PROClient Social Policy

Pursuant to TAURON Group’s Strategy for 2016 -2025 adopted in 2016, the vision according to which TAURON strives to be a company that is best responding to customer needs in the Polish energy industry was defined. Based on the above, in 2017 the Management Board of TAURON Polska Energia S.A. adopted TAURON Group’s PRO Client Social Policy for use.

The document is aimed at developing appropriate organizational and business conditions required to achieve the strategic goals of TAURON Capital Group with respect to customer and market environment relations.

The policy is a collection of main assumptions applied in the customer sales and service process. It also defines measures taken by TAURON Capital Group as part of a dialogue with the customers, highlights the importance of developing long lasting relations both with the customers as well as with the market environment, and it also defines the responsibilities lying on the company’s side with respect to this very large and extremely significant group of stakeholders.

DUE DILIGENCE PROCEDURES AND INTERNAL REGULATIONS

By implementing the assumptions of the PRO Customer Social Policy TAURON Capital Group is responding in the best possible manner to customer needs, focusing its efforts on the following principal issues:

• making sure the highest standards are met in the relationships with the customers, based on transparency, mutual respect and trust,
• continuous bi-directional communications, based on a dialogue,
• surveying customer opinions (feedback), experiences and expectations,
• responding to customer needs through a clear offering, satisfying their needs and meeting expectations.

Marketing research

Due diligence procedures implemented as part of the PRO Customer Social Policy include primarily periodic surveys. It is important for us to get to know our customers as much as we can and, based on that, to be able to even more fully respond to their needs. The monitoring of the marketing communications is done in cooperation with market analysts. The summary of such surveys conducted in 2020 is presented below.

Meeting the needs of disadvantaged customers and sensitive consumer groups

As part of the due diligence procedures also educational activities addressed to the disadvantaged groups, first of all customers sensitive to energy pricing and seniors, were conducted. The summary of such surveys and their quantity conducted in 2019 is presented below.

Customer service through the highest quality sales and service channels

Seniors, pregnant women, persons with young children and the disabled are treated as privileged persons in TAURON Capital Group’s stationary contact channel.

In 2020, for privileged persons, at Customer Service Centers (Punkty Obsługi Klienta – POK):

1. Provision of priority service was continued;
2. Priority service marking was maintained:

• in the form of internal marking in waiting rooms for customers,
• in the form of marking on queuing machines at POKs with a queuing system,
• in the form of marking parking spaces for the disabled, at POKs’ parking areas.

In the telephone contact channel for the disabled people and seniors the following services were provided:

1. Telephone support with the filling of the Application to conclude a contract after the death of a party to the contract. A courier was added to the process, who would deliver the completed application to be signed by the new consumer.
2. The number of customer contact numbers was optimized and a new IVR was implemented for the service hotline.

In the online channel:

1. Handover and Acceptance Protocol (PZO) and the Application to conclude or amend a contract (WOZ) were digitized – a customer can conclude / assign the contract without the need to visit the Customer Service Center, as well as without having to download the application from www.tauron.pl, print, scan and ship it.
2. Functionality of the website: www.tauron.pl, on which it is possible to increase the contrast and font size was maintained.

Responsibility towards the customer at the time of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

In connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, pro-customer solutions that make it possible to resolve issues without leaving home have been introduced and promoted:

1. Virtual POK has been launched https://www.tauron.pl/dla-domu/obsluga-i-pomoc/wirtualny-pok, where all issues that can be resolved by the customers without leaving home are accessible.
2. TAURON’s automatic assistant, chats and chatbots, that demonstrate customers how they can resolve their issue, have been implemented.
3. Tools have been implemented that allow the customer to perform, in the self-service mode, popular processes with respect to settlements, such as changing the forecast amount or changing the tariff group.
4. Documents digitized in 2019 have been promoted among customers:
   • Handover and Acceptance Protocol (PZO),
   • Application to conclude or amend a contract (WOZ),

   thanks to them, the customer can conclude/transfer the contract without the need to visit a Customer Service Center (POK), as well as without the need to download an application from the website www.tauron.pl, print, scan and send it.

