Axil Achieves Customer Service Excellence Standard Through True Partnership Working

Axil, one of the UK’s leading total waste management specialists, has achieved the Government Cabinet Office’s Customer Service Excellence (CSE) Standard on its first attempt. This prestigious award comes only months after Axil was named in The Sunday Times’ Best Places to Work, reflecting a consistent dedication to both employee engagement and superior service.

This nationally recognised quality mark awards organisations that prioritise customer-centric operations and are committed to outstanding service and continuous improvement.

· Exceeds Compliance in 7 Key Areas: Axil sets ambitious standards in understanding customer needs, communication, and staff development.

· Net Promoter Score (NPS): The company’s NPS jumped from +58 to +76 between 2022 and 2023, reflecting its strong commitment to enhancing customer experience.

· Employee Retention: Axil has an impressive 99% employee retention rate, with 27% of promotions coming from within the company over the past year. This high level of engagement reflects a dedicated workforce that is deeply committed to delivering exceptional customer service.

A key highlight of the assessment was Axil’s authentic approach to partnerships, demonstrating a deep understanding of customers’ unique needs. Axil’s agility and adaptability allow the company to respond swiftly to evolving demands, further demonstrating its commitment to building meaningful relationships with clients in manufacturing and critical sectors.

After a rigorous assessment against 57 criteria, Axil was found fully compliant in all areas and earned the distinction of “Compliance Plus” in seven key aspects, including:

· Understanding Customers: Tailored services optimise waste collection routes, reducing emissions and costs.

· Customer Focus: High satisfaction rates supported by technology that enhances efficiency and retains a personal touch.

· Staff Development: Focused training and promotions contribute to a 99% employee retention rate.

· Clear Communication: Two-way communication is maintained through multiple channels, including the Waste Academy for training.

· Strong Partnerships: Customers are treated as partners, ensuring quick responses and consistent communication.

· Continuous Improvement: Regular feedback and performance metrics drive enhancements.

· Timely Responses: CRM tools streamline responses to enquiries.

Axil’s dedicated contract managers play a crucial role, growing alongside accounts to ensure that as customer needs change, service levels remain high and innovation continues. The company’s personal-touch service delivery ensures direct communication without hold music or automated systems, giving clients immediate access to the support they need.

Edward Pigg, Managing Director at Axil, said: “This achievement reflects the hard work of the entire Axil team and our commitment to building genuine partnerships from the outset. It’s not just about meeting customer needs; it’s about anticipating them, collaborating closely, and responding swiftly as they evolve. Our focus on reuse and repurposing, rather than disposal, drives us to find innovative solutions for waste. The Customer Service Excellence Standard reinforces our belief that true partnerships are built on understanding, agility, and delivering sustainable value. The entire process was really interesting and encouraged colleagues from across the business to critically evaluate how we deal with our customers. We are already using the valuable feedback from the assessor to strengthen our services and enhance the customer experience at Axil.”

Available to companies and organisations in any sector, the government developed the Customer Service Excellence standard in 2006 to replace the customer service charter mark. It offers a practical tool for driving customer-focused change within an organisation. The accreditation also provides independent validation, certification, and formal recognition of excellence and achievement in customer service.

The assessment particularly focused on:

· Delivery

· Timeliness

· Information

· Professionalism and staff attitude

· Understanding user experience

· Measuring customer satisfaction