We set up hundreds of good meters throughout England, Scotland and Wales each week, and our fleet of untamed Octopus vans have gotten a increasingly widespread sight on our roads.
However similar to each different power provider, we needed to pause our good meter installations earlier this yr. We’re now totally mobilised publish lockdown (relying on native authorities tips) and wherever we are able to, we contact prospects who’ve requested us for a wise meter based mostly on who’s been ready longest – however I wished to elucidate why we are able to’t at all times let you know precisely if you would possibly get a wise meter, regardless that we’d like to.
1) We’ll at all times prioritise emergencies and weak prospects
We supply out many hundreds of pressing installations for weak prospects – the place meters are defective, or harmful, or have left somebody with out entry to energy. We plan this capability into our techniques in order that it shouldn’t influence ‘regular’ work, however over the previous few months all the usual ‘norms’ have been challenged. With prospects staying at residence extra, we’re working more durable than ever – beneath intense stress, to verify we’re there as quickly as attainable to assist those that want their meters fixing instantly.
2) We’re nonetheless seeing important and persevering with impacts of lockdown
Official steerage is ever-changing and native authorities have the flexibility to use further guidelines to the federal government’s headline guidelines, so we’re having to consistently assessment the nation area by area. In some areas journey is restricted, that means engineers can solely work of their residence patches, lowering the world they’ll cowl.
We additionally need to plan further flexibility into our capability as a result of authorities guidelines now dictate that anyone who will get notified by means of the observe and hint app has to enter a compulsory 14 day quarantine. As circumstances rise, and constructive contacts improve, the quantity of our engineers in quarantine has additionally elevated, although to this point none of our engineers have examined constructive – the security protocols they observe appear to be working.
Any notification by means of observe and hint has a right away knock on impact on jobs deliberate, with engineers being stood down instantly, every time they’re knowledgeable, even half method by means of a day, or by means of an appointment. This implies we’ve needed to underplan barely, in order that we have now some means to select up pressing appointments and in order that not too many purchasers are dissatisfied with appointments cancelled on the final minute.
Lockdown has additionally halted our in depth recruitment and coaching actions, which had been ramping up at velocity by means of the primary quarter of this yr – and every certified good meter engineer we recruit nonetheless has to undertake two weeks of coaching with us earlier than we are able to launch them into the sphere. COVID closed the coaching centres, stalling this exercise. We’ve now been in a position to reopen, however have 3 months of recruitment and coaching to compensate for, (while managing the truth that classroom sizes have been halved so we are able to now solely prepare 6 at a time).
3) Our good tariffs are uniquely unlocking cheaper, greener energy
Our progressive good tariffs, Agile Octopus, Octopus Go, Go Sooner and Tesla Energy are considered one of a form, and wish a wise meter to work. In lots of circumstances, lockdown has pushed some sizable shifts in the way in which we devour power, so we’ve additionally doubled the variety of prospects on the ready lists for these tariffs.
Regardless of ongoing restrictions, every week that has passed by since nationwide lockdown ended we’ve put in extra meters than the earlier week – and we proceed to ramp up installations, with our engineers having develop into an everyday sight up and down the nation. If you wish to know extra, you’ll be able to learn extra in regards to the meteoric rise of our octo-engineers right here.
However we’re additionally solely human, and we’re working beneath stress, and typically we don’t get it proper. We’ll maintain enhancing, regardless of these hurdles, and for now, for those who assume you might need slipped by means of the cracks, then please do e mail me at hey@octoes.com and me or one of many group will get again to you with an replace as quickly as we are able to.
