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An Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntais Commission for Regulation of Utilities0An Coimisiún um Rialáil FóntaisCommission for Regulation of UtilitiesCRU Customer Charter andCustomer Action 1/2020ClosingDate:N/A
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntais Commission for Regulation of UtilitiesExecutive SummaryUnder Government policy, each State Body or agency is required to have in place aCustomer Charter and Customer Action Plan.The Customer Charter should state the State body’s commitment to providingservices to its customers in accordance with the twelve Principles of QualityCustomer Service for Customers and Clients of the Public Service. Servicestandards should be defined in clear terms and simple language and should informcustomers of contact and feedback mechanisms.In addition, the Customer Charter is supported by a Customer Action Plan, whichdescribes in detail how the commitments and standards set out in the CustomerCharter, and other customer service improvements, will be delivered and evaluated.The CRU has updated its Customer Charter and developed a new Customer ActionPlan and associated complaints procedure which take into account responsesreceived from internal and external consultations [Ref: Response to Consultation] aswell as feedback provided at meetings of the Commission.The final Customer Charter and Customer Action Plan are presented below fordecision for publication on the CRU’s website. The content will also be available inpdf format with graphics to be added.An internal implementation plan is also being prepared to deliver on commitments setout in the Customer Action Plan.1
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntais Commission for Regulation of UtilitiesCustomer CharterWho we areThe CRU’s mission is to protect the public interest in Water, Energy and EnergySafety. The CRU is guided by four strategic priorities that sit alongside the coreactivities we undertake to deliver on the public interest. These are: Deliver sustainable low-carbon solutions with well-regulated markets andnetworksEnsure compliance and accountability through best regulatory practiceDevelop effective communications to support customers and the regulatoryprocessFoster and maintain a high-performance culture and organisation to achieveour visionInformation on the CRU’s role and relevant legislation can be found at www.cru.ieOur customersThe work of the CRU impacts every home and business in Ireland (our customers).YouIf you are affected by anything we do, or if you have reason to contact us, you areone of our customers.Customers in Ireland (Island of)This includes the public, energy providers (transmission and distribution) andsuppliers, Irish Water, the Utility Regulator (NI), the Department of Communications,Climate Action and Environment, Department of Housing, Planning and LocalGovernment and other government departments. It also includes third party serviceproviders, other statutory bodies, local authorities and the media. We consult withnon-governmental organisations, representatives of businesses, third-level colleges,and consultants (for example economic and engineering consultants).International customersWe also interact regularly with some international organisations as customersincluding the EU Commission, ACER, CEER, and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).Our staffWe consider our staff as ‘internal customers’ and support and consult them abouthow we deliver our services.2
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntais Commission for Regulation of UtilitiesOur commitment to customersThe CRU is committed to carrying out all its functions in a fair, impartial, balancedand transparent manner. Our aim is to provide a professional and efficient service toall stakeholders and act with integrity at all times.The CRU is committed to providing a high quality, user-friendly and easily accessibleservice to our customers.This Customer Charter sets out the standards of service that customers can expectwhen engaging with us. The Charter applies to services provided by the CRU only.The CRU and its agents, ARISE, also operate a complaint resolution service forunresolved complaints by customers about their energy suppliers or networkproviders in energy and water. Any questions about this service or about your energyor water supplier should be sent to the Customer Care Team atcustomercare@cru.ie.Information on this service is detailed in the Customer Care Customer Charter .Covid-19During the current Covid-19 pandemic, the work of the CRU has been designated bythe Government as an essential service required to continue to protect the publicinterest in energy, energy safety and water. In line with public health guidelines, themajority of CRU staff are working from home with limited attendance at the office.The CRU continues to deliver on our business and statutory functions as normal andwill respond to any queries as soon as possible.Visitors to CRU’s officesVisitors to the CRU’s offices will be made to feel welcome and will be treated withcourtesy and respect.Access to the CRU’s office is generally by appointment with a member of staff.As part of our health and safety protocols, all visitors will be signed in by a memberof staff on arrival and given a visitor’s badge. On departure, visitors will be signed outand return the visitor’s badge to a member of staff.In the event that an enquiry is not relevant to the CRU, every effort will be made todirect the visitor to a relevant body that can assist them.3
