Our strategies and plans

First, we spoke to customers face-to-face to understand their views of our plans in detail:

• We ran ten in-depth discussion groups with a wide range of customers, four of these were in the Cambridge area.
• Customers had the opportunity to explore the plan in detail: what we are promising to deliver and what it would mean for future service and bills.
• We then asked customers to tell us how acceptable and affordable they found the plan.
• We also asked them about their preferences for how any changes to water charges are reflected in their bills.

We then used this feedback to make some adjustments to our plan, and asked over 1,200 customers across our two regions what they thought. In the Cambridge region:

• We carried out surveys with 375 household and 78 business customers to measure their response to our plan.
• We consulted a wide range of customer types, including those facing difficult circumstances.
• We talked to customers online, on the phone and in their homes.

• We asked customers their views of the plan and whether it was acceptable and affordable before we explained all of the details.
• Then, we took customers through the details of the plan and asked them if they understood the different promises we were making and agreed with the targets we were setting.
• Once they had learned more about it, we asked customers again, about their view of the plan and whether it was acceptable and affordable.
• We also asked customers how they would prefer their bill (including the impact of inflation) to change to reflect the investments we are planning to make - either a flat bill of the same amount each year or a fall/rise where the amounts varied over the next seven years.

How acceptable did customers find our plan? Before versus after they were informed:
Majority of  customers found the plan acceptable, both before and after, it was explained. 

Which customers changed their view most after being informed?
After they had heard the details of the plan, business (NHH) customers found it much more acceptable.

How affordable did customers find our plan? Before versus after they were informed:
Seven out of ten found the plan affordable increasing to 76% after they were informed

Which customers changed their view most after being informed?
After they had heard the details of the plan, both customer types found it more affordable.

How would our customers prefer changes to clean water charges to be reflected in their bills?
Option A: a typical flat bill of the same amount each year; or
Option B: a fall/rise where the amounts varied over the five years of the business plan

80% of HH and NHH customers preferred option A - a typical flat bill

How much do our customers trust us? Before versus after they were informed:
Almost two-thirds gave a score of eight or more out of ten for trust in our brand; only 2% gave a score of less than three out of ten.

Which customers changed their view most after being informed?
After they heard the details of the plan, the scores for trust increased among household (HH) customers, but fell for business (NHH) customers, who expressed dounts that we could deliver an improved service at a lower bill level.

How much value for money do our customers feel they get? Before versus after they were informed:
More than half of our customers gave a score of eight or more out of ten for value for money.

Which customers changed their view most after being informed?
After they had heard the details of the plan, the scores for value for money increased amongst all customers.