Thanks Npower (Refreshing Change?)

MattLFC

Nope, I'm not being Sarcastic here, I'm genuinely hoping to give you guys a refreshing change, by posting a positive thread with regards my experience with npower.

Last March I signed up for their SO21 tariff. Initially, my previous supplier Eon, did everything they could to slowdown the transfer. To cut a long story short, my apartment was newbuild, and Eon had put the address of the meters as Bolton (the company that built my apartments). They had not changed over the address as they should have done, and npower could not complete the transfer until they did. npower contacted Eon, and chased them, and basically did all the work for me.

Eventually got things sorted in May - it wasn't any hassle as npower sorted it all out for me, received good customer service.

Then back in August/September, npower contacted me to ask why I was leaving, and to alert me that there would be a £20 early-termination fee - I wasn't and after talking through the situation with the advisor, he tried to resolve it by placing me onto the SO23 tariff (the SO21/22 replacement as the SO21 was not available at the time). Basically they had to sign me up as a new customer, but the advisor said 23 would work out more expensive in my circumstances (I don't actually use gas and there was a standing charge), so he escalated it to someone more senior. It turned out to be what is called an "erroneous transfer", which basically means the incorrect serial number was used by the company/person trying to transfer their supply, npower again went out of their way, the support woman contacting me every week to update me, and sending progress information in writing. Eventually got the supply back over in October iirc, all resolved by npower without any work or stress for me.

Then in December, I received my half-yearly bill, and I noticed there was a £12 gas charge based on a meter reading they had made. I phoned up to query this as I don't use gas (I went with dual fuel tariff only because you get £100 discount after 12 months but £40 for electric only, plus Quidco were paying £40 for dual fuel customers - my gas is actually capped as the apartment is super-insulated being a newbuild, never less than 18 degrees even on the coldest days, solar power hot water etc) and then gave them my reading, and it turned out I had given them an incorrect reading intially.

Anyway, the guy said it would be resolved in 3 - 4 weeks, and I'd receive a new bill based on the correct reading. A couple of weeks later, I received a voicemail from the same woman who sorted out my erroneous transfer issue, to discuss a compensation package as an apology for sending out an incorrect bill and the delay in resolving it. I telephoned her, and she asked would I accept a £50 cheque as a goodwill gesture and apology, to which I obviously agreed. A couple of days later I got her letter confirming, then a week or so after that, I received the cheque.

So not only was the SO21 package unbelievable for me (it was £177 per year less than anything else at the time, based on my usage) but the customer service has been outstanding. I'm not even a high-paying customer, everything in my apartment is remote controlled, all the sockets etc are powered off when devices are not used etc, and it looks like I will have used 2500kWh come May, so my bill is only going to be about £250 (the prices changed) for the entire year. Of which I got £50 compo from them, £40 from Quidco, and I'm not sure if the discount applys for the next year or is already in the prices, I think it's the former, so they could apply a £100 credit to my account for the next year?? Which would mean this years bill technically, has been £60 looooool!!

They are now moving me across to their Go Save tariff at the end of the SO21 contract period (March 31st - they made me aware I would move to Go Save before I signed up though) though they state on the letter I am free to move to any of their tariffs if the Go Save does not suit, checking online, although it is 45% higher than SO21, it is still cheaper than anyone else or npowers other tariffs for my personal circumstances. So even though I could move to another supplier and get Qudico payments, I am going to choose not to, such is the impressive customer service they have provided me over the past 12 months, none of the issues were there doing, and yet they went out of their way to help a low-revenue customer.

I've fired an email off to them as well to thank them, and the woman who helped me is called Bernadette something iirc, I will dig out a letter and confirm!!

So bravo npower, would certainly recommend them to anyone based on my experience with them. I know energy companies get a lot of stick, but sometimes they do quite well; I think npower must have taken heed of the undercover boss programme that went into them to sort their customer service, because I know (and was worried by) they used to have a dodgy reputation for customer service.

:T

meggsy

Matt, you obviously have a very special relationship with npower, it gave me a giggle early this morning though

nPower

Hi MattLFC,

Thanks for your lovely feedback - it's made our day in the office!

If you can let me know the names of anyone you've spoken to, I can pass the thanks on to them!

Best wishes,

Adam