The objective
Sycous have collaborated with our clients to unlock their communication strategy towards residents. By improving engagement and becoming more accessible, especially through periods of change such as a network upgrade or change to billing methods.
Our onboarding experts believe that an effective and transparent communication strategy that engages and educates consumers is critical, especially in the current climate. This is why we have worked with our clients to offer further support to residents with the aim of improving engagement around changing processes, as well as improving uptake of key services, such as e-billing and online account set ups, mobile app downloads and Direct Debit set up.
How did Sycous help?
As part of the Sycous Customer Billing Support, our team supported clients with on-site engagement events and activities. Our mySycous Roadshow has allowed us to engage directly with the residents we look after, setting up drop-in events on heat networks across the country.
Our mySycous support experts attended events equipped with supporting documentation, frequently asked questions brochures available in multiple formats (i.e. large print and online) and with the knowledge to answer all resident concerns, issues or questions!
Our team also conducted direct engagement with potentially vulnerable residents through door knocking across certain housing networks. Users highlighted as a potentially vulnerable customer were identified through abnormalities in our consumption reports and Priority Services Register.
How we did it?
Our team liaised with the client to understand the requirements for the site, the top discussion points to be expected and decide on the best time and locations to be available to as many residents as possible. We then promoted our roadshows through standard correspondence, key members of resident associations and combatted potential low interest in events with direct engagement within community groups.
During engagement events we attended with members of our management team, customer support team and data support team, to ensure all resident enquiries could be answered at the time. This expert knowledge allowed us to not only answer billing enquiries, but also reduce confusion around hardware issues, such as helping to set up programmers and heating controls, demonstrating how their meter works and the best way use their system to save money. Some of the most common queries our team answered included ‘Should I keep my home at a constant temperature or keep turning it on and off?’, ‘How does my programmer work?’ and ‘Is my consumption high in compared to other residents?’.
After each roadshow, any individual issues were followed up by our mySycous customer support team and any lessons learnt were considered for next time, such as contacting relatives and 3rd parties for those residents unable to attend in person. We proactively reflect on the conversations we have during our roadshow events and see how we can improve our other communications, such as our website and frequently asked questions. For example, confusion about bills were taken into consideration by improving explanations around statements and changing our online account sign-up process, resulting in an easier set-up journey for residents.
The result
The mySycous Roadshow resulted in improved engagement and resident satisfaction for clients through an overall better understanding of heat networks and tariffs. The residents we engaged with took away a better understanding of mySycous and our role of supplying a metering and billing service.
Our experts set up over 30% of customers who attended on direct debits and collected key account information in-person, such as those residents that need to on our Priority Services Register as well as explaining the benefits available, for example providing statements to a 3rd party on a resident’s behalf or ensuring vulnerability status is considered when dealing with disconnections and financial difficulties.
"The resident engagement events have been a huge success in helping our residents air their concerns and for Harlow and mySycous to address and alleviate concerns proactively before they turn into potentially larger issues."
Daryl Clucas, Assistant Housing Operations Manager (Harlow Council)
"The mySycous roadshow was an enormous success for the clients and most importantly the residents, it puts into practise what we believe in developing an effective communications strategy as being critical."
Odessa Ahmed, Business Development Manager (Sycous)
"Cannot thank the mySycous team enough! Their team really helped the whole community clearly understand what was going on with our heating and charging from Harlow Council."
Harlow Council Resident
The future
The mySycous support team are continuing to engage with our clients and their residents across the country to be on hand for support during this turbulent time.
If you want to discuss ways our experts can help you communicate more effectively with your residents get in touch today!