5. The customer service and My TAURON (Mój TAURON) mobile application have been promoted, using which the customer independently resolves issues related to electricity and gas.

In 2020, TAURON Dystrybucja improved the quality of service in the process of accepting micro-installation applications by introducing an online form for submitting micro-installation grid connection applications – ZM forms. The service of sending the grid connection conditions to customers’ e-mail addresses was launched, in compliance with the sensitive information protection rules. The forms of applications used in the process of connecting to the grid contain information encouraging to use the possibility of submitting such applications in the electronic version on the website tauron-dystrybucja.pl. New content was published on the tauron-dystrybucja.pl website, describing the connection process, prepared by the language consultant involved in the TAURON speaks the way humans do project (TMPL).

To ensure the safety of its employees and customers, TAURON Group decided to temporarily close its Customer Service Centers (POK). During this time, customer traffic was rerouted to the other customer service channels:

• telephone,
• online (website tauron.pl, customer service channel and mobile application Mój TAURON) and TAURON Dystrybucja website www.tauron-dystrybucja.pl).

After their re-opening the stationary facilities were adapted to all sanitary requirements. Also, the requirement to make an appointment by phone via the hotline for the customers with combined contracts 32 606 0 606 and the TAURON Dystrybucja hotline 32 606 0 616 was introduced.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in accordance with the legal regulations introduced TAURON Dystrybucja ceased to suspend electricity supply to customers. The restoration of the right to suspend electricity supply to households and entities for which restrictions on operations or temporary restrictions on the scope of operations were established, took place after 6 months had elapsed from the date of the announcement of the epidemic state or the state of epidemic, i.e. after September 20, 2020.

Temporary restrictions were introduced on the performance of works on the metering systems inside customers’ premises (meter readings and maintenance works). The works on the metering systems and related to the rectification of failures that required entry to the premises were carried out with the consent of the customer and with the use of the required personal protective equipment by the relevant personnel. In order to provide protection against COVID-19, the employees used personal protective equipment, i.e. face masks or face shields covering the mouth and nose, disposable gloves and disinfectants.

When taking readings of the metering systems inside the premises, the representatives of the company first asked for the meter reading without going inside the premises. In case of premises or persons subject to isolation, quarantine or epidemiological supervision, customers were asked to provide such information upon contact with a TAURON Dystrybucja representative before starting any works. The relevant tasks were carried out at a later, agreed upon date.

ACTIONS TAKEN AND RESULTS ACHIEVED

Among the activities implemented as part of the PRO Client Social Policy, making sure that we provide clear and transparent communication with clients is of key importance. In order to implement this stipulation, we are conducting the “TAURON speaks the way humans do” project, as well as numerous social campaigns.

TAURON speaks the way humans do

“TAURON speaks the way humans do” (TAURON mówi po ludzku – TMPL) is a project implemented for several years, that involves simplifying formal and legal documents, messages and letters addressed to the customers. In 2017, we started cooperation with Tomasz Piekot’s Language Workshop, which trained several hundred people, who are in direct contact with customer service, with respect to simplifying the official language used. Language consultants have also been selected who act as ambassadors of simple communication at TAURON Obsługa Klienta, TAURON Sprzedaż and at TAURON Dystrybucja.

As part of the TMPL project in 2020:

• 38 new language consultants were trained – two editions of the online course and the Certification exam conducted by Prof. Piekot,
• requirement to agree upon all documents, messages, and marketing materials with plain language consultants before sending them out to customers or publishing was introduced,
• a website dedicated to the project was updated on the Group’s intranet, where users will find: writing style handbook (stylobuk – a handbook of effective communication with customers), information on the consultants and language tips written by the consultants,
• TOK and TS trainers participated in 9-hour workshops: Train the trainer: How to conduct on-line training,
• a two-hour workshop was held – how to use the Teams capabilities in on-line training.

