BW Customer Service Standards Survey

WEST MIDLANDS

This survey is for us to get general feedback on how you rate the priority of the standards as published and how well you think BW is achieving them at present in your area.

To make verbal comments about individual items please call up the overlaying comments form

Leave far right button under performance selected if don't feel you can make a judgement.

Please give your NAME to identify this submission

	STANDARD	Priority	Performance
	BW People	Low-High	Bad - Good	-
1	Are friendly, helpful and conscientious
2	Make every effort to understand the needs of customers and to exceed their expectations wherever possible
3	Take ownership of customer enquiries and endeavour to resolve them immediately
4	Politely acknowledge customers at every opportunity
5	Are smartly dressed for work (business / work wear) and wear a name badge
6	Have an overall understanding of the waterway network and destinations around it
7	Promote the organisation positively to all customers
8	Try to build and maintain strong relationships with all waterside businesses and partners
9	Answer all telephones with a welcome message - Good Morning (or equivalent) / Name / British Waterways / How can I help you?
10	All telephones have a voice mail greeting which is kept up to date. This includes Name / British Waterways / Thank you for calling / Sorry I can't take your call / Please leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can

	Bridges	Low-High	Bad - Good	-
11	Bridges are clearly signed on both sides with an identifying number
12	Hand operated lift bridges can be secured to prevent accidental lowering
13	Mechanically operated lift bridges have fail safe devices to control their descent
14	Clear and simple instructions for use are displayed at customer operated bridges

	Channel & winding holes	Low-High	Bad - Good	-
15	Approaches to structures, landings/moorings, winding holes & sharp bends are kept clear of vegetation for at least 65m. Advance warning signs advise boaters if fixed structures obscure the 65m clear sight line
16	Vegetation at winding hole pivot points is kept trimmed
17	Water depth is adequate for boats to pivot

	Landings & moorings	Low-High	Bad - Good	-
18	Operating structures, including a lock or flight of locks, have customer landings both upstream and downstream
19	Landings at operating structures, have a minimum of three bollards (or other mooring device) over a 21.5m length
20	Leisure and commercial craft have separate landings on multi-use waterways. Commercial landings are suitable for maximum length craft
21	Waiting points are provided in the approaches to locks and opening bridges on rivers. They are suitable for at least one craft
22	Waiting points on multi-use waterways segregate leisure and commercial craft. Refuge piles are acceptable waiting points
23	Landings and moorings have even surfaces and defined edges
24	Vegetation is kept trimmed at landings and moorings
25	Water depth at landings and moorings is maintained within published dimensions over a minimum length of 21.5m (for leisure craft) and the maximum craft length (for commercial craft)

	Locks	Low-High	Bad - Good	-
26	Locks are fitted with ladders. Two in wide locks - ideally at opposite third points. One in narrow locks - ideally at the centre point. The ladders have top hoops and are kept clean
27	Narrow locks have three mooring points on the same side as the ladder. Wide locks have three mooring points on either side
28	Lock chambers and gates are free of protrusions / indentations that could snag boats. Gates are fendered
29	Cill positions are clearly marked on lock top and sides
30	Staircase, guillotine and customer operated power locks display clear, simple instructions for use
31	Locks are clearly signed with an identifying number. Also with a traditional name where appropriate
32	Balance beams have handles and these are securely fitted
33	Lock walkways, and balance beams used as walkways, have non slip surfaces
34	Lock walkways, and balance beams used as walkways, have securely fitted handrails
35	Lock paddle spindles are one of two BW standard sizes. Spindles are not worn or rounded
36	Lock paddle gear includes a device to prevent reverse rotation of a windlass when raising a paddle
37	Lock paddles & sluices are risk assessed regarding potential flooding of boats. Fitted deflectors are the default requirement

	Lighting	Low-High	Bad - Good	-
38	Lighting, provided by BW on safety grounds, is maintained in full working order

	Signage & navigation aids	Low-High	Bad - Good	-
39	Safety signs and safety aids are visible, clear and legible
40	Safety signs are replaced within one day of a problem being logged
41	Customers are warned about overhead power lines with clear, visible warning signage
42	Navigational aids, signs, lights and buoys are installed in appropriate circumstances and maintained in full working order
43	Customers are warned about navigational hazards, such as weirs, in advance of the hazard. The correct navigation channel is signed
44	Where they are required, river level indicators are clearly visible and legible
45	Where strong streams or water levels can be hazardous, water level indicators and warning signs are in place. Both are clearly visible and legible

	Towpath / fishing / access points	Low-High	Bad - Good	-
46	All vegetation is cut 'hedge to water's edge' at least once a year. Customer safety risks are eliminated within one month
47	Fishing pegs are not permitted within 30m of overhead power lines
48	Steps and sloping pathways have no loose treads or risers. Treads and risers have clearly defined leading edges
49	Where steps and sloping pathways have handrails, these are securely fixed
50	Where the distance between step risers is less than 1000mm, the tread / going is horizontal

	Tunnels	Low-High	Bad - Good	-
51	Tunnels have fixed safety and gauge reduction signage that is visible, clean and legible
52	Tunnels are clearly signed to indicate one or two way working
53	The direction of the nearest tunnel exit is clearly signed with arrows
54	Lengthy tunnels have distance markers every 100m
55	Tunnels with towpaths have secure handrails. Tunnels without towpaths have fendering and grab chains installed
56	Tunnel air vents are covered with a fixed grill or mesh

	Performance	Low-High	Bad - Good	-
57	Customers receive their boat licences within fifteen days of BW receiving the application
58	Signage is clear accurate and up to date. Redundant signage is removed when new signage is installed
59	Notice boards are kept up to date and are easy to understand
60	Destinations have welcome signage relevant to their location
61	Waterscape.com and BW's web site are accessible 24 / 7
62	Water points, sanitary stations and other facilities are clearly identified
63	Correspondence is personalised with the customer's name, whenever available. A named BW contact (first / last name) will be provided
64	Standard information is dispatched within a day of a customer's request
65	BW can communicate with customers in Wales, in the Welsh language
66	Postal enquiries are replied to within five working days
67	E-mails are replied to within five working days
68	First level complaints are acknowledged within five working days and responded to within fifteen days of acknowledgment
69	Second level complaints are acknowledged within five working days and responded to within fifteen days of referral to a director
70	BW offices provide a 24 / 7 voice mail messages service
71	Telephone enquiries that cannot be answered immediately will responded to within five working days
72	Work patterns reflect the volume and type of customer demand
73	Pre-booked assisted lock / bridge passages are attended to punctually
74	Emergency calls to 0800 4799947 are responded to within 45 minutes and bone fide emergencies attended on site within a further 60 minutes
75	Electricity supply bollards and water points at visitor moorings function correctly
76	Toilet & pump outs, chemical toilet & refuse disposal, showers & washing facilities are kept clean & serviceable. Any unsafe situations are responded>to within 24 hours of notification
77	BW tries to maintain waterway vegetation at fit for purpose levels that reflect customer usage
78	Every effort is made to keep canals & towpaths free of litter
79	Busy dog walking towpaths have dog bins that are regularly emptied