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntais Commission for Regulation of UtilitiesWritten CorrespondenceThe CRU’s postal address and standard email address format are included at theend of this Customer Charter. The CRU commits to the following: We will acknowledge all written correspondence (e-mails and postalcorrespondence) within 5 working days of receipt. We will comprehensively reply to correspondence within 15 working days, whenpossible. If there is going to be a delay beyond these 15 working days, we willsend an interim reply explaining the position and providing an estimate of theresponse timeline. If a customer provides their consent, we may contact them by telephone. If a CRU staff member plans to be unavailable for more than 1 working day (forexample due to annual leave), he/she will set-up an automatic “out of office”email reply facility. This facility will provide information on when the staff memberwill respond to the e-mail, and will include information on who to contact in theintervening period if the query is urgent. We will ensure that all correspondence from the CRU (including e-mails) carries acontact name/team, telephone number and email address. We will use courteous, clear and simple language in our correspondence andonly use technical terms when necessary. We will ensure that any correspondence received in Irish is answered in Irish(unless the response is an automatic e-mail “out of office” as above).The CRU operates a general query email service for industry and publicstakeholders who have generic information enquiries regarding the functions of theCRU at info@cru.ie.Any questions relating to an unresolved complaint with an energy supplier or networkprovider in energy or water should be sent to the Customer Care Team atcustomercare@cru.ie.CRU WebsiteThe CRU publishes a wide range of information on its website targeted at thegeneral public and professional organisations. This includes information onswitching, safety and rights as well as industry-related information notes,newsletters, reports, policy consultations and decision papers at www.cru.ie.4
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntais Commission for Regulation of UtilitiesWe will: Endeavour to keep our website up-to-date, easy-to-navigate and understand.Provide information on our website in a format that is accessible to peoplewith disabilities.Produce comprehensive explanatory material/guidelines/public impactstatements, as appropriate, to accompany key decisions or reports.If you wish to provide any feedback on the content or our website, please email us atQCSofficer@cru.ie.CRU Mailing ListsThe CRU maintains a mailing list for its website publications. Where a user opts tosubscribe, they will receive email alerts for website publications.The CRU will: Keep its mailing lists up to date, ensuring that customers are added orremoved on request; and,Ensure that all correspondence sent to the CRU mailing lists is clear, conciseand appropriate to that particular mailing list.We welcome feedback from our customers to our website, papers published and onthe quality of the policy consultation service provided. Should you have anycomments, these can be forwarded to the relevant person listed in the consultationpaper or to qcsofficer@cru.ieTelephone CallersThe CRU’s reception telephone number is 353 01 4000800. Our telephone line willbe open between the hours of 9am and 1pm, and 2pm and 5:30pm, each workingday from Monday to Friday. Calls received outside of these hours will be diverted tovoicemail.In addition, the CRU Customer Care Team can be contacted at the dedicatedfreefone number 1800 404 404 for queries or complaints that customers may havewith their utility supplier or network provider in energy or water.We will: 5endeavour to answer all telephone calls personally, rather than using anyelectronic routing devices;be courteous and identify ourselves over the phone;be as helpful and informative as we can with telephone callers;provide an email address where this is likely to be useful to the caller;
