The relationship between TotalEnergies UK and Sigma Connected is soon to be two years old. The Collections team had the opportunity to visit Sigma’s Office in Cape Town (South-Africa) early this year and capitalise on those few days to strengthen the bonds with the South-African team and ensure that debt is in good hands for 2024… and beyond!
The Debt Challenge Update
Debt is still a massive risk for many of our Business Customers on the back of; pandemic recovery, Government subsidies removal and reduction, high energy prices and a tough economic environment. While these factors look to be improving as inflation comes off and energy prices normalise, there is a lag to recovery on many businesses, and the UK is seeing very high business insolvency rates which are forecast to continue.
The challenges face by our customers have led to payment delays and increased the risk of bad debt for our business. Through a combination of actions and interventions, we’ve been able to address the growing volume of unpaid invoices, while also supporting our customer by offering debt solutions.
As you may know, Debt isn’t just the preserve for the Collections team. Indeed, non-payment reasons can span across all our activities and 2024 will be another busy year. However, aligning to the “We Care” principles, our customer promise, plans have been made to solve customer problems before the debt can occur, and specific debt interventions have been planned to affect the Aged Debt KPI which is strategic for our Company.
Sigma Connected - Third Part Debt Collection Agency
One of the interventions introduced last year was the wider use of third parties. Sigma Connected are a business process outsourcing (BPO) organisation who deliver a wide range of customer contact solutions for some of the UK’s largest and most well-known brands. Through 2023, we transitioned and introduced new debt activities to the Total Energies Sigma Connected Team based in Cape Town. The Team runs debt collection strategies, segmenting and prioritising collection activity based on defined criteria to make outbound contact and receive calls to recover outstanding invoices as well as progressing customer queries. Following the SME Active lower value debt transition in April 2023, new Debt Collection activities were introduced between May and July, including SME Inactive, Major Business and Mid-Market. A delegation from Collections visited the Sigma Connected office located in Diep River early this year, in January, to review process across all workstreams and provide targeted trainings when needed.
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Alex West, Head of Collections and members of the team, Ray Doyle (SME Collections and Debt Services, Manager), Lee Stevenson (Senior Collections Team Manager MB Commercial) and Michelle Knowles (Collections Team Manager MB Commercial) share their vision and perspectives with us:
LS: It was really interesting! Team was really engaging, cannot do enough for you, willing to learn and taking in everything that is being taught to them.
RD: As well as visiting Sigma Connected, I was lucky enough to be invited to the 20th Anniversary Party for WNS and attended alongside the TotalEnergies management team there. It was nice to celebrate their success and do some networking with other clients.
AW: While the setting was great the itinerary was pretty full on, combining; the day job, time for meeting the teams/individuals, deep diving into the work and call listening. I also spent three days with WNS and the COO team which was great to put faces to names and see the passion and energy they have first-hand.
What was the most important thing you learned?
LS: That we need to engage with them often and show them the way.
MK: This visit was a real eye opener being there, observing and introducing improvements collectively.
AW: Sigma are extremely passionate about what they do, the environment is full of energy with a palpable buzz around their huge offices (a site which can hold 2,500 staff).The Sigma-TotalEnergies team feel a strong affiliation with the TotalEnergies brand. Teams are benchmarked against other campaigns Sigma run for other companies and we rank very highly/top on engagement and attrition metrics which comes down to the environment but also the interest and support the UK team provides. Sigma, like us in the UK, has to work with our systems and tools and the growth in the Sigma team means there are a number of improvement /training actions as well as tools we can provide to help them. I came away optimistic and confident that coupled with initiatives here, Sigma can provide valuable support in resolving our customers debt issues.
RD: We need to ensure consistent engagement at more senior levels, to keep the operation working across the different teams. Having a strong connection to the management team will enable the relationship to prosper!
