Orbit has welcomed Joe Brownless as its new Chief Customer Officer and member of its Executive Team.
In this brand-new role for Orbit, Joe will focus on improving customer experience, including leading the development of a new customer journey as part of Orbit’s ambition to deliver ‘amongst the best customer experience of any housing association in the country,’ as set out in its recently launched 2030 strategy.
Joe commented: “I’m delighted to be joining Orbit at such an exciting and pivotal time. It is so exciting to be part of an organisation that is genuinely committed to its social purpose and has a laser-sharp focus on the priorities of customers. We have a fantastic opportunity to build on Orbit’s existing customer-centric culture to deliver exceptional customer service that takes into account the diverse needs of customers.”
Phil Andrew, Chief Executive of Orbit Group, added: “Joe brings with him a wealth of customer experience and operational expertise, which I’m confident will support us in driving key improvements that will create a future customer experience centred on what our customers value most from us. He has a proven record of transforming operations and driving customer service improvements across a range of sectors and regulated organisations, which I’ve no doubt will prove invaluable as we look at how we can do everything through the lens of our customers.”
Joe has an exceptional track record of building and transforming teams to deliver industry-leading results across financial services, telecoms, consumer goods, and utilities. He has worked for renowned brands such as NatWest, Telefonica, Tesco, and Mars, both in the UK and internationally.
During his time at Affinity Water as Director of Customer Experience & Technology, Joe led the company's digital transformation program. This program redesigned relationships with the supply chain, implemented a new operating model, and among other achievements, led to a 20% reduction in complaints, positioning Affinity Water in the upper quartile of the industry. Under his leadership, Affinity Water also achieved the top performance in the UKCSI for responding to and dealing with problems and complaints across the utility sector, thanks to the creation of a purpose-led culture.