Passendale (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Belgian energy supplier legislation mandates that companies provide fair and accessible customer service to their users. The energy supplier websites guide their customers toward connecting with chatbots or email addresses and questionnaires instead of human agents, which impedes direct human communication.
Vooruit, the Dutch-speaking socialist party of Belgium, presents legislation which requires energy suppliers to offer telephone or email contact to their customers throughout office hours. The increase in energy supplier usage of chatbots and questionnaires combined with email interactions has led Vooruit to propose new legislation. The proposed legislation will achieve equitable customer care throughout the business day for customers who lack digital technology proficiency.
And an email or questionnaire does not provide a quick answer for urgent matters. It becomes really problematic when you realise that half of Belgians have difficulty with digital skills. For that group, an online customer platform is simply not a viable option. Energy suppliers should not abandon those people or charge them extra,
Seuntjens said.
Accessible and efficient customer service is essential to protect consumers. That certainly applies to the energy sector, a sector we all need to heat our homes, cook our food or power a washing machine,
said Seuntjens, adding that the measure can also help restore confidence in the energy sector.
What is the history of the proposal to improve energy customer service?
Belgium’s energy sector works to improve customer service because consumers have experienced long-standing service challenges alongside difficulties faced by elderly and digitally unskilled groups. Many energy providers operate under Belgian customer service regulations for fairness and accessibility, however they increasingly use both digital platforms and online forms, which may require separate charges for telephone assistance.
These industry trends establish obstacles for people who experience difficulties using digital systems, resulting in their inability to receive immediate help for critical problems. Criticism regarding both automated systems’ operational shortcomings and diminished human service has led people to request system improvements.
Through its proposal, Vooruit strengthens existing concerns by calling for energy suppliers to provide direct help via telephone and electronic communication during regular working hours. As part of wider programs to defend consumer rights, the initiative works toward rebuilding public confidence in the crucial energy sector that impacts everyday life.
