 24/7 and support local water board offices. This proliferation of contact points enables customers to carry out all their transactions over the telephone and to get answers to all of their questions.
Training in customer relations is given to all Call Center agents in order to optimize the quality of the customer service that customers receive.

"Point Zero"

Usually at the start of a new contract Veolia Water carries out a "point zero". Using customer satisfaction surveys it analyzes the way water services are provided, and what customers feel about the services they receive.

This works allows for a better understanding of what customers expect at that time, and to assess any areas of dissatisfaction. Strong and weak points of the service provision can also be identified and built upon.

Prioritizing Information

Much has been done to make bills easier to understand, for example in Italy, France, the Czech Republic and Morocco. In several countries local information leaflets are sent out with the bills. This initiative is set to be extended.

Thus highly targeted initiatives were embarked upon in Morocco after completion of a "point zero" at the start of the Rabat-Salé contract in 2002. Billing has been simplified, for example. And the first Call Centre in Morocco for a local public service became operational only four months after the start of the contract.

Veolia Water, as operating company for the outsourced management of water services for local authorities, is responsible for the correct billing of consumers in line with the pricing policy as set out by the local authority.

In most cases where Veolia Water operates the water services, billing is based on precisely calculating consumption from correct and frequent meter reading carried out with as little inconvenience as possible.

In most countries the money is collected on behalf of the local authority. It is they who set the tariffs and receive the money collected for it by the operating company.

Veolia Water can also suggest to the local authority that it should implement pricing formulas better suited to what consumers can actually afford to pay.

• Making paying easier

Veolia Water wants to make paying water bills easier by providing different ways to pay and adapting how you can pay to local circumstances such as introducing mobile offices or paying over the internet.

• Taking into account consumers' ability to pay

Veolia Water is involved in social actions set up to reduce the cost of essential services for those on a low income:

- social funds

- social tariffs

- socially assisted connections

- etc.

• Example in Morocco

In Morocco

Since 2002 Veolia Water has been managing the drinking water and wastewater services as well as the electricity services for Rabat-Salé, Tangiers and Tetouan via its subsidiaries Redal and Amendis.

One of its first tasks is to carry out 35,000 socially assisted connections to the water mains and 40,000 to the wastewater system in the first five years of these contracts.

Payment is spread over five to seven years as a way of facilitating connection to the public network for those in the community on a low income.

Veolia Water's customers can now choose several ways to pay their bills and can opt for the one which suits them the best.

• Direct Debit: Paying by direct debit is a flexible way of paying. Customers no longer need to remind themselves about paying the bill. Several campaigns promoting paying by direct debit have been run, such as sending prepaid envelopes out with bills, "mailings" or direct mail outs etc.

• Telephone: Customer service agents are authorized in France and China (Shenzen) to take payments from customers over the telephone using a totally secure website.

• Internet: Internet access to services enables every customer who so wishes to pay his bill on line 24/7.

• Payment Points Adapted to Local Needs:

In France, all post offices will accept payment from those who prefer to pay their bills by cash;

In Great Britain and Morocco, Veolia Water's customers can pay their water bill in those local outlets who have signed up to a special PayPoint scheme. Payment can also be made by credit card, cheque or cash.

• In France

"Le Petit Journal de l'eau" (The Little Water Journal)

Veolia Water sends out with their bills to consumers in France a magazine, "Petit Journal de l'eau" (Little Water Journal ) in order to encourage among the general public an awareness of water issues and respect for the environment.
This magazine gives information on how to use water wisely, what you can do to ensure clean quality drinking water and how not to waste water.

• Around the world : Websites and educational initiatives

In addition, Veolia Water is increasing the number of websites for people living in the designated supply areas of its numerous subsidiaries throughout the world.

Veolia Water always introduces and encourages educational initiatives aimed at children and their teachers on a global scale.

Example in Oman : Launch of the Waterbox