WORKERS with a North East-based water infrastructure company have been held up as a shining example of how going the extra mile can improve customer relations.

Washington-based Fastflow Pipeline Services teams, working on the installation and repair of the region's pipeline network, have scooped the Northumbrian Water GEM (Going the Extra Mile) Award for customer focus.

The award comes after the introduction of a Good Neighbour campaign by Fastflow, which maintains around 450 square miles of the water network, as well as installing meters and responding to bursts and faults.

Neil Armstrong, owner and chief executive officer, said: "This is great news, which shows that our efforts to communicate with people in the neighbourhoods where we work is paying dividends.

"We understand that digging up the roads and pavements is disruptive but also know that simply doing a good, quick job is not enough. We need to work considerately and people need to be made aware of exactly what is going on day to day so that they can plan their lives around it.”

The customer focus category in the inaugural NWL GEM Awards required entrants to demonstrate an understanding of customer needs and the management, measurement and improvement of the customer relationship.

Judges said Fastflow had taken on Northumbrian Water’s customer focus values, thoroughly briefed and trained its workforce in positive and proactive communications and as a result attracted significant positive feedback.