Customer Assessment Panel

The introduction of a Customer Assessment Panel (the Panel) aims to enhance customer trust through meaningful dialogue between Westernport Water and its customers. The Panel will be empowered to rate Westernport Water’s performance each year and provide commentary on Westernport Water’s performance. This commentary will be included in the Annual Watermark, which is provided to every Westernport Water customer.

Westernport Water believes that transparent and honest customer and community engagement will help enhance decisions to better reflect what customers, need, want and value. We recognise the importance of actively engaging with customers to enhance service delivery to meet the community’s evolving needs.

About the Customer Assessment Panel

As part of our promise to customers, we committed to delivering the outcomes and performance that customers sought as part of the 2023 Price Review process and report back to customers through our Annual Watermark which will include a customer-led performance assessment on how we performed against the following customer outcomes:

  • Provide me with high quality drinking water
  • Keep my essential services affordable
  • Resolve sewer blockages quickly
  • Keep water interruptions to a minimum
  • Reduce your environmental impact and adapt to climate change
  • Be there when I need you.

The Panel will comprise 16 to 20 members and consist of diverse representatives from the community, ensuring a wide range of perspectives. Members may include:

  • residential customers
  • permanent or non-permanent customers
  • business and commercial customers.

The selection process aims to create a Panel that reflects the broader customer base and can provide valuable insights into various perspectives. Panel members will be selected by a panel of Westernport Water employees who will consider each applicant’s qualities and attributes to ensure a diverse and representative group.
Some of the key criteria considerations include:

  • Customer type
  • ­Demographic diversity
  • Communications skills
  • Availability and Commitment
  • Community involvement
  • Awareness and understanding of the CAP’s purpose.

Q&A

We value the insights and perspectives of our customers. Your experiences and opinions matter to us, and we are committed to creating ways for you to participate in shaping the future services.

We committed to establishing a customer panel to review our performance and provide commentary on our performance annually against a new set of outcome commitments.

The primary objective of the Customer Assessment Panel is to:

  • foster open communication between Westernport Water and its customers
  • provide commentary on Westernport Water’s performance against the Outcomes Framework
  • enhance transparency and accountability in delivering on commitments to customers.

The Panel will be empowered to rate Westernport Water’s performance each year to provide commentary on Westernport Water’s performance to accompany the Annual Watermark.

Customer assessments of our performance will ensure that customer voices contribute directly to the evaluation and enhancement of our services.

The role of the Customer Assessment Panel is to assess and provide honest feedback to Westernport Water by:

  • reviewing its performance against Price Submission customer outcomes
  • rating its performance against a set of key metrics reported to customers each year in the Annual Watermark
  • recommending amendments or changes to the outputs and/or output targets for consideration.

The Panel will meet twice annually for two hours, aligned to the end of the financial year. Meetings may be held in person or virtually. These meetings will be scheduled in July/August annually. Meetings may be held in person at Westernport Water’s Newhaven Head Office or online via Microsoft Teams.

  • Attend two scheduled meetings annually, to discuss Westernport Water’s performance.
  • Review and provide feedback on performance against customer commitments.
  • Disclose relevant interests and take reasonable steps to avoid actual and perceived conflicts of interest.
  • Protect and preserve the confidentiality of any information provided or discussed at meetings identified explicitly as being commercial-in-confidence or confidential.
  • Abide by Westernport Water’s Customer Engagement Code of Conduct, which includes an obligation to treat members of the Panel and Westernport Water staff respectfully and courteously.

Members of the Panel will be eligible for remuneration to acknowledge their valuable time and commitment. A sitting fee of $100 per 2-hour meeting, and $200 per 4-hour meeting will be provided for each member’s active participation in panel meetings, working groups, and related activities.

This fee is intended to recognise and compensate members for the time and expertise they contribute to the collaborative efforts aimed at enhancing Westernport Water’s services.

Reasonable expenses incurred in the execution of obligations in these Terms of Reference will be reimbursed by Westernport Water. (This may include such things as petrol and childcare). Only external independent members will be reimbursed for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in carrying out their Customer Assessment Panel duties. Prior acceptance for agreed reasonable expenses must be approved in advance.

Customer Assessment Panel Terms of Reference

Westernport Water recognises the importance of actively engaging with customers to enhance service delivery and meet the community’s evolving needs.  The Terms of Reference serves as a guide for members by defining roles, responsibilities, objectives, and providing a shared understanding of the aim and expectations.

Customer Assessment Panel – Code of Conduct

This Code of Conduct outlines the expectations for the behaviour and ethical conduct of all members participating in the Panel to ensure a positive and constructive atmosphere. The Code of Conduct is the key tool to ensure that all members of the Panel act honestly and ethically, and that all members have a fair chance to be heard.

Apply to be a panel member!

We’re looking for 16-20 people to be part of a Customer Assessment Panel to annually review our performance and provide commentary in our Annual Watermark. Applications close: 28 June 2024

Customer Assessment Panel - Expression of interest form

If you are interested in joining Westernport Water's Customer Assessment Panel, to provide feedback on our performance and your experience with dealing with us, please fill out the form below.

About you

Your name(Required)
What is your age group?(Required)
What is your gender?(Required)
Home ownership status(Required)
Customer type(Required)
Select all that apply
Connection type(Required)
What area to do you live in?(Required)

Property address (within our service area)(Required)

Motivation for your application

Availability and preferred engagement method

What days of the week are you generally available for meetings or discussions?(Required)
Select all that apply
What times of the day are you generally available for meetings or discussions?(Required)
Select all that apply
The Panel will meet twice for two hours. Can you commit to participate in BOTH of these Customer Assessment Panel meetings?(Required)

Preferred engagement method

What is your preferred method of communication for receiving general updates and information from Westernport Water?(Required)
Select all that apply
How would you prefer to participate in assessment panel meetings?(Required)
Select all that apply
Your email address(Required)
Best time to call you to discuss your application
Select all that apply

Conflict of interest

I will disclose any relevant interests and take reasonable steps to avoid real and perceived conflicts of interest by disclosing any potential conflicts of interest that may compromise my objectivity or the integrity of the panel?(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.