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntais Commission for Regulation of Utilities answer all telephone calls promptly when available. We will only divert calls tovoicemail when the relevant staff member is engaged on another call or isabsent and there is no other suitable person available to deal with the call;have a voicemail facility set-up which will allow a caller to leave a message ifa staff member is unavailable to answer a call.If available, the staff member will respond to a voicemail message (by phoneor in writing) within 1 working day*. If a CRU staff member plans to beunavailable for more than 1 working day (for example due to annual leave),he/she will provide details of this on his/her voicemail facility. The voicemailwill include information on when the staff member expects to be in a positionto answer the voicemail, as well as who to contact in the intervening period ifthe query is urgent.*Please note, on occasion, there may be delays for reasons outside of the control of CRU staff, forexample, limited access to phone due to technical or other issues.Social MediaThe CRU uses social media to: build awareness of rights and increase use of services available to energyand water customers, andincrease awareness and understanding of the role and function of the CRUand deepen engagement with relevant stakeholders.The CRU has a social media policy that sets out what information you can expect toreceive and how we interact using these platforms. Content and any responses areposted by staff of the CRU and authorised third partiesWe will respond to queries posted within 48 hours, were practicable.If queries relate to complex policy information or technical details that cannot beanswered in a short format, we may direct you to a document or page on our websiteor to contact a particular team in the CRU.Complaints Regarding the CRUIf you are unhappy with the quality of customer service that you have received fromthe CRU, you have the right to complain.Complaints to the CRU will be responded to promptly in accordance with thetimelines set out in our Complaints Procedure, which can be found here (link).All complaints are taken seriously and will be dealt with fairly and impartially.6
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntais Commission for Regulation of UtilitiesWhat issues are covered by the complaints procedure?This procedure covers complaints that relate directly to the quality of service we (the CRUand its agents, ARISE) provide, for example: „ complaints about delays, mistakes, lack of available information, poor quality ofinformation, lack of courtesy;instances where you did not receive the quality of service from the CRU you feel youare entitled to;complaints under Section 39 of the Disability Act 2005 relating to access to ourservices, buildings or information; andcomplaints about discrimination under the Equal Status Acts 1998 and 2004.What issues are not covered by the complaints procedure?The procedure does not cover complaints about: activities where there are statutory mechanisms to deal with complaints such as ourcomplaints resolution service (i.e. complaints about gas and electricity suppliers or IrishWater); andFreedom of Information (FOI)/Access to Information on the Environment requests (seebelow).Freedom of Information (FOI) / Access to Information on theEnvironment (AIE)The CRU complies with the Freedom of Information Act 2014, as amended. In anyevent, we endeavour to provide as much information as feasible on our activities anddecisions on our website.Should you wish to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2014,you should contact the CRU’s Freedom of Information Officer stating clearly that youare requesting information under the Act.The CRU also complies with the overarching Government policy on Access toInformation on the Environment (AIE) in Ireland. The AIE Regulations 2007 to 2018gives citizens the right to access information on the environment from publicauthorities.Under the Regulations, information relating to the environment held by, or for, apublic authority must, subject to certain exceptions, be provided on request to anyperson.You may also see details regarding the FOI/AIE process here.7
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntais Commission for Regulation of UtilitiesEvaluation of Service CommitmentsThe CRU aims to continually improve our Customer Service. We welcomecomments from our customers with regard to the quality of our service. If we identifyareas of our service which need to be improved, we will take the necessary steps toensure that improvement takes place. Any comments can be sent toqcsofficer@cru.ie.CRU contact detailsBy Post:Quality Customer Service OfficerThe Grain HouseThe ExchangeBelgard Square NorthTallaghtDublin 24, D24 PXW0IrelandBy email:qcsofficer@cru.ieBy phone:CRU Office: 353 01 4000800Customer Care Team: 1800 404 4048
