We’re starting 2023 on a high as we’re absolutely delighted to have won a prestigious Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award. This coveted gong is only awarded to businesses that deliver an extraordinary level of service to their customers. And, in order to qualify, the business must have won a Gold Trusted Service for three consecutive years.
What makes this award so very special to all of us at Northern Energy is that giving customers the best service possible is at the heart of everything we do. It’s what we firmly believe puts us head and shoulders above our competition.
Asked about winning the award, our Managing Director, Stuart Illingworth said, “We’re over the moon about winning a Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award. It’s fantastic to have been recognised for all the hard work and dedication that the entire team have put into making Northern Energy what it is today. Winning this award to me isn’t about the honour and prestige that comes with it, but about the proof that we continually strive for excellence when it comes to serving local communities, delivering their heating oil and LPG. We believe that even the smallest positive difference we make is important and ensures that our customers trust us to be true to our word, and always put them first.”
So, how did we do it? This award is thanks to the many 5-star reviews our customers both old and new continue to give us. And these are all thanks to our values, which are the pillars on which Northern Energy is built.
Our values play a crucial role in everything we do as they form the basis of how we work, act and treat customers. We sum them up as C.A.R.E. with this acronym being made up of the following words – Customer Service, Appreciative, Relationships and Effort. Let’s take a look at each in a bit more detail.
Customer Service
Giving our customers great service at all times is a vital part of our business, as it plays a crucial role in creating happy customers who stay with us because they like the way we treat them by putting their needs first. For us, it’s not just about delivering their domestic heating oil and LPG, or offering energy saving help and advice, but it's all about providing a positive and satisfying experience, one that goes beyond just meeting their needs. It is about exceeding expectations and creating a lasting impression.
Customer service is the foundation of everything we do. To us, it’s important to understand the needs and wants of our customers, then use this knowledge to provide the best possible experience. This includes being responsive to their concerns and questions, listening to what they say to us, providing accurate and useful information, and always being true to our word.
Appreciative
One of the key elements of good service is the ability to appreciate and value both our customers and colleagues. This means treating everyone - no matter who they are - with respect and kindness at all times. Just as important is making sure we always listen to their needs and concerns.
Another aspect of being appreciative is being willing to help and support each other however and whenever we can. This is just as important whether it’s a customer asking for assistance or a member of staff wanting someone to give them a hand. It’s thanks to this type of unflinching positive attitude that we go above and beyond the norm and not because we have to, but because we want to.
Relationships
As a family-run business that was founded over 90 years ago and is now managed by the 4th generation of the family, we champion family values. One of which is creating strong, long-lasting relationships and treating everyone like an individual This in turn helps develop trust and understanding with customers and colleagues alike. All with the added benefit, that it means we’re always willing to work together in order to find solutions to any problems that may arise.
Thanks to this supportive environment, we’ve created a culture of good service as a standard that benefits everyone. It also makes us a positive place to work. One where our colleagues enjoy coming to work, being part of one big happy family and giving their best.
Effort
Here at Northern Energy, we’re very proud to be full of people who don’t shy away from a bit of hard work. In fact, quite the opposite. Their dedication and commitment to doing what’s right is without fault. They’re always willing and eager to ensure that both customers and their colleagues are happy. This means taking the time to understand the needs of others, as well as always working to improve and learn. A big part of this includes being open to feedback and suggestions.
This great work ethic runs throughout our business from the bottom to the top. As seen when our previous Chairman once jumped in a delivery tanker one Christmas Day to deliver to a customer who had realised that they’d run out of fuel, even though we were officially closed. Or, when one of our LPG drivers helped carry a customer's washing in when it started to rain.
Our four values - Customer Service, Appreciative, Relationships and Effort all come together to ensure our customers always come first. And that we continue to grow and improve as a business. Always doing what’s best for everyone who uses our service, our colleagues and our planet.
For us, it’s obviously great news to win a Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award. But what’s more important is that it shows we’re staying true to our beliefs and building on all the hard work that has gone before into making us who we are as a business. After all, Northern Energy began over 90 years ago when our founder, Ralph Robinson, helped a farmer take his milk to the dairy. It was something he did as an act of kindness. Even though a lot has changed in the world since then, this way of thinking has stayed the same thanks to the fact that we’re still an independent company run by Ralph’s family.