16 August
FMG Support announce impressive results for its first Vehicle Recovery Operator survey
FMG Support, the UK’s leading vehicle incident management and roadside assistance company, has today announced the results of a recent survey conducted with its network of independent Vehicle Recovery Operators (VROs) across the country.
The nationwide survey of almost 100 partners, which is the first of its kind, was commissioned by FMG Support and conducted by independent research company, ‘employeefeedback’, who are also responsible for conducting the company’s internal engagement and satisfaction audits.
The research is part of an on-going commitment by the company to continually assess and improve standards within the industry and to drive transparent and robust partnerships with its external supply relationships.
The research achieved an impressive overall response rate of half of the network partners, who work on a combination of regular Roadside assistance business and Highways Agency contracts. The research covered a range of in-depth questions and looked to assess everything from the day-to-day operations, prices and volumes, to performance and communication, and overall management within the network partnership.
When questioned about the day-to-day operations, 79% of VROs agreed that they receive the information required to respond to customer calls quickly and effectively; whilst an impressive 88% believe that there’s good co-ordination and teamwork; and a staggering 97% agree that FMG support staff have a good level of commitment and responsiveness.
Almost three quarters said that the system of FMG Support administering all the direct customer payments on the Highways contract worked well for them, and 60% stating that FMG Support’s Roadside contract rates are better than the rest of the industry.
FMG scored top marks in administration processes with 91% saying that the amount of paperwork involved in managing an incident is reasonable, whilst 79% agree that FMG Support has a spotless record for handling customer complaints.
When questioned about the overall management of the Network Partnership, an impressive 79% said that FMG support made them feel like valued partners.
The KPI results also look positive, with 79% agreeing that the KPIs they have to achieve when handling Roadside calls are appropriate, and three quarters believing FMG Support to be flexible in supporting partners to achieve KPIs in full.
The survey also revealed an impressive 91% of VROs have a good relationship with their regional manager and 85% recognise that the compliance managers do a good job in maintaining high standards.
One of the areas where FMG did not score so highly was in the roadside recovery section, where only 65% of VROs felt that FMG Support had sufficient knowledge of vehicle recovery. However the company has already implemented a full training programme, dedicated to improving the knowledge of call handlers in this key area.
John Catling, roadside divisional managing director, FMG support said: “This survey has been conducted as part of our long term commitment to drive industry standards. The survey has produced a critical set of benchmarks with which to measure our success and to celebrate the areas in which we perform strongly.”
“As always, there are some challenges around rates, however FMG Support is working hard to strike a balance between what the customer is willing to pay and the investment required by VROs to deliver exceptional customer service. However, the company remains committed to reviewing rates on a regular basis and to recognising regional variations. The key finding for me is that our partners share our dedication and commitment to industry professionalism and delivering first class customer service.”