Customer care

CUSTOMER CARE POLICY

Looking after customer relations is fundamental for Acea, which is committed to improving the experience associated with the Group, known as the “customer journey”. The operating companies pursue this objective in their daily management of interactions with customers, while at the Parent Company the Stakeholder and Perceived Quality Unit ensures the monitoring and measurement of customer satisfaction with services provided, to support the companies with finding possible improvement actions.

The Stakeholder and Perceived Quality Unit, in concert with the Group's operating companies and through an external market research company, also carry out mystery client research to monitor the quality of customer contact channels. In fact, Mystery Client surveys are used to constantly assess contact channels, including call centers for sales and to report faults, physical branches, digital branches and live chats, as well as any new channels that may be activated, in order to identify strengths and areas which require improvement. Compliance with service standards is verified (compliant/ non-compliant) and process managers are provided with a tool for the process of continuously improving the quality of touch points

In the context of the parent company's Public Affairs & Business Development Department, the Association Relations Unit also monitors responses to issues raised by consumer associations. To that end, the Unit works with the main associations to provide a space for requests coming from local areas and works to increase awareness with respect to using digital and telephone channels reserved for them, which are managed by the companies.

The Consumer Associations recognised by the National Consumer and User Council (CNCU) also support and represent customers who intend to resort to a joint settlement procedure, for the out-of-court settlement of commercial disputes, used by Acea. According to the Memorandum of Understanding for ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) conciliation signed by 19 consumer associations and the main Group companies¹⁰⁸, the ADR body¹⁰⁹ was set up, which allows customers of Acea Energia, Areti, Acea Ato 2, Acea Ato 5 and Gesesa to access out-of-court dispute resolution through the ADR procedure. In 2023, the Body received a total of 288 requests for procedures – 134 for the water sector and 154 for the energy sector – a decrease of 19% compared to the previous year (356 requests in 2022). Of these, in accordance with the law and the Regulation, 195 were assessed as proceeding and 93 as not proceeding.

Gori, which has long signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the conciliation of disputes with local consumer associations, also handled 68 conciliation procedures in 2023 and concluded 124 ARERA conciliation requests.

AdF has a relationship of constant collaboration and comparison with the Consumer Associations active in the territory; in 2023 it ensured direct channels of contact with the representatives of the local associations, in order to limit disputes and facilitate their settlement. Additionally, in June a meeting was organised with representatives from the provincial associations, during which aspects where shared including the payment of bonuses to support resident households, progress on the next generation meter installation project and the expanded digital services available to customers.

The judicial disputes that took place during the year between Acea and the customers is explained in the dedicated box.

Acea Energia has defined and applies specific procedures, depending on the channel used, to combat “disputed activations/contracts” and “unsolicited supplies”¹¹⁰.

For customers of the free market, in the event of a contract proposal signed using door-to-door sales or by telephone, the Company carries out procedures to verify the correct behaviour of the sales operator, the clear presentation of the content of the contract signed, and, above all, the customer’s awareness of having made a choice by means of an email sent to the valid email address supplied, or a confirmation call aimed at limiting the risk of misunderstanding and belated exercise of the right of withdrawal. Acea Energia checks the completeness and absence of tampering in all printed contracts and listens to all the telephone records produced by the sales reps. If issues are identified, the CRM SalesForce system impedes moving forward with activation of the offer.

For the digital sales channel, utilised at the physical channel Shop in Shop, in 2023 the digital acceptance process was fully implemented. This is done by directly preparing the contract on the Acea Energia CRM SalesForce system, sending the customer all contractual and precontractual elements at the valid email address they provide, to be digitally signed utilising a one time password (OTP) sent directly to the customer’s cellphone.

For the telemarketing channel, the digital sales “Adobe Sign” process entirely replaced traditional telemarketing in 2023. This process has a single vocal order, strengthened with reference to privacy and quality checks in terms of the technical identification data to be included in the offer, with digital signing also based on a one time password (OTP). With the digital process, the customer contacted, who has expressed interest in receiving a contract proposal, can receive in advance, at his/her e-mail address, all the precontractual and contractual material in digital format and proceed only later, if desired, with the digital signature of the contract, by entering the OTP received via SMS on the mobile phone number indicated.

