Why did you wish to achieve the Customer Service Excellence Standard?
At Axil, customer excellence isn’t just a strategy; it’s embedded in our culture and championed by every individual, from senior leadership to on-site operatives. As one of the UK’s leading total waste management specialists, we provide tailored waste solutions across critical sectors, including automotive, food, and pharmaceuticals. From the very start of our partnerships, we emphasise that maintaining and exceeding customer service standards is everyone’s responsibility, ensuring long-term relationships are developed, strengthened, and retained.
What was your approach to assessment?
Axil’s leadership actively prioritises customer service, demonstrating its importance to every team member. Our collaborative culture and transparent communication develop trust and set clear expectations for our client relationships. During the initial stages of partnerships, we co-develop service delivery plans, illustrating that customer excellence is a shared goal across the organisation.
To prepare for the assessment, our Communications and Partnerships Manager led a collaborative effort, engaging various teams in the evidence-gathering process. This involved everyone—from senior leadership to operational staff—to provide different perspectives, which allowed us to comprehensively evaluate our operations. Our Partnership Excellence Strategy clearly outlines our commitment to customers and what they can expect right from the start. This strategy serves as a roadmap for both our team and our clients, ensuring everyone is aligned and working towards shared goals.
What have you experienced as the impact/benefit of the CSE Standard?
Achieving the CSE Standard has delivered several key benefits to Axil:
- Leadership Commitment: Axil’s leadership participated in kick-off meetings to establish clear expectations, showcasing that customer excellence is integral to Axil’s DNA. As Ed Pigg, Managing Director, puts it:
“This type of recognition matters to everyone on the team. It validates the hard work we’re all putting in and reinforces our commitment to continuous improvement. We know that not everything goes perfectly all the time, but our ability to quickly identify issues and act on them is crucial. It helps us maintain our strong culture as we grow and expand into new sectors.”
- Training and Career Development: Our training programmes reflect our belief that customer service is integral to every role. With a 99% employee retention rate and 27% of promotions coming from within, we are developing a skilled and loyal workforce. Employees are regularly coached on how their day-to-day actions can influence client satisfaction and the growth of these relationships.
- Retention and Growth: Our focus on customer excellence has directly contributed to our 97% client retention and growth. By acting on feedback and improving services, we have built long-lasting partnerships. For instance, our customer service team worked closely with operational teams to optimise waste collection routes, resulting in reduced costs and enhanced client satisfaction.
How did the assessment feedback support you?
When considering our submission for the CSE Standard, we realised that the criteria encompassed all of Axil, not just the service delivery team. This holistic approach provided invaluable insights, guiding our improvement efforts and reinforcing our commitment to customer excellence. As a result, we were compliant plus in seven areas, exceeding our initial expectations.
The assessment process was a valuable opportunity for our teams to reflect on their roles in delivering customer excellence. As one employee said:
“At first, I was a bit nervous about the assessment, but I quickly realised it wasn’t meant to trip us up. Being part of this assessment gave us the opportunity to discuss how we handle customer interactions and the passion we have for delivering exceptional service.”
Why did you choose Assessment Services Ltd for your assessment?
We selected Assessment Services due to their experience and thorough understanding of the Customer Service Excellence Standard. Their detailed feedback and in-depth approach ensured we could evaluate our customer service operations effectively. Their guidance has been instrumental in helping us identify areas of strength and areas for improvement, which has been crucial in maintaining our high standards.
Achieving the Customer Service Excellence Standard does not end here but is part of our continuous improvement journey. Being assessed by an independent auditor has inspired us to further evaluate our practices and benchmark against our sector and others. We highly recommend this process to any organisation seeking to evaluate their operations, identify areas for improvement, and create a culture of excellence.
Author
Rebecca Miller – Communications and Partnerships Manager
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