Scottish supplier Business Stream has named Jo Mayes as its customer operations director, further strengthening its senior team as the company gears up for the opening of the English water market in 2017.

Business Stream customer operations director Jo Mayes

Most recently head of customer experience at Standard Life, Mayes has an extensive background in customer service, gained in the utilities market with Scottish Power and in the financial sector where she has held a number of senior roles.

Based in the company’s Edinburgh head office, and reporting into chief executive Johanna Dow, Mayes will be responsible for all aspects of customer service delivery for Business Stream’s customers across the UK.

Commenting on her new role she said: “This is an exciting time to be joining one of the industry’s most progressive companies. I’m looking forward to working in the utilities sector again, drawing on my relevant experience at WICS and Scottish Power. But I also aim to bring some fresh insights from the financial services sector.”

Dow said: “We’re delighted to welcome Jo on board. With an increasingly competitive market in Scotland, and less than a year to go to the opening of the retail water market in England, customer service will be one of the key differentiators between suppliers.

“We need to maintain our current excellent standards and look for ways to enhance them even further. Jo brings a great mix of leadership skills and best practice gained from other industries that will help us achieve that.”

Business Stream said its ambitious plans for growth in England are “rooted in its commitment to offering the best customer service available within the industry”, which includes helping customers reduce consumption and, ultimately, their energy bills.