Octopus wraps its tentacles around Thames Water’s customers – will they welcome the energy giant’s involvement?

In its latest foray beyond the energy industry, Octopus recently agreed a deal to manage Thames Water’s 16 million customers. It follows news earlier this week that TalkTalk would also be using the gas and electricity supplier’s Kraken platform to “simplify all aspects of customer service.” 

Judging from YouGov BrandIndex UK data, Thames Water’s customers may welcome the move. We ask consumers questions for their views about brands across a range of sectors every day. 

Our data shows that, in terms of Impression scores – a measure of overall brand health – the beleaguered water supplier’s customers have a far better view of Octopus (34.5) than they do Thames Water (-26.5). Metrics measuring a brand’s quality show a similar gulf: Thames Water customers are emphatically positive about Octopus (28.5), and emphatically negative about Thames Water (-22.5).  

The same goes for Value for Money: Thames Water customers broadly like Octopus (16.3), and largely dislike Thames Water (-21.4) on this front. Overall customer Satisfaction is higher for the energy company (20.7), and in the negative zone for Thames Water (-3.9). 

Index scores, a measure of overall brand health taken by averaging several other scores, sit at 27.1 for Octopus among Thames Water customers. (In fact, while Octopus performs well among the general public – with scores of 22.3 – it is actually healthier among Thames Water customers in particular). No exception to the general pattern here, Thames Water fares rather worse among its own current customers (-18.5). 

Improvements around customer service might not be enough to repair Thames Water’s reputation: with issues around sewerage, proposed price rises, unhappy shareholders, and more, the company is fire-fighting on multiple fronts. Still, for customers who’ve struggled with the water provider’s service, getting Octopus involved may prove to be kraken news.