Again with reference to telemarketing, in 2023 the sub-channel of comparison sites was kicked off, which envisages an outbound callback from business partners to customers who have preventively given consent to the same on the “lead generation” platforms, previously authorised by Acea Energia. The same Adobe Sign digital sales process is utilised without using any vocal order, as the preventive granting of consent to a call back by the customer is deemed sufficient.

For the Door to Door channel, in the second half of 2023 the digital sub-channel was launched, which utilises the same digital acceptance process as the Shop in Shop channel, implementing a process on the CRM SalesForce system to carry out automatic anti-fraud checks, verifying the email addresses, cellphone numbers and IP addresses, and/or geo-localisation data used by the customer and/or agent when the contract is proposed and subsequently signed by the end customer

With the new agency mandates that govern relations with the network of sales agents, introduced in the second half of 2023, Acea Energia simplified one specific annex (“Penalties”) which governs the sanctioning process with respect to Agencies, homogenising them for the various sales channels while maintaining scalability for violations and the amounts to be paid in line with criteria of gravity, reiteration and proportion. In this context, in 2023 Acea Energia analysed 624 contract proposals (subject to “unfair commercial practice”), identified through customer complaints or reports or through quality controls carried out internally by the Company, for cases of “disputed activations/contracts”, “unsolicited supplies”, “malpractice” or other violations provided for in the “Penalties” annex. As a result of the verification activities, Acea Energia reported to the Agencies 722 cases of “unfair commercial practices”, of which 124 relative to cases analysed in 2022 and reported in 2023. As is customary, in 2023 the Company again carried out a mandatory training programme for sales representatives (see the Suppliers chapter) and maintained, in the aforementioned agreements, bonus/malus mechanisms related to the quality of the contracts acquired.

With the aim of improving communication with its customers, Acea Energia is continuing with the digitalisation and simplification process, to offer innovative services that better meet customer needs. In this context, the updating and implementing of new functions on the MyAcea Energia App began, which will be completed in 2024. Additionally, during 2023 a full restyling of the Acea.it website was launched, optimising the processes available to customers and improving user experience.

The Company’s goal was to develop a sales and communication strategy built around sustainability, with offers, added value services and tools that help protect the environment and, in 2023, it carried out digital and social campaigns focussed on education around the theme of reduced consumption, to raise customer awareness on the efficient and knowledgeable use of electricity and gas, digital services, sustainability and electric mobility.

This sales strategy can also be seen in the partnership with WINDTRE, based on a collaborative model that takes advantage of the commercial potential offered by the WINDTRE brand and the solidity of Acea Energia in managing electricity and gas services. In fact, the brand WINDTRE Luce&Gas Powered by Acea Energia offers a range of sustainable offers.

In 2023 the constant increase in “green” energy sold¹¹¹ by Acea to customers on the free market continued, estimated at 3,000 GWh, an increase of over 18% compared to consolidated volumes in 2022 (2,536 GWh). The share of this item out of the total energy sold in the year to free market customers (around 5,369 GWh, see also Environmental Accounts) reached 56% (42% on the 2022 consolidated figures).

Water companies have also stepped up communication initiatives aimed at customers. In particular, the Communications & Media Relations department prepared the Every Drop of Water campaign for Acea Ato 2, focussed on responsible water use, which was broadcast as from March 2023 (see the dedicated box in the Communications, events and solidarity paragraph). Further, in line with previous years, Acea Ato 2 continued to promote the supplemental water bonus, to inform eligible customers of the possibility of utilising subsidies in their utility bills at the local level, which can be combined with the national social bonus, with a campaign carried out through print and digital media and outdoors, in particular in the Provinces, where there is a larger concentration of direct users.

Each year, Acea Ato 5 proposes communication initiatives to make customers aware of specific issues, such as communicating meter readings and mitigating the risk of meters freezing, and informing them about the planned replacement of the meters. The Water Identity Card was also promoted, allowing users to provide their residential address in order to have access to data and information on the quality of the water supplied, including an indication of the values of the main analytes that characterise the water in the area of interest.

