Member Article

Newcastle’s Future Energy reveals new customer team

Newcastle-based Future Energy has unveiled its new customer service team.

Staff are now completing training at Future Energy’s headquarters and call centre on Invincible Drive, Armstrong Industrial Park.

Two team leaders, Debra Smith and Jon Isbell, and four customer service advisers will provide a direct link with Future Energy’s customers across North East England as the company aims to deliver on its pledges of billing transparency and being close to customers.

Team Leader Debra, from Sunderland, has worked in customer care and sales and has experience in both inbound and outbound contact centres at Eaga and Insurethebox.

Fellow team Leader Jon, from Cowgate, Newcastle, previously worked for Hewlett Packard in the customer relations team. He has been involved in employee engagement activities including running an employee forum, designed to improve communications within the business.

Currently completing their customer service telephone training are Rebekah Cato, Yasmin Shakir, Catherine Gilroy and Philip Hughes.

Rebekah, from Oxclose, Washington, joins future energy having previously worked at npower and EDF, handling gas and electric billing queries.

Yasmin lives in Fenham, Newcastle, and was previously a sales agent at Scottish Power, where she worked with customers on pricing confirmation and explaining procedures. In her spare time she has volunteered at Victim Support.

Catherine was previously at Sitel, the business process outsourcing company, and G4S as a first-line customer service team member. She lives in Benton, Newcastle, and has been a member of the city’s swimming team.

Philip, from Houghton-le-Spring, previously worked at EDF Energy as a Senior Customer Service Adviser. He has worked with various local charities in his spare time.

Also joining the Future Energy team as Data Analyst is Joanne Marshall, from Springwell, Gateshead. Formerly Settlement Data Analysis Team Leader at Northern Powergrid, she has more than 12 years’ experience in the energy industry and a strong background in reporting energy industry data, as well as knowledge of data flows and registration processes. Her hobbies include boxing.

Future Energy has also recruited two Northumbria University students on two-year placements. Emma Tate, who lives in Westerhope, Newcastle, is Marketing Project Manager has experience in various business fields, including marketing, human resources and management, with companies including Marriott, Sodexo and Great Time Events.

Sam Paton, who comes from Cockermouth, Cumbria, is Operations Project Manager. He studied business for two years at Lakes College, Workington, and is currently studying Business Leadership and Corporate Management at Northumbria University.

Future Energy was formally launched to regional business figures last month on a platform of a fairer deal for energy consumers. It is the brainchild of North East entrepreneur and energy expert Tim Cantle-Jones, 54, who believes the time is right to challenge the inefficiencies of the so-called Big Six energy suppliers, bringing savings to households in the order of 15 per cent.

“I’m delighted to welcome our customer service team to Future energy,” said Tim. “One of the biggest criticisms of the so-called Big Six energy companies is that they are distant from the people they serve and very difficult to communicate with and this helps to create an environment in which charges can become extremely unfair, as shown by the Citizens Advice report last week.

“Although at Future energy we aim to make the whole process easier in due course by encouraging customers to fit new ‘smart’ gas and electric meters, our customer team will continue to be very important and will work at the heart of the communities we serve.

“I’m delighted that we have been able to recruit a team with excellent customer service experience and skills and high level of previous experience in the energy supply.

A percentage of all Future Energy profits will also be ploughed back into the community through a charitable foundation.“