Non-Household Customer Insight Survey

The overall objective of the work is to help Ofwat build its understanding of the functioning of the water business retail market through gauging the experiences and views of eligible business customers and - through aspects of the qualitative work - brokers and third party intermediaries. The priorities, views and experiences of customers (including organisations working on their behalf) are essential in understanding whether, and how, the market is functioning effectively and delivering for customers. This evidence will also help us assess industry's progress in resolving previously identified 'market frictions'.

The key objectives of this research are to better understand three key aspects by undertaking the following actions:

1. Monitoring the experiences and views of eligible business customers, including the extent to which they are aware of the market, have chosen to engage with the market, their needs and expectations have been met, and the reasons for these outcomes - and the trends in these views, by making comparisons to the 2017/18 and 2019 quantitative customer research.
2. Exploring in more depth the experiences of the small to medium enterprise (SME) group of eligible business customers, the outcomes experienced across this SME group and their perceptions of the business retail market.
3. Reviewing, and assessing the roles and views of brokers and third party intermediaries (TPIs) in the business retail market, including the extent to which they are involved, different business models in practice and how they interact with customers of varying size. In addition, their views about how well the market works for the customers they work on behalf of, and retailers in general and where and why it could work better.

The research outputs will feed into two key areas:

• Firstly, they will provide an evidence base for future policy development and delivery, helping Ofwat and other industry participants (e.g. the market operator (MOSL)) to judge where further action may be needed to enable the business retail market deliver improved outcomes for customers.

Secondly, the results will form a key part of our third annual 'State of the Market' report, which will review the market for the year 2019/20. As such, the outputs of the customer research work must be clear, comprehensive and robust, and comparable with quantitative customer research results for 2017/18 and 2019.

We think objectives 1 and 3 will be reached through quantitative research, with qualitative research to inform objectives 2 and 3.

Accordingly, the results of the quantitative aspects of the research must be statistically robust and comprehensive enough for us to identify where the market is delivering or not delivering for customers, and the reasons why. The results of the qualitative aspects of the research should shed further light on perceptions of where and why the market is working well or if there are areas which need to work better.

Additional information: For Further Information,please contact procurement@ofwat.gov.uk