Additionally, at TAURON Dystrybucja S.A.:

• 2 training courses for the management personnel were conducted by Prof. Piekot,
• a webinar, preceded by the opportunity to submit questions, was conducted by Prof. Piekot,
• Language Clinic was developed – language consultants write short articles on various aspects of simple language that are published once a month in the TAURON Dystrybucja intranet,
• simple language trainers were prepared for online training (train the trainers online),
• 4 stationary training sessions were complete, during which 52 employees were trained,
• 140 templates of letters to customers were linguistically and graphically simplified,
• the process of simplifying the content posted on the website www.tauron-dystrybucja.pl has been started.

In 2020, TAURON Group also worked on simplifying further letters addressed to customers – nearly 70% of them were changed. Their quantities are shown below.

Number of simplified letters addressed by TAURON Capital Group to its customers in 2020 

The above activities are conducive to the development of processes of reliable and comprehensible information on the products and services offered.

As a result, in 2020, similar as in the previous year, no cases of non-compliance of products and services with respect to the information and labeling thereof, as well as no cases of non-compliance regarding marketing communications were reported in the entire TAURON Capital Group.

In accordance with the principles arising from the PRO Client Social Policy, we are making sure that the marketing message sent by us and our partners should always be not only in line with the law, but also with good practices.

Handling of complaints

Complaint handling processes are an effective way of obtaining information on the quality of services provided. Thanks to efficient management, they could be used to improve customer service mechanisms and impact customer satisfaction level.

Complaints addressed to TAURON are coming in by traditional mail, e-mail, telephone, using the forms available on the website www.tauron.pl and via eBOK / My TAURON (Mój TAURON). Subsequently, they are registered in the electronic documentation circulation system (SOD).

Customer complaint handling system in place at TAURON Capital Group since 2019

All comments and complaints are reviewed. The time and manner of response are determined by precise and stringent internal procedures. According to them, each complaint coming from the customer is thoroughly analyzed in order to correctly and effectively identify the causes of non-compliance and determine their place of origin. The fact of an occurrence of irregularities is reported to the owner of the business process who is responsible for implementing corrective actions, for the purpose of an ad hoc review of the complaint and providing an answer. The end result is the introduction of preventive actions in order to eliminate the identified non-compliance in the future. The diagnosed cases, corrective and preventive actions taken are included in the periodically verified, with respect to the repeatability of complaints, Cards of Diagnosis related to the causes of complaints.

Establishing of uniform complaint management rules ensures their reliable and timely review, as well as allows to define the principles of cooperation between the Complaint Center and business process owners.

Customer complaint handling system in place at TAURON Dystrybucja since 2019

In order to best understand the customer’s point of view, TAURON Dystrybucja and TAURON Obsługa Klienta (Customer Service) have been conducting periodic workshops, prepared based on the complaints, since 2013. Together with the personnel of the lines of business that the given complaint is applicable to, the causes and potential alternative solutions are analyzed.

This practice contributes to the implementation of a self-learning organization concept.

Customer Satisfaction Index

Customer experience in TAURON Capital Group is understood as the sum of interactions with the customer, not only during customer service, but also at all other points of contact with the company. Experience research in 2020 was carried out each month via online and telephone surveys, and quarterly via the hotline.

They focused primarily on collecting information on the level of customer loyalty (NPS) after going through a given process and on what effort (CES) they put into solving their issue at TAURON.

Customer experience surveys are carried out by TAURON Group in two ways:

Customer experience in areas where the customer is most often dealing with the company directly, i.e. in the process of discussing connections, contracts (agreements), settlements (billing), debt collection and filing a complaint is tested

The charts presented below show the loyalty level (NPS) of customers following the given process that they have participated in and what effort they put into solving their issue at TAURON (CES).

The results obtained indicate what improvements and changes should be introduced to meet the customers’ expectations regarding the customer service provided. The complaint area has been covered by the research since August 2020, hence there is no reference to the previous year.

