The YBS makes sure its interest rates and mortgage rates are consistently one of the lowest rates available. The YBS respects customer confidentiality and under the Data Protection Act does not pass on information about its customers without their consent.
Analysis of how effectively the customer service provision of the YBS meets the needs and expectation of its customers
As the YBS is a mutual society, the members are their number one priority and the customers make up the majority of the members. Therefore the YBS’ customer provision is always looking for ways in improving its service to their customers.
A measure of just how good YBS’ interest rates are shown in the table below of the top ten lenders charged on a £50,000 mortgage over a five year period.
The customer provision has in fact recently won three wards, this again proves the high quality of service that the YBS provides its customers, and these national awards are listed below.
- Excellence in Customer Services
- Overall Customer Service Professional
- Financial Services Customer Service Professional
The Unisys/Management Today Service Excellence Awards recognises companies who stand out as providing outstanding service, which should set a benchmark for others in their field. The Yorkshire Building Society's objective is the delivery of member benefits rather than profits and without doubt this has been a major factor in the Society being awarded the title for customer service.
Recognising individuals within organisations who make a difference, competition for the National Customer Service Awards is strong. Pete Sowden, Yorkshire Building Society's Member Relations Manager regularly acts above and beyond the call of duty to provide excellent service to members and was not only the judges choice of winner in the Financial Services category, but crowned overall Customer Service Professional of the Year.
I think that the YBS’ customer provision is to a very high standard as the above information shows, they have consistently one of the lowest rates around on their variable mortgage and they have been nationally recognised through the awards that they have won.
Ways in which customer service provision of the YBS can be improved to further meet the needs and expectations of its customers
A good customer service will offer some sort of after sales car that includes a range of services offered to customers such as technical advice. The YBS has several help lines to help and offer information to any of its customers, these include a general enquiries helpline and a lost or stolen LINK cards helpline – this is open 24 hours 7 days a week. This shows the commitment of the YBS to offer its customers good technical advice. A way in which YBS could improve it after sales service is to have a helpline specifically for complaints because at the moment for complaints YBS only allows its customers to write to them at their head office, this would take quite some time so having a telephone line could improve their service as customers will be able to contact them more quickly. If having a helpline would be to much hassle as a result of a high volume of calls an email service through the YBS website where the customers can send their complaints.
