Case Studies
Helping the Police build safer communities
Helping the Police build safer communities
When you get a call from the Police asking for assistance you take notice and ScottishPower was no exception when they were asked by Strathclyde Police to support a Building Safer Communities Conference they were organising in Glasgow.
Gordon Irving, ScottishPower’s Security Director, has close links and a very good working relationship with the police, having been in the force himself and when he was asked if ScottishPower would support this event, he immediately contacted our Energy Retail business, whose sales agents and metering staff visit members of the public in their homes.
Energy Retail employs approximately 200 direct sales agents, and many more through contractually appointed third party agencies. Dataserve employs about 700 field staff to undertake meter readings, meter installation or maintenance, advice on debts or in revenue protection.
The Building Safer Communities Conference, which was a first for Strathclyde Police, took place in July 2007 in Sandyford Henderson Church in Glasgow and was aimed at educating organisations or individuals, whether they get paid or help on a voluntary basis, who care for vulnerable members of the local community on how to ensure their safety.
The full day event was attended by around 30 people from organisations including the Social Work Department, Neighbourhood Watch, RNIB and RNID and kicked off with presentations from Strathclyde Police and ScottishPower – the only external company approached to support the event. The rest of the day consisted of workshops, where the police gave advice and demonstrations to the attendees on all aspects of crime prevention such as personal safety, mobile safety and home security.
The feedback from the event was very positive and provided ScottishPower with the opportunity to inform members of the public the steps we take to ensure that our staff or representative who visit their homes can be trusted and will act with honesty and integrity. ScottishPower committed to support Strathclyde Police in any future similar events they organise.
To reassure members of the public about the identity of anyone they let into their home all ScottishPower representatives have an identity card, which they should show without being asked, and usually wear clothing bearing our brand. The ID card shows the company name, persons name or signature, reference number, a colour photograph, an expiry date for the ID card and a contact telephone number. The exception to this is Revenue Protection staff that investigate allegations of meter tampering who have a personnel number instead of their name on the card.
We operate a free password scheme for any customer who would like extra assurance about visitors to their homes and have a Customer Charter called ‘Visiting Your Premises’, available on Energy Retail’s website which is a code of conduct all ScottishPower representatives, whether employed or engaged, who call on consumer premises must adhere to. It gives details on why we may visit their homes, how our representatives should conduct themselves during the visit and what to do if you think the person visiting your home may be a bogus caller.
All our representatives must adhere to this code when visiting consumer’s homes. In addition ScottishPower endeavours to ensure everyone we directly employ or contract is suitable and we carry out criminal record checks via Disclosure Scotland on all representatives visiting consumer premises.
For Sales and Marketing staff specifically we:
- Adhere to the Association of Energy Suppliers EnergySure Code of Practice for the Face to Face Marketing of Energy Supply
- We are an the only UK energy supplier who is currently a member of the Direct Selling Association
- Undertake rigorous recruitment and selection of sales representatives
- Extensive training programme
- Constant ‘in the field’ supervision
- Accredited agent registration / database incorporating standards of professional and ethical conduct monitored by an independent body
Dataserve employees who may visit customers’ homes are:
- Meter Readers – can either be through a prearranged appointment or unannounced visit
- Meter installation or maintenance staff – again can be through a prearranged appointment or announced visit (statutory meter changes)
- Debt Advisory staff – a letter will be sent advising of visit but no date will be given
- Revenue Protection staff – always unannounced visit to carry out metering equipment inspections
Dataserve are Electricity Association Quality Assurance accredited and all potential employees must undergo a rigorous recruitment and selection process. Successful candidates must then complete an intensive training programme before they are allowed to visit customers at home. Proof of this is ScottishPower were recently voted top for meter reading services in a recent independent Uswitch survey and in our latest bi-annual Voice of the Customer survey almost all participants felt that our meter readers were friendly, polite and professional and treated their homes with respect.
As with all other energy provides, ScottishPower fully supports the work and activities of all consumer agencies such as The Office of Fair Trading, Trading Standards, Consumer Direct and of course the Police in stamping out the activities of rogue traders or bogus callers.
We want to ensure that no member of the public or their property comes to harm when our employees or representatives visit their homes. We want members of the public to be confident that when ScottishPower employees or representatives visit their homes they can be trusted and will act with honesty and integrity. And, of course, we want to make sure our employees or representatives can carry out their duties safely.