Results of the customer loyalty level (NPS) survey among customers from TAURON Capital Group’s household segment in 2020, as compared to 2019 

Results of the customer effort (CES) survey among customers from TAURON Capital Group’s household segment in 2020, as compared to 2019

Once a year, through an independent research agency, we also analyze customer satisfaction level in the following segments: households, small and medium enterprises, business. As part of this study, it is also important for us to find out how TAURON Group ranks against the competition.

Each time a randomly selected group of TAURON’s customers and a group of customers of other energy companies Enea, PGE, Innogy and Energa, take part in the survey. In accordance with the schedule, the study was conducted in August and September 2020 by PBS sp. z o.o. agency.

Results of the customer satisfaction survey conducted among customers from TAURON Capital Group’s household segment in 2020, as compared to the previous years

In the household segment, the overall customer satisfaction level and the loyalty level are relatively stable. TAURON obtained at least the same high marks as in the previous edition of the survey in almost all of the surveyed areas. The exception is customer service, where a slight drop was recorded, mainly due to the slightly lower results of satisfaction with customer service over the online channels. The image of TAURON has not changed significantly, as compared to the previous edition of the survey, except for the aspect related to taking care of the environment, which, after the decline in 2019, is now attributed slightly more often to TAURON Group. Small positive fluctuations in other image aspects are not statistically significant, but indicate the stabilizing of TAURON’s image among the customers.

Customer satisfaction indices among business customers

Stabilization of the main indicator for business customers: satisfaction and loyalty, can be observed for another year in a row. All aspects are assessed at a similar level as in the previous edition of the survey. After last year’s drop, there was a slight increase in the satisfaction of business customers with respect to prices, primarily in terms of the offering’s price to quality ratio and the solutions offered. Noticeable improvements were also observed with respect to failures and outages, mainly in the context of providing information on the failures.

On the other hand, a decline in the survey results can be observed with respect to contracts, which is first and foremost caused by a worse assessment of the aspect related to TAURON’s willingness to negotiate non-price terms of the contract, as well as with respect to products. Customers, slightly less frequently than in the previous edition of the survey, are able to spontaneously, or with assistance, indicate specific TAURON products.

TAURON’s image has not changed significantly as compared to the previous edition of the survey. TAURON is perceived primarily as a company that is easy to cooperate with, it is trustworthy, keeps its promises and sticks to its declarations and treats customers with respect. Still the lowest rated image aspect is the one regarding the appreciation of regular customers.

Results of the customer satisfaction survey conducted among TAURON Capital Group’s business customers in 2020, as compared to the previous years

Customer satisfaction index among small and medium size enterprises (SME)

A slight decrease in the level of general satisfaction and loyalty of TAURON Group’s customers can be observed in this edition of the survey. The level of these two main indicators this year is average as compared to the competition. However, it should be remembered that the samples of the competing companies’ customers surveyed in the research project were small.

Invariably, the most important areas for customers that affect their overall satisfaction and loyalty (directly or indirectly) are failures and outages, prices and tariffs, image and customer service. Prices have the biggest impact on the satisfaction of the SME segment customers and in this edition of the survey they were rated at a similar level as in the previous edition of the survey. The prices that in this wave of the survey were assessed similarly to the previous wave of the survey have the greatest impact on customer satisfaction in the case of SME customers. Another important aspect – according to the analyses – is customer service, including, in particular, telephone contact. This aspect is also rated, another year in a row, higher as compared to the previous edition of the survey. At the same time, the overall customer service satisfaction is slightly lower. Invariably, very important from the point of view of the impact on general satisfaction is also the company’s image, which has stabilized at a relatively good level since the previous edition of the survey. Failures are the aspects that have a smaller (but still significant and greater than last year) impact on the overall rating and customer loyalty. With respect to failures the company is assessed by the SME customers at a similar level as in the previous year. At the same time, customers from this segment have most likely experienced unplanned outages less frequently in the last 12 months.

Results of the customer satisfaction survey conducted among TAURON Capital Group’s customers in the small and medium size enterprises segment in 2020, as compared to the previous years

SEE ALSO:

Social capital

Customer-centricity