For over 90 years, Power NI has been expertly tuned-in to customers’ individual needs, providing a service that’s a step ahead. Renowned as a legacy provider, trusted supplier and local employer, Power NI is dedicated to serving Northern Ireland and its vibrant communities.
In celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) last week, and National Numeracy Day today, we look at how Power NI invests in and supports various local groups, charities and partnerships, and takes pride in ensuring accessibility for all.
Inclusive customer care
Gwyneth Compston, CSR Manager at Power NI, said: “It’s been an exciting time for us. We now stand among just nine companies worldwide to have successfully achieved ISO 22458, the esteemed Inclusive Service Kitemark. This ensures the adoption of fair and inclusive practices, helping organisations to understand ‘best practice’ for customers with additional needs, and in turn, giving customers more confidence in the services they are using. We place a huge focus on our customer care, and we work really hard to be more accessible for our customers, so we are delighted to have achieved recognition for it. As the sole electricity supplier to receive this prestigious certification, Power NI has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to delivering an inclusive service for all customers.”
Power NI also has long-standing partnerships with organisations such as Age NI, NOW Group, Advice NI and Christians Against Poverty, and is fully committed to caring for those in later life, particularly those with disabilities and long-term illnesses.
Gwyneth continued: “Power NI is committed to providing assistance to those customers who require additional support. Some of the services we provide to customers include supplying bills in different formats, depending on their needs, such as braille, large print, or as a talking bill. We also provide doorstep services such as giving us a password or an instruction to knock or speak loudly when NIE Networks meter readers call. If you have a mobility problem, they will allow more time for you to answer the door and customers relying on life-supporting medical equipment can receive priority and timely updates during power cuts.”
Building an accessible future for everyone
Power NI staff are familiar with Relay UK, a free service that helps customers who are deaf, hard of hearing, have a speech impairment, or anyone who has difficulty when using the phone. Some Power NI staff have also undertaken British and Irish Sign Language lessons and the company plans to expand these initiatives to empower staff and to better communicate with customers with hearing impairments.
Gwyneth said: “Power NI’s commitment to accessibility continues to excel and we are delighted to also be Northern Ireland's first electricity supply company to be JAM Card Friendly. The JAM Card, an acronym for 'Just A Minute,' verifies that staff are trained to recognise those who may have communication barriers or hidden disabilities and may require more time and care to attend to their needs.
“Our staff are continuously undergoing necessary training to upskill and ensure they can provide excellent customer experience. We’re also proud that our website is powered by the digital inclusion application, ReachDeck, giving our customers the tools to access information in their required format, making it more accessible for people who may have disabilities, visual impairments, limited digital skills, or non-native speakers. In fact, we’re delighted that Power NI is recognised on the Silktide Index as the UK’s most accessible utility provider website.
“We are delighted to be acknowledged as world-leading caregivers, especially during times of financial strain and personal difficulties faced by our customers. At Power NI, we’re incredibly passionate about clear communication, and eliminating jargon and unnecessary detail from our interactions with customers. We have partnerships with both the Plain English and Plain Numbers campaigns, and we are continuously improving our letters, bills, and other forms of communication to be as straightforward as possible for all our customers. Ensuring that our customers receive the highest quality customer service, and can trust us to have their best interests at heart, is of the upmost importance to us.”
Keep up to date with how Power NI is evolving to be more than just your energy supplier, by visiting www.powerni.co.uk/news/
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