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntais Commission for Regulation of UtilitiesCustomer Action Plan 2020-2023IntroductionThe Customer Action Plan 2020-2023 describes how the commitments andstandards set out in the Customer Charter will be delivered and evaluated by theCommission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU). The Government has set out twelveGuiding Principles of Quality Customer Service for public sector organisations andthe Action Plan describes the CRU’s services and commitments.The CRU’s aim is to provide the highest quality of service to all customers. Over theperiod of the Plan, 2020-2023, the CRU will continue to encourage feedback fromcustomers, evaluate and, where possible, continuously improve on the quality ofservice offered.Role of the CRUThe CRU is Ireland’s independent energy and water regulator. The CRU’s mission isto protect the public interest in Water, Energy and Energy Safety. The work of theCRU impacts every Irish home and business by ensuring safe, secure andsustainable energy and water supplies at a reasonable cost. The CRU has a widerange of economic, customer protection and safety responsibilities in energy andwater.The CRU’s vison is: Energy is supplied safelyEmpowered and protected customers pay reasonable pricesA sustainable, reliable and efficient future for energy and waterA secure, low carbon futureThe sectors the CRU regulates underpin Irish economic competitiveness, investmentand growth, while also contributing to our international obligations to address climatechange.The CRU is guided by four strategic priorities for the period 2019-2021: 9Deliver sustainable low-carbon solutions with well-regulated markets andnetworksEnsure compliance and accountability through best regulatory practiceDevelop effective communications to support customers and the regulatoryprocessFoster and maintain a high-performance culture and organisation to achieveour vision
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntais Commission for Regulation of UtilitiesCRU’s Commitment to the Principles of Quality CustomerServiceThe CRU wishes to provide the best possible service to everyone who contacts us.We do this through the commitments to the Principles of Quality Customer Serviceoutlined below.1. Quality Service StandardsThe CRU is committed to carrying out all its functions in a fair, impartial, balancedand transparent manner. The CRU’s aim is to provide a professional and efficientservice to all stakeholders and act with integrity at all times.The standards of service customers can expect when interacting with us are outlinedin our Customer Charter. The Customer Charter and Customer Action Plan areavailable on our website www.cru.ie. Both the Charter and Action Plan can be madeavailable in hard copy, upon request.COMMITMENTPERFORMANCE INDICATORPublish a Customer Service Charter andCustomer Action Plan 2020 – 2023.Charter and Action Plan areavailable on our website and inhard copy upon request.Ensure all staff are aware and adhere tothe commitments made.Feedback received from staff andexternal customers throughconsultation in preparing plan.Customer service training forstaff as required and included ininductions for new staff.2. Equality/DiversityThe CRU is committed to removing barriers for all citizens to access its services andis dedicated to ensuring that no one is discriminated against in their interactions withus.The CRU will work to ensure the rights of all individuals to avail of our services withparticular focus on people experiencing poverty and social exclusion, and for thosefacing geographic barriers to services.10
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntais Commission for Regulation of UtilitiesCOMMITMENTPERFORMANCE INDICATOREnsure that there are no barriers tocustomers accessing our services.Review of customer feedback.Provide training to staff on equality anddiversity matters, as required.Ongoing training on equality anddiversity policies includinginductions for new staff.3. Physical AccessCRU is committed to providing appropriate physical access to its offices and toensuring that all office areas comply with occupational and safety standards. Toassist us in ensuring privacy in discussions, where required, we encourage visitors toour office to make an appointment before visiting.Our staff include a Safety Officer, Fire Wardens and an Access Officer. The AccessOfficer co-ordinates any assistance that may be needed by those who have adisability.COMMITMENTPERFORMANCE INDICATORMonitor and maintain the safety andcleanliness of our offices.Offices are maintained to anacceptable standard.Ensure appropriate meeting facilities areavailable for customer visits.Customer feedback.Address health and safety issues at regularhealth and safety meetings.Number of meetings held andissues addressed efficiently andeffectively.Maintain an appropriate number of trainedsafety staff.Appropriate number of adequatelytrained health and safety and fireofficers available.Refresher training provided in linewith best practice.11
