News: Customer Service/Care
Proposed merger 'will lead to customer service investment'
23 January 2009
After the proposed merger between Co-operative Financial Services (CFS) and Britannia, the group is intending to give customer service a renewed emphasis.
The companies state they will make up to £60 million a year in efficiency and revenue benefits, which it will put into consumer care training, offering member dividends and more competitive rates.
In response to the proposals, David Anderson, CFS' chief executive, says the so-called super-mutual will be popular as factors including improved customer service will show the organisation has consumers' best interests at heart.
He states this emphasis should draw "many thousands of new customers" to the financial services provider.
Meanwhile, Britannia's chief executive Neville Richardson states the merging organisations already have "unrivalled reputations for social responsibility" and customer satisfaction.
The Co-operative group currently has 6.5 million customers and prides itself on ethical, environmental and community matters.
As part of the merger with Britannia, the resulting organisation aims to be the most diversified customer-owned business in the UK financial services sector.
