Customers must be confident that the service they receive meets their needs and expectations on quality and value for money.
We monitor and report on Scottish Water’s customer service performance in providing service to customers and set targets for improvement. For this work we use a points-based system, the overall performance assessment (OPA). The OPA encompasses aspects of service that are most important to customers, such as the speed with which customer enquiries are dealt with and the risk of sewer flooding.
Since 2002, Scottish Water's OPA score has more than doubled, increasing from 132 to 291 in 2009-10. We now have every expectation that performance will at least match that of the leading companies in England and Wales by 2013-14.
In addition to our monitoring of the OPA, customers in Scotland are protected by Guaranteed Minimum Standards. These are minimum standards that Scottish Water must meet, and which customers have a right to expect. Scottish Water is also required to adhere to a Code of Practice on customer standards. This covers customer service, complaints handling and compensation for service failures.