How National Grid Empowers Agents to Support Customers in Need
The Company
Meet National Grid Electricity Distribution
National Grid Electricity Distribution is the regional electricity distribution division of National Grid. It’s the UK’s largest electricity distribution network serves over 8 million customers in the East and West Midlands, South West and Wales, delivering essential power to millions of homes and businesses across its regions.
The Problem
Gaps in Customer Support Pathways
At times, customers may face sensitive or complex personal situations that require external support not covered by our existing referral partnerships. In these cases, our caring agents take time to listen but sometimes find it difficult if they’re not sure what help or support they can offer or if there is no clear pathway for the customer to get the help they need.
The Solution
A Trusted One-Stop Support Hub
The NSN Support Hub has provided a one-stop shop for customers to find trusted support. It’s an easy platform for customers and teams – everyone internally knows how to use it and how to share the link with customers, offering a helping hand to all customers, for all types of challenging situations.
The Results
Confident Teams and Better Customer Outcomes
The Support Hub is intuitive and user-friendly, was easy to put in place and quickly understood by teams. It’s used by both customers and staff, with agents sharing the link via text message and promoting it in offices and depots with posters and training.
Teams feel better equipped and more confident resulting in better structured and more professional customer interactions. We have included the link in our customer text templates so call centre teams can easily share it with customers.
As one of the PSR agents explained: “In the past I’ve sometimes felt helpless when a customer mentions personal issues which don’t relate to power cuts or NGED. It’s helpful to have an extra tool available, allowing me to provide that extra layer of support. For example, last week I spoke with a woman who was very lonely and suffering from grief dating back years. I used the Support Hub to find her support from Marie Curie and Age UK. The customer had received no support since her daughter died and was very glad and grateful to have some help with that.”