Customer advisory board at Stromnetz Berlin
19.06.2018
The committee to improve customer communication and transparency provides valuable impetus.
Customer advisory board at Stromnetz Berlin
The committee to improve customer communication and transparency provides valuable impetus.
Customer communication, the energy revolution, security of supply, transparency and innovation – these are the most pressing topics for the 23 members of the newly assembled customer advisory board of Stromnetz Berlin GmbH, the operator of the capital city's electricity distribution grid. This was confirmed during the new board's first three meetings.
During its three-year tenure, the board, which is made up of representatives from nearly all of the 12 Berlin districts, will be tasked with championing the concerns of the city's approximately 2.3 million electricity grid customers. Following the meeting, Thomas Schäfer, Chairman of the Management Board at Stromnetz Berlin GmbH, explains why the company decided to convene the board: "This particular format, whereby we can listen directly to customers and have a face-to-face conversation, gives us specific insights into their ideas and wishes. It enables us to improve our customer service and what we offer even better."
From the members' perspective, taking part in the board is a good way to get actively involved in issues around the electricity grid infrastructure in their city.
“Stromnetz Berlin is a byword for speedy customer service for electricity connections, repairs and a secure electricity supply here in Berlin. I want to do my bit for the customers as a customer advisory board member. One of the most important tasks is ensuring efficient, easy and good-value meter reading for everyone,” commented one board member.
In addition to the three regular meetings per year at which the board discusses topics of its choice, advisory board members also get the opportunity to learn more about the capital's distribution network through outings and talks. Ideas and questions from the committee can be put to the Stromnetz Berlin Management Board directly. In addition, Stromnetz Berlin is making sure that members are closely involved in the development of new customer formats.
The main incentive behind establishing the customer advisory board was a customer workshop held in early 2014, during which a host of Berlin residents selected at random were asked how they could see themselves becoming involved with the actions of an electricity grid operator. The idea of a customer advisory board was at the top of the list of suggestions offered by the participants. All Berlin residents over 16 were therefore asked to apply to join. As a result, the first board was created in November 2014, with a three-year term in office. The second term for the subsequent committee with 23 new board members began in November 2017.