AdF continued to give visibility to the possibility of accessing the national water bonus and the supplementary bonus through the fiora.it website and by notices posted at “AdF Points”. Additionally, the Company prepared an integrated communication plan, with “customised” touch points taking into account the specific needs of customers. 

In 2023 the loyalty bonus was maintained, an one time incentive for customers who, in the previous two years, have opted to use web billing and bank or post office direct debit, maintaining this choice for at least twelve months. Through this initiative, at 31 December 2023 AdF paid a total of € 26,840 to 5,368 users and another 1,158 customers will receive a sum in 2024, having become eligible in 2023. In March 2023, the “AdF at home, a new service to stay informed” initiative was further enhanced: the company asked customers to provide their contact information through online forms, to stay informed in real time, via email or text message, not only with respect to possible planned water shutoffs but also extraordinary ones, urgent work needed to resolve unexpected problems. AdF decided to carry out this project to offer its community increasingly rapid and precise information. During 2023 the Singolarizzare conviene [Singularising is worth it] information campaign continued, (approved with ARERA resolution 313/2023/R/Idr) to promote separation of users who use a single centralised meter in a shared apartment complex. The main benefits for customers who choose to “singularise” their water account are more awareness around water use, measurement and precise billing of consumption and incentives.

Each year, Gori informs customers and raises their awareness of the correct protection of meters and systems from frost and on the quality of water distributed, transmitting the communication initiatives on various channels and using videos and other media for the web and the press. During 2023 Gesesa also implemented communication campaigns on various issues, including proper water use to avoid waste and how to protect meters from freezing temperatures. After having prepared its 2023 communication plan, Gesesa carried out communication campaigns on the various methods available to customers to send their meter readings. Additionally, through the “Gesesa safe water” campaign, the company provides monthly updates to users on the quality of the water supplied.

CONTACT CHANNELS AND PERFORMANCE

In all customer relations, Acea Group is committed to guaranteeing the respect of privacy in the management of personal data. In particular, Acea keeps updated safeguards on the issue of privacy to better respond to the evolution of the relevant legislation, in line with the European regulations (General Data Protection Regulation - GDPR)¹¹² on the protection of personal data (see in-depth analysis in Corporate Identity, The Internal Control and Risk Management System).

Acea makes available to customers traditional contact channels (call centre and branch) and digital contact channels that are more advanced every year. After an initial push, supported by the health emergency which occurred in recent years, the widespread use of remote channels has become increasingly established, and the companies are working to continuously improve them. In 2023, therefore, all Group companies managing customer relations implemented initiatives aimed at improving remote contact channels and increasing the digitalisation of commercial processes. This strategy led to the separation of dedicated apps for different services, supporting the development of more targeted and distinctive communication methods.

The MyAcea Energia reserved area, live since March 2022, is also available in the form of an app for mobile devices (Android and iOS), which allows customers to manage their electricity and gas accounts, with a new user experience plus an expanded range of available operations. The MySER app on the other hand, is dedicated to the greater protection service, and was improved and redesigned in 2023, with a new home page.

At 31 December 2023, registered users on the MyAcea Energia app totalled 129,408. The web area for the free market recorded 449,682 total unique log ins during the year. In 2023 Acea Energia developed and made available new functions, based on analysis of the most requested services, including, for example, a personalised instalment plan, the acceptance and payment of estimates via App, management of multi-point domicile requests and web billing, as well as “cart” management (bill, work and instalment payments). For the desktop version of the reserved area, in 2023 the new visual design was completed, intended to improve the digital experience for customers, also including new customer segments (small business and large customers).

The new app (for Android and iOS) for the water service (Acea Ato 2 and Acea Ato 5) has been active since March 2022, known as MyAcea Acqua. As at 31 December 2023, there were 392,242 users registered in the online customer area pertaining to Acea Ato 2, an increase of around 8% (362,918 in 2022). This figure corresponds to 51.7% of the customers with active water supplies at the end of the year (759,268).