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntais Commission for Regulation of UtilitiesAll staff participate in emergency andevacuation drills.Fire drills held quarterly.Level of adherence of staff withemergency evacuationprocedures.Evacuation report compiled postfire drills and issues addressedefficiently.Premises is Disability Access Certified.Premises certified.4. InformationThe CRU is committed to continuing to make sure that information contained on ourwebsite, issued by post, email, phone, social media or other means is clear andunderstandable, as appropriate, to the reader/receiver. Information published on ourwebsite and online will be designed to meet the prevailing accessibility guidelines.Using guidance from the National Adult Literacy Association (NALA), we will strive toachieve the Plain English mark on customer facing communications. For technicaldocuments, where appropriate, we will also apply the principles of using jargon freelanguage and include a public impact statement to assist in explanation of complexsubjects.When answering queries, we will give accurate information in a timely fashion, usingclear and simple language. Every effort will be made to communicate with people ina way that is suitable to their needs.In addition to the complaints resolution service, our Customer Care Team and ouragents, ARISE, provide information to customers on general consumer rights andother information relating to the activities of the CRU. Information on this service isdetailed in the Customer Care Customer Charter .COMMITMENTPERFORMANCE INDICATORUse Plain English written communications,keeping the use of technical or official termsand jargon to a minimum and wherenecessary explaining these terms.Plain English mark on keycustomer facing content.12
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntais Commission for Regulation of UtilitiesEnsure all website contact methods are inworking order.Regular functionality andaccessibility checks.Provide a clear responsible social mediause policy to set out standards ofcommunication with stakeholdersSocial media policy published onCRU website and reviews on anannual basisMake staff information and updates onmatters of interest available via the Intranetand internal newsletter where practicable.Staff feedback regardingavailability and ease of access toinformation.5. Timeliness and CourtesyThe staff of CRU undertake to be prompt, helpful, patient and courteous in alldealings with the public whether in written, telephone or face to face contact in itsoffices, at meetings or any other events.COMMITMENTPERFORMANCE INDICATORAnswer the telephone promptly andidentify ourselves when doing so.Customer feedback.Ensure that when staff are out of theoffice, appropriate voicemail and out ofoffice email messages are active.Audit of absence messages bystaff.Ensure that all staff provide their contactdetails in any correspondence to allowfor easy follow up.Audit of correspondence.Ensure written correspondence isacknowledged within five working days.Audit of correspondence.13
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntais Commission for Regulation of UtilitiesProvide a response to correspondencewithin 15 working days. When this is notfeasible due to the need for significantinvestigation, research or resources wewill provide an update within 15 workingdays which will outline the expected timeframe for the response.Audit of correspondence.Answer or appropriately direct queriesreceived through social media within 48hours during the working week, wherepracticable.Audit of correspondence.6. ComplaintsThe CRU is committed to dealing with issues of customer dissatisfaction with qualityof service in an objective, consistent, open and fair manner. You have a right tocomplain if the standard of service we provide is not up to the standard set out in thisCharter. Complaints will be addressed as quickly as possible and complainants willbe kept informed of progress.If you have a customer service complaint, customers are requested to follow theCRU complaint procedure which is outlined in this document.COMMITMENTPERFORMANCE INDICATOREnsure all complaints are addressedpromptly, fairly and in a consistent manner.Audit of complaint records.Ensure staff are aware of the complaintsprocedure and that all matters are efficientlyresolved.Audit of complaint records.The CRU also operates a complaint resolution service for unresolved complaints bycustomers about their energy suppliers or network providers in energy or water. Anyquestions about this service or about your energy or water supplier should be sent tothe Customer Care Team at customercare@cru.ie14
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntais Commission for Regulation of Utilities7. AppealsAs part of our complaints procedure, we will offer an appeal/review for customerswho are dissatisfied with decisions in relation to complaints about services providedby the CRU.If the matter remains unresolved after all review procedures have been fullyexhausted under the CRU’s complaints procedure, the customer will be advised oftheir right to appeal to the Office of the Ombudsman.8. Consultation and EvaluationConsultation and feedback are important to help us to understand customer andstakeholder expectations, requirements and any deficiencies in the services weprovide. Our Customer Charter includes mechanisms for providing feedback on ourservice delivery on an ad-hoc basis.COMMITMENTPERFORMANCE INDICATOREncourage and enable customers to providefeedback on service quality.Customer feedback via consultationin preparation/review of CustomerAction Plan.Consult staff in the preparation of theCustomer Action Plan.Staff consultation to gatherfeedback and suggestions.9. Official Languages EqualityThe CRU recognises customers rights to avail of our services through Irish.Customers have the ability to interact with us through Irish if they so wish.COMMITMENTPERFORMANCE INDICATORThe CRU will publish a Scheme under theOfficial Languages Act 2003 which willdetail the services the CRU will providethrough Irish, English, and through bothIrish and English.Up to date Scheme publishedand commitments implementedin line with timeframes in theScheme.15
