Customer Service Standards

Key

1 - People Standards - target achivement 100% by March 2009
2 - Safety Standards - target achivement 100% by April 2008 [see note]
3 - Performance Standards - target achivement 100% by March 2009

1 - People Standards
No.	BW People	Note
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

2 - Safety Standards
No.	2a Bridges	Note
1	Bridges are clearly signed on both sides with an identifying number
2	Hand operated lift bridges can be secured to prevent accidental lowering
3	Mechanically operated lift bridges have fail safe devices to control their descent
4	Clear and simple instructions for use are displayed at customer operated bridges

2 - Safety Standards
No.	2b Channel & winding holes	Note
1	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
2	Vegetation at winding hole pivot points is kept trimmed
3	Water depth is adequate for boats to pivot	*

2 - Safety Standards
No.	2c Landings & moorings	Note
1	Operating structures, including a lock or flight of locks, have customer landings both upstream and downstream	*
2	Landings at operating structures, have a minimum of three bollards (or other mooring device) over a 21.5m length
3	Leisure and commercial craft have separate landings on multi-use waterways. Commercial landings are suitable for maximum length craft	**
4	Waiting points are provided in the approaches to locks and opening bridges on rivers. They are suitable for at least one craft	*
5	Waiting points on multi-use waterways segregate leisure and commercial craft. Refuge piles are acceptable waiting points	**
6	Landings and moorings have even surfaces and defined edges
7	Vegetation is kept trimmed at landings and moorings
8	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)	*

2 - Safety Standards
No.	2d Locks	Note
1	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	*******
2	Narrow locks have three holding points on the same side as the ladder. Wide locks have three holding points on both sides	********
3	Lock chambers and gates are free of protrusions / indentations that could snag boats. Gates are fendered
4	Cill positions are clearly marked on lock top and sides
5	Staircase, guillotine and customer operated power locks display clear, simple instructions for use
6	Locks are clearly signed with an identifying number. Also with a traditional name where appropriate
7	Balance beams have handles and these are securely fitted
8	Lock walkways, and balance beams used as walkways, have non slip surfaces
9	Lock walkways, and balance beams used as walkways, have securely fitted handrails
10	Lock paddle spindles are one of two BW standard sizes. Spindles are not worn or rounded
11	Lock paddle gear includes a device to prevent reverse rotation of a windlass when raising a paddle
12	Lock paddles & sluices are risk assessed regarding potential flooding of boats. Fitted deflectors are the default requirement

2 - Safety Standards
No.	2e Lighting	Note
1	Lighting, provided by BW on safety grounds, is maintained in full working order

2 - Safety Standards
No.	2f Signage & navigation aids	Note
1	Safety signs and safety aids are visible, clear and legible
2	Safety signs are replaced within one day of a problem being logged
3	Customers are warned about overhead power lines with clear, visible warning signage
4	Navigational aids, signs, lights and buoys are installed in appropriate circumstances and maintained in full working order
5	Customers are warned about navigational hazards, such as weirs, in advance of the hazard. The correct navigation channel is signed
6	Where they are required, river level indicators are clearly visible and legible
7	Where strong streams or water levels can be hazardous, water level indicators and warning signs are in place. Both are clearly visible and legible
8	Weirs are assessed for the risk of boats going over or snagging on the crest. Upstream booms or equivalent barriers are fitted as required

2 - Safety Standards
No.	2g Towpath / fishing / access points	Note
1	All vegetation is cut 'hedge to water's edge' at least once a year. Customer safety risks are eliminated within one month
2	Fishing pegs are not permitted within 30m of overhead power lines
3	Steps and sloping pathways have no loose treads or risers. Treads and risers have clearly defined leading edges	*
4	Where steps and sloping pathways have handrails, these are securely fixed	*
5	Where the distance between step risers is less than 1000mm, the tread / going is horizontal	*

2 - Safety Standards
No.	2h Tunnels	Note
1	Tunnels have fixed safety and gauge reduction signage that is visible, clean and legible
2	Tunnels are clearly signed to indicate one or two way working
3	The direction of the nearest tunnel exit is clearly signed with arrows
4	Lengthy tunnels have distance markers every 100m
5	Tunnels with towpaths have secure handrails. Tunnels without towpaths have fendering and grab chains installed
6	Tunnel air vents are covered with a fixed grill or mesh

3 - Performance Standards
No.	3a On the waterway	Note
1	BW publishes advisory waterway dimensions and does all it reasonably can to make them available for navigation. These limiting dimensions comprise the length, width, water depth and headroom generally available for the passage of boats	*****
2	Signage is clear accurate and up to date. Redundant signage is removed when new signage is installed
3	Notice boards are kept up to date and are easy to understand
4	Destinations have welcome signage relevant to their location
5	Water points, sanitary stations and other facilities are clearly identified
6	Every effort is made to keep canals & towpaths free of litter
7	BW tries to maintain waterway vegetation at fit for purpose levels that reflect customer usage
8	Work patterns reflect the volume and type of customer demand
9	Pre-booked assisted lock / bridge passages are attended to punctually
10	Emergency calls to 0800 4799947 are responded to within 45 minutes and bone fide emergencies attended on site within a further 60 minutes
11	Electricity supply bollards and water points at visitor moorings function correctly
12	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
13	Busy dog walking towpaths have dog bins that are regularly emptied

3 - Performance Standards
No.	3b In the office	Note
1	Customers receive their boat licences within fifteen days of BW receiving the application
2	Standard information is dispatched within a day of a customer's request
3	Postal enquiries are replied to within five working days
4	E-mails are replied to within five working days
5	Correspondence is personalised with the customer's name, whenever available. A named BW contact (first / last name) will be provided
6	Telephone enquiries that cannot be answered immediately will responded to within five working days
7	BW can communicate with customers in Wales, in the Welsh language
8	Waterscape.com and BW's web site are accessible 24 / 7
9	BW offices provide a 24 / 7 voice mail messages service
10	First level complaints are acknowledged within five working days and responded to within fifteen days of acknowledgment
11	Second level complaints are acknowledged within five working days and responded to within fifteen days of referral to a director

Note

* March 2009

** March 2010. Safety management plans in place meanwhile

*** March 2009 for Leeds/Liverpool & Rochdale canals

**** March 2009 for narrow canals

***** Limiting dimensions to be published Q2 2008/09