Through an external supplier, Acea Ato 2 manages the chat service to help customers browse the website and, after registration, use the services available in the customer area MyAcea. The Company has improved:

• the digital branch, the service that can be used, upon reservation, via computer equipped with a webcam or via smartphone;
• the “Waidy Point”, an additional service and contact channel, which provides the same services as the physical channel digitally. The service was designed, using innovative solutions, to reduce the “digital divide”, with the aim of supporting customers with less familiarity with computer tools or with no access to them. Municipalities that request one and provide a digital facilitator can activate agreements with Acea Ato 2 for the opening of additional territorial hubs, in premises within the municipality itself, with hardware provided by the company.
• an integrated platform for customer relation management, Salesforce, with an omnichannel perspective to streamline procedures;
• digitisation of transfer and takeover processes, making it possible to finalise the contract by accepting a link received in an email;
• the transition to the new telephone platform, CTI Genesys, and the consequent transfer of the contact centre service, with a view to simplifying operations and improving the customer experience.

Acea Ato 5 continued to improve management of customers and contact channels (digital branch, toll free sales number, My Acea Acqua app, email, web portal), increasing the number of digital services available to encourage customers to utilise smart technology.

In 2023 the company launched the “Switch to digital billing and win” competition to promote use of the interactive bill. Subscriptions to the relevant web area increased reaching a total of 65,973 users, 7% more than the 2022 figure (61,820 users), accounting for around 33% of total active contracts in the year. Furthermore, through an external supplier, Acea Ato 5 also manages the chat service to help customers use the services on the MyAcea customer area.

AdF, in February 2023 launched the Flùvia chatbot (see the dedicated box); additionally, continuing to promote digitalisation, in October it released the new version of the MyFiora app, for Android and iOS, with a revised registration/access process and new editorial content useful for managing the contractual relationship. Additionally, AdF continued the myfiora transfer bonus to reward customers who decide to request transfer using the self-service feature, accessing the portal. The one-off bonus is paid in the first bill. As at 31 December 2023, 764 customers had chosen this method (equal to a total amount paid by the company of around € 25,900). Overall, 113 It is important to consider that the paper savings shown for each company are calculated on the basis of sheets/envelopes effectively saved, with variables, from company to company, that depend on the billing frequency and the type of communications sent to customers. in 2023 over 2 million pages were viewed in the MyFiora customer area. Finally, social media continued to be one of the most popular communication channels utilised by customers to interact with AdF, which in 2023 invested in growing and developing the social community, with an increase in likes and followers on Facebook, reaching a total of 14,301. AdF is also present on X and LinkedIn, with 907 and 6,346 followers, respectively, confirming growing user interest in utilising social media to interact with the company.

Gori continued to promote participation in digital services (MyGori, web bill and interactive bill), recording an increase of around 8% in registered users in the MyGori reserved area and, as at 31 December 2023, totalling 199,560 users (186,180 in 2022). Gesesa carried out communication initiatives in 2023 to increase those registered in the MyGesesa area and increase awareness of the toll free numbers and various commercial processes which can be carried out on the dedicated website. Those registered in the reserved MyGesesa area increased by around 13% with respect to the previous year, arriving at 12,385 at 31 December 2023 (10,200 in 2022).

On the website www.acea.it dedicated to the free market and on the website www.servizioelettricoroma.it dedicated to the protected market of Acea Energia there are guides to reading the bill. These guides are also available for customers of the water service found in the Water section of the Acea Group website www.gruppo.acea.it. As mentioned, all companies, in the water service as well as energy sales, have encouraged the activation of the web bill and digital payments by promoting the increase of the significant related environmental benefits¹¹³. For example, Acea Energia has optimised the web billing service, updating the graphics and introducing news and education about the world of energy, as well as sections dedicated to improving understanding smart billing.

In particular, as at 31 December 2023, the number of Acea Ato 2 users with digital billing was 447,124, around 16% more than in 2022 (385,353 users with web billing), with an annual paper saving of 84.3 tonnes.

