A third of businesses ‘severely impacted’ by pandemic

A third of businesses have been forced to review their future plans after being severely impacted by Covid-19, according to the latest CCW research.

CCW’s Testing the Waters survey also found that less than a quarter of business customers could recall receiving information from their water retailer about the help and support available to them with their water bills during the pandemic.

The findings have emerged from the latest wave of research which CCW carries out every two years with business customers in England and Wales to keep track of their views on the water, sewerage and retail services they receive from their supplier. Our 2020/21 study coincided with the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and provides an invaluable snapshot of the impact on business customers – and how well they felt they were supported by service providers.

Other highlights from our survey include:

• 69% of customers reported being satisfied with their retail services – significantly lower than satisfaction with water (91%) and sewerage services (88%). Businesses in Wales were significantly more satisfied with their retail services than their counterparts in England.
• More than half (54%) of customers in England were aware they could switch water retailer or renegotiate a better deal with their existing supplier. Almost a quarter of those that had switched (22%) were unhappy with the process.
• Customers appear to be becoming more realistic in what they expect to save by changing supplier with over a quarter of those that were aware of switching prepared to do so for a bill reduction of 0 to 5 per cent. The prospect of a better service was also a growing factor in customers’ motivation to switch.

CCW will host a session with water retailers later this year reflecting on what they have learned through Covid-19 and how this can be used to improve future services.