The Strada Fire, Bury St Edmunds

The impact… Damage to the rear of the building from the fire, falling masonry and by the fire-fighters themselves. Rear windows / doors smashed. Rear windows / doors smashed. Water damage Water damage

Nationwide’s BC priorities were: Building security (cash held on site). Building security (cash held on site). Customer service continuity. Customer service continuity. Communication with all parties. Communication with all parties. Staff Staff The Strada Fire, Bury St Edmunds

Key actions to maintain customer service: Staff on site to address easy issues or distribute info’. Staff on site to address easy issues or distribute info’. … and to redirect staff to other branches for difficult issues. Put up posters explaining the cause of the disruption. Put up posters explaining the cause of the disruption. Maintain the ATM service. Maintain the ATM service. Warn the other branches, plus day-to-day contact. Warn the other branches, plus day-to-day contact. Redirect calls to the main customer call centre. Redirect calls to the main customer call centre. The Strada Fire, Bury St Edmunds

Outcomes: Customer dissatisfaction was limited. Customer dissatisfaction was limited. Good overall effect on reputation (with council, other businesses, public). Good overall effect on reputation (with council, other businesses, public). The number of customers lost was made up by the number gained (probably from a competitor in town which was clearly not prepared). The number of customers lost was made up by the number gained (probably from a competitor in town which was clearly not prepared). The Strada Fire, Bury St Edmunds

Other businesses… Did not have staff on site to talk to customers. Did not have staff on site to talk to customers. Did not have staff to attend meetings with ES or council. Did not have staff to attend meetings with ES or council. Did display any info’ or explanation. Did display any info’ or explanation. Consequently Nationwide had many of their customers asking for assistance or info’. The Strada Fire, Bury St Edmunds

Lessons for other businesses: Ensure the Fire Service has your out of hours contacts. Ensure the Fire Service has your out of hours contacts. Have a good Contingency Plan on site. Have a good Contingency Plan on site. Get started as early as possible. Get started as early as possible. You can’t have enough business cards. You can’t have enough business cards. Out of hours key holders. Out of hours key holders. The Strada Fire, Bury St Edmunds