At the end of 2023, there was a total of 98,760 AdF users with active web billing, around 41% of the total users, with a 13% increase compared to the previous year (87,631 users with web billing in 2022) and a paper saving of 11.3 tonnes per year.

Subscriptions to the web bill service, for Gori users, reached 249,664 as at 31 December 2023, around 13% higher than the previous year (221,408 users with web billing in 2022), with a saving of 33 tonnes of paper per year.

At the end of 2023, Acea Ato 5 recorded 58,670 users with active web billing, 9% more than the figure for 2022 (53,869 users), with a saving of 7.1 tonnes of paper per year.

As at 31 December 2023, Gesesa had 10,400 users with active web billing, over 11% more than in 2022 (9,344 users), with a saving of 1.7 tonnes of paper per year.

Lastly, as at 31 December 2023, Acea Energia recorded 687,120 active supplies with web billing (specifically, 548,004 for the free market and 139,116 for the standard market service), with an increase of over 40% compared to the figure for 2022 (489,146 supplies with web billing), for a paper saving in the year of 121.2 tonnes.

Overall, therefore, thanks to the web billing service offered by Group companies and the customers who activated it, 258.6 tonnes of paper were saved in the year, 24% more than the 2022 figure (208.5 tonnes of paper).

The contact centre service for Acea Ato 2 and Acea Ato 5 is managed by an external supplier, selected by each company through a tender process. The service is carried out according to the One Call Solution (OCS) approach, in order to meet the needs expressed by customers through a single contact; the quality of the service is monitored and the staff are trained and attend refreshers on procedure and how to interact with the customer.

Acea Energia internally manages the social media channel (Facebook) for free market customers and the dedicated chat channel, while for the standard market service (Rome Electricity Service) the chat channel is managed by an external supplier; it also manages the toll-free numbers for the free market and the standard market service, outbound campaigns, back office customer care activities, the toll-free number for making appointments at the branch, the Pedius toll-free number and the Premium toll-free number. The Pedius App, which is available for all devices, allows people with a hearing impairment to contact the call centre – on a telephone line with a dedicated priority queue – by writing text messages in chat, which are read to the operator by a computerised voice, while the operator’s answers are returned to users in written form.

In 2023, the Group’s toll-free numbers received, overall, around 5.6 million calls, with a slight increase (+1.3%) compared to 2022 (around 5.5 million calls). The overall service level, despite the increase in the number of calls received in the year under review, improved to 93.4% (Chart 30 and Tables 40 and 41 for the performance of individual companies, at the end of this section).

Chart no. 30 – Total telephone traffic of Acea toll-free numbers (2022-2023)

Note: 2022 figures were adjusted slightly to include AdF data.

Chart no. 31 – Percentage distribution of telephone traffic received by Acea toll-free numbers (2023)

The openings of physical branches are organised to welcome customers on an appointment only basis and all the companies offer their customers a number of channels to schedule the appointments. On one hand, appointment-based branch access has made it possible to achieve excellent service levels while, on the other, the significant development of remote channels has continued to see much higher use despite the end of the health emergency, although slightly more contained in recent years.

The branches at Acea’s headquarters in Rome, in Piazzale Ostiense, for the electricity, gas and water services managed by Acea Energia and Acea Ato 2, allowed entry to a total of 35,603 customers in 2023. down approximately 25% with respect to the previous year (the figure for 2022 was 47,232 customers, in 2021 50,254 cus- tomers, in 2020 88,723 customers and in 2019, prior to the pan- demic, 204,542 customers), with service levels close to 100%.

If the total figures for all companies in the scope are considered, 132,606 customers were received at the branches (126,918 in 2022, 121,674 in 2021; 163,527 in 2020 and 555,496 in 2019); the 4.5% increase with respect to 2022 is due to higher numbers of visitors than in the previous year, recorded by Gori, AdF and Gesesa.

See Tables 40 and 41 for the performance over the last two years of the individual Companies.