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntais Commission for Regulation of Utilities10. Internal CustomerThe CRU is committed to ensuring that staff members are also recognised ascustomers. We are committed to supporting our staff to enable the provision of anexcellent service both internally and externally.COMMITMENTPERFORMANCE INDICATORProvide staff access to informationsources to assist them in their role andencourage knowledge sharing across theorganisation.Staff feedback.Encourage open communication andconsultation with all staff. UseCommunications Forum as a consultativeforum with staff.Evidence of acting upon stafffeedback, when appropriate.Number of meetings of Forum.Ensure all policies are underpinned by theCRU’s values.Staff feedback.11. ChoiceThe CRU makes every effort to provide multiple ways for our customers to accessour services, find information about us and to contact us.COMMITMENTPERFORMANCE INDICATORProvide a range of service delivery/contactchannels, i.e. website, letter, email, onlineforms, social media and phone.Customer feedback.Consider how technology can improverange and quality of services provided tocustomers (ICT Strategy 2020-2022).Enable new services to customers(e.g. online consultations,licensing).16
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntais Commission for Regulation of Utilities12. Better CoordinationThe CRU works in partnership with a range of organisations in Ireland andinternationally including consumer groups (customer stakeholder group), businessgroups, sector regulators, government departments and other European energyregulators.COMMITMENTPERFORMANCE INDICATOREngage with independent consumerrepresentative bodies to provide aneffective platform for policy developmentand voice to vulnerable customersFacilitation and management of aConsumer Stakeholder GroupEnter into formal agreements with otherbodies to facilitate co-operation,information-sharing, effective investigationof consumer protection and Climate Action.Memoranda of Understanding inplace with key state bodies e.gSustainable Energy Authority ofIreland, Competition & ConsumerProtection Commission, An BordPleanála,Participate with Public Sector Networkswhere possible.Attendance and sharing knowledgeat cross body meetings e.g. ERN,Government CommunicationsNetwork.Monitoring & ReportingThe CRU will monitor performance against the standards outlined to make sure weare achieving them and take action if we are not.We will push for continuous improvement to ensure we provide the best service thatwe can.In the final year of this Plan, we will develop a Customer Service Survey to assessour performance, internally and externally. The exact type and number of customersit will be sent to will be determined upon consultation with appropriate staff members.After collecting and analysing the results of the survey, we will draft a new ActionPlan which will focus on the areas for improvement highlighted in the results.Our Annual Report will have a dedicated Customer Service section, where we willreport our progress against the set standards.17
An Coimisiún um Rialáil Fóntais Commission for Regulation of UtilitiesCRU Complaints ProcedureIn fulfilling its statutory duties and functions, the CRU recognises the importance ofmaintaining a positive relationship with utility customers and users, members of thepublic, regulated entities and other third-party stakeholders.The CRU acknowledges that circumstances can arise where a person or anorganisation may wish to make a complaint about their interactions with the CRU ororganisations acting on its behalf. This document sets out the CRU’s procedure formanaging such complaints.What issues are covered by the complaints procedure?This procedure covers complaints that relate directly to the quality of service we (the CRUand its agents, ARISE) provide, for example: „ complaints about delays, mistakes, lack of available information, poor quality ofinformation, lack of courtesy;instances where you did not receive the quality of service from the CRU you feel youare entitled to;complaints under Section 39 of the Disability Act 2005 relating to access to ourservices, buildings or information; andcomplaints about discrimination under the Equal Status Acts 1998 and 2004.What issues are not covered by the complaints procedure?The procedure does not cover complaints about: activities where there are statutory mechanism
In addition, the Customer Charter is supported by a Customer Action Plan, which describes in detail how the commitments and standards set out in the Customer Charter, and other customer service improvements, will be delivered and evaluated. The CRU has updated its Customer Charter and developed a new Customer Action
