Customer measure of experience, Developer services measure of experience and Business Customer experience in Wales measure 2025 – 2030
The Customer measure of experience (C-MeX) and Developer services measure of experience (D-MeX) were introduced in 2020 as part of the 2020-25 price review. Both measures have been reviewed and updated for the 2025-30 period to ensure they remain robust measures of customer satisfaction and continue to reflect the changing nature of the water sector.
The Business customer experience in Wales measure applies to business customers operating wholly of mainly in Wales.
C-MeX, D-MeX and the Business customer experience in Wales measure are financial and reputational incentive mechanisms designed to incentivise water companies to provide excellent customer experience for their residential, developer services and business customers, respectively.
Each mechanism uses customer satisfaction surveys to give each company an annual performance score. We use these to gain views on customer experience and to calculate annual financial incentive payments (positive or negative) for each company. These scores are published annually on our website (in a league table and in an annual report) and by companies in their annual performance reports.
Following the competitive tender process held between 31 October 2024 and 2 January 2025, the year 1-3 (2025-28) PR24 C-MeX and D-MeX survey contract has been awarded to BMG research. The year 1-3 (2025-2028) PR24 business customer experience in Wales survey contract has been awarded to Accent research. These contracts may be extended until 2030.
C-MeX
The customer measure of experience (C-MeX) is a mechanism to incentivise water companies to provide excellent customer service to their household customers.
C-MeX is a financial incentive, with performance measured on an annual basis. The C-MeX scores are derived from two sets of customer satisfaction surveys:
Customer Service Survey (66.6%) - The customer service survey is a contact-based survey of a random sample of residential customers who contacted the company in the designated period. This is split equally between contacts related to operational incidents or service failures, and those related to billing and general enquiries. An example of an operational incidents contact could be a customer who contacted the company regarding a water supply interruption to their home. An example of a billing contact could be a customer who contacted the company regarding a direct debit query.
Customer Experience survey (33.3%) – The customer experience survey is designed to gauge the satisfaction of all of the company’s customers, including those who have not contacted the company. This means a random sample of customers from the company database will be surveyed about their satisfaction with the company based on their general experience.
Companies receive performance payments depending on how they perform in relation to a performance benchmark, which is calculated annually using data from the UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) of the same reporting year.
The UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) – The UKCSI is a national measure of customer satisfaction operated by the Institute of Customer Services that has been running since 2008. The index incorporates findings from over 280 companies and organisations spanning 13 economic sectors. The UKCSI is scored out of 100 and is derived from the weighted average of over 25 individual metrics calculated from the results of a representative survey completed by over 12,000 consumers.
D-MeX
The developer services measure of experience (D-MeX) is a mechanism to incentivise water companies to provide excellent customer service to their developer services customers, including self-lay providers (SLPs) and new appointments and variations (NAVs). These customers can also include residential customers that have new mains connections installed.
The D-MeX score is calculated by combining a customer satisfaction survey component and a Levels of Service metrics component:
Survey component (66.7%) –The survey component is a satisfaction survey that measures the satisfaction of developer services customers who have interacted with the company in the designated period. The survey takes place quarterly using a mixed methodology approach, by using digital survey methods (SMS, email), telephone interviews and postal invitations.
Levels of Service metrics (33.3%) – based on how a company performs against an annual set of Levels of Service metrics.
Companies will receive performance payments based on where their D-meX score sits in relation to the industry median D-MeX score.
Companies’ quarterly performance against the D-MeX metrics can be found in the D-MeX levels of service.
Business customer experience in Wales
The business customer experience in Wales measure is a mechanism to incentivise water companies to provide excellent customer service to non-household customers. This measure only applies to companies operating wholly or mainly in Wales (Dŵr Cymru and Hafren Dyfrdwy). Companies in England which operate in a competitive market have a separate measure for their non-household customers (BR-MeX), which you can find out about here.
The business customer experience in Wales measure is defined as the average customer service experience resulting from two sets of customer surveys:
Contact survey – The contact-based survey draws on a random sample of non-household customers who contacted the company in the designated period. This is split equally between contacts related to operational incidents or service failures, and those related to billing and general enquiries. An example of an operational incidents contact could be a customer who contacted the company regarding a water supply interruption to their business premises. An example of a billing contact could be a non-household customer who contacted the company regarding a direct debit query.
Non-contact survey – The survey is designed to gauge the satisfaction of all non-household customers, even those who have not contacted the company. This means a random sample of non-household customers from the company database may be surveyed about their general experience of the company.
Key documents
Definitions and reporting requirements:
- Customer measure of experience (C-MeX) – PC definition
- Developer services measure of experience (D-MeX) – PC definition
- Business customer experience in Wales – PC definition
- C-MeX Customer Service Survey 2025-30 questionnaire
- C-MeX Customer Experience Survey 2025-30 questionnaire
- D-MeX 2025-30 questionnaire
PR24 final determinations
The price review is one of our key regulatory tools, setting the price, investment and service package for water and sewerage companies for 2025 to 2030.
As part of the price review, we set performance commitments (service measures) and associated targets and financial incentives. There are 24 common performance commitments in total which apply to all companies. The measure of experience performance commitments (“MeXes”) are 4 of these performance commitments – C-MeX, D-MeX, BR-MeX and business customer experience in Wales.
We confirmed our final policy decisions for C-MeX , D-MeX and business customers in Wales in the PR24 final determinations published in December 2024.
PR24 final determinations: Delivering outcomes for customers and the environment – Ofwat
PR24 reconciliation
These models demonstrate how company scores, outperformance and underperformance payments will be calculated each year during the 2025-30 period.
- C-MeX model 2025-26 – tbc
- D-MeX model 2025-26 – tbc
Related information
Data protection
We appoint survey agents to carry out the interviews for C-MeX, D-MeX and BCEW on our behalf.
Find out more information about our approach to data protection for these surveys.