For Acea Ato 2 the digital branch service is in place, managed inter- nally. As at 31 December 2023, the Company had 20 active Waidy Points (14 managed by Acea Ato 2 and 6 by the municipality). Note that physical branches outside of Rome have been replaced by Waidy Points throughout the province which, overall, saw 1,637 customers with a 100% service level (customers/tickets issued), with a waiting time of 2’00” and an average service time of 21’47”.

AdF also strengthened the digital branch service, which increased its operations, now covering 22% of total contacts through the branch. Acea Energia has, in addition to the physical branch, a digital consulting service, which in 2023 saw around 14,000 appointments both for greater protection customers (2,896) and free market customers (11,067).

The operating companies handle written complaints, following the processing of cases using information systems: from reporting to resolution.

For the energy service, the “replies to written complaints/enquir-ies” both by the sales Company and the distribution Company, are services included among the levels of commercial quality subject to regulation by the national Authority (see sub-paragraph Quality levels regulated by ARERA in the electricity sector). Likewise, for the water service, the contractual quality levels, specific and general, introduced by the Authority, also provide for management procedures and response times to enquiries, written complaints and requests for billing corrections (see sub-paragraph Quality levels regulated by ARERA in the water sector).

For the public lighting service, responses to written complaints/ requests are handled directly by Areti. In 2023, a total of 3,795 complaints/enquiries were received and the Company responded to around 90% of these by 31 December 2023.

Table no. 40 – Energy: performance of toll-free numbers and branches (2022-2023) (*)

(*) The volumes of channels subject to sector regulation are consistent with the calculation methods envisaged for reporting to ARERA. For example, for the toll-free numbers of Acea Energia and Areti, the average waiting time is the time that elapses between answering, even if it is made through an automatic answering machine, and the beginning of the conversation with the operator or the end of the call if the caller hangs up before the beginning of the conversation with the operator.
(**) Includes data from the "WindTre Luce and Gas powered by Acea Energia" partnership service, active from 12 July 2021. Number dedicated to the service are +39 800-713-676 and the third branch of WindTre's +39 159. Starting in July 2023, a new number was also added, with the new “Click to Call” service for the free market, with a new telephone number that customers can access by clicking a link published online.
(***) The average management time (TMG) of the branches is not present in the system since the current queue manager does not manage this method. For 2023, the average time expected for each appointment was added.

Table no. 41 – Water: performance of toll-free numbers and branches (2022-2023) (*)

 (*) The volumes of channels subject to sector regulation are consistent with the calculation methods envisaged for reporting to ARERA. For example, for the fault toll free number, 'total answers' means, in line with the Authority's guidelines, 'total answers within TMA' and 'service level' means the % of calls with TMA within the standard.
(**) the 2023 figures of Acea Ato 2 for both toll-free numbers and the branch are being consolidated and have not yet been communicated to the Authority.
(***) Calls handled by the automatic system or terminated by the customer during navigation within the interactive voice responder are also considered as answers.
(****) 2022 figures were updated based on the ocial report sent to ARERA. With reference to 2023, when the document was prepared AdF data, both for toll-free numbers and the branch, were still being finalised and had not yet been sent to the Authority.

108 The Protocol was signed in 2016 between the Associations and the companies Acea Energia, Areti, Acea Ato 2 and Acea Ato 5; since December 2020, Gesesa has also joined the ADR body. Three other Group companies active in the water sector, not included in the scope of the NFS, are signatories of the Protocol, and have received a total of 11 requests for ADR procedures, 2 of which are considered not eligible.

109 Since February 2017 the ADR Body has been included by resolution in the list maintained by the Authority.

110 In compliance with ARERA resolution 228/17 and Article 66 quinquies of the Consumer Code.

111 As in previous years, the figure for G.O. certified green energy sold in 2023 by Acea Energia and AEMA also includes the main Group companies’ internal consumption (estimated at around 316 GWh). The final calculation is expected in March 2024, and the consolidated data will be updated in the next reporting cycle

112 Regulation EU 679/2016 (GDPR).

113 It is important to consider that the paper savings shown for each company are calculated on the basis of sheets/envelopes effectively saved, with variables, from company to company, that depend on the billing frequency and the type of communications sent to customers.