Customer Satisfaction Techniques Applied to the Transport of Nuclear Fuels to meet ISO 9001:2000 Requirements

Understanding the needs of potential and existing customers is seen as essential to the continuing success of the nuclear fuel transport business. A recognised process utilised for this is the recording and measurement of customer satisfaction. This paper looks at what customer satisfaction means to BNFL International Transport in terms of, understanding what the customers needs are, supplying those needs or proposing appropriate alternatives, delivering on contractual obligations, in terms of the product or service being supplied to cost and time, listening to the changing needs of customers should this occur and monitoring the perception of customers in terms of performance. Within BNFL as a whole customer satisfaction is managed through the application of a Management Framework. Within this framework are set a number of values, these are focused on acknowledging social and environmental responsibilities while satisfying the needs of customers. Customer satisfaction is a key aspect of this philosophy. To implement these requirements BNFL International Transport and its subsidiary companies Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited and BNFL SA (France) adopted the ISO9001 Quality Management Systems model within which the application of customer satisfaction processes is mandatory.