Get to know Charlotte Arthur – specialist services teams manager at The Green Energy Advice Bureau (GEAB).
The part I play in the GEAB team involves…
Managing five mini departments: complaints, compliance, billing, metering and change of tenancies. Across the teams that I manage, my role is to improve processes to make sure we increase our industry knowledge and experience for our customers. For example, we’re running a project to offer businesses a new service where they’re able to track their consumption. Controlling emissions and net zero goals have become a big priority for our customs (as well as managing their annual energy spend), so we are constantly devising new ways we can help make that easier for them. I also run validation and compliance processes for both customers and suppliers. It’s incredible how much goes on behind the scenes of a sale and it’s our job to make sure our customers both get what they signed up for and have support during the life of that contract if any issues arise.
The most surprising thing I’ve learned about commercial energy during my time at GEAB is…
The vast range of problems and complaints that can arise from an energy sale. In my time at GEAB, I have learned about the many technical aspects that are at play behind the scenes of every energy contract. We take responsibility for every concern a customer may have, which means we deal with suppliers on their behalf to resolve and queries or problems. The list of things that can go wrong is astounding and, quite understandably, most customers don’t have the time to become experts in the energy industry, therefore need our support. From a professional perspective, the biggest thing I have learned is that a complaint from a customer should not be treated as a negative experience. 99% of the time, we are able to resolve the query for the customer and they leave over the moon that we have fixed the issue on their behalf. As we work with a broad panel of suppliers, we have seen the best and the worst of the energy industry, which means that in a sense, we have more expertise to be able to identify trigger points and resolve complaints with the suppliers. It really makes you realise the value of a consultancy service. If a customer has a complaint or suggestions about our service, I always see this as an opportunity for improvement – that’s why I speak of my role as being centred on ‘improving processes’. My goal is to learn from our customers’ experience to expand on the positives and improve the negatives. I believe I make a difference in the customer experience at GEAB – and that’s why I love my job.
The most memorable day I’ve had so far at GEAB was when…
We did Secret Santa within the teams. The team culture we have in the office when it comes to company events is fantastic. We have a carvery for Christmas dinner every year – it’s one of the rare events that brings everybody in the business together to sit down for a meal. It’s always beautifully-decorated and all the teams mix together. It’s a real family feel. I also had a career highlight this year where I managed to secure a £44,000 solar rebate for a customer. One of our account managers raised the issue nearly two years ago and he and I have worked tirelessly since then to help this customer secure the refund. When we gave her the news, she was so grateful to both of us – something we see every day in a customer-facing role is the real time impact of our work. We get feedback so quickly and I’m constantly reminded of how much of an impact our work has on businesses we support.
On my days off, I like to…
Read – I’m a huge bookworm. We’ve actually just started a book club here at GEAB and I’m already reading the first one. I love quiet days, going out for nice meals and spending time with my family. I also have two cats, so my spare time is dedicated to them and my fiancé!
Something my team might not know about me is…
That I’m teaching myself the piano. It’s always been a goal of mine and I finally bit the bullet and bought myself a keyboard. It hasn’t been easy so far, but I’m practicing every week and I’m finally able to play some songs!
The Green Energy Advice Bureau is one of the UK’s leading commercial energy consultancy firms. To discuss how GEAB can find the right energy and sustainability solutions for your business, visit geab.com/portfolio-north or call 0191 821 0049.
