Browne Wins Best Customer Service Partnership at Institute of Customer Service Awards

Browne Group is proud to announce that, in partnership with Thames Water, we have been named Best Customer Service Partnership at the 2026 Institute of Customer Service Awards.

The award recognises the collaborative approach taken to customer and stakeholder engagement during the delivery of the Surbiton Trunk Main rehabilitation project, a major infrastructure scheme in central London. The judges praised the partnership's commitment to communication, collaboration and community engagement throughout a complex and highly visible programme of works.

Delivering Critical Infrastructure in a Complex Urban Environment

The Surbiton Trunk Main project involved the rehabilitation of a 2.5km cast-iron water main along the A24 corridor in Tooting, one of London's busiest and most densely populated areas.

The works directly affected more than 5,000 residential properties, 520 businesses, five schools and a hospital, while taking place close to the busy Tooting Broadway and Tooting Bec Underground stations and several key bus routes.

Given the scale of the project and its location, effective stakeholder management was critical to ensuring the works could be delivered while minimising disruption to customers, residents, businesses and road users.

To achieve this, Browne and Thames Water worked closely with Transport for London (TfL) and Wandsworth Council, developing a coordinated communications and engagement strategy that kept stakeholders informed at every stage of delivery.

A Bespoke Engagement Strategy

Recognising the unique challenges of the project, the team implemented a comprehensive customer and stakeholder engagement programme designed to provide clear, consistent and accessible information throughout the works.

Key initiatives included:

• More than 170,000 customer letters distributed throughout the project, each featuring QR codes linking to a dedicated project website containing real-time updates, visual information and contact details.
• Community drop-in sessions and regular door-to-door engagement with residents, businesses, schools and healthcare facilities.
• Weekly stakeholder meetings with TfL, TfL Buses, the TfL Network Assurance Team and Wandsworth Council to review progress and plan communications activity.
• Weekly progress presentations for Thames Water, providing updates on project delivery, programme milestones and upcoming engagement requirements.
• Regular joint site visits with TfL and Wandsworth Council to review changing site conditions and coordinate responses to emerging challenges.

This proactive approach ensured stakeholders remained informed throughout the project while helping to reduce disruption and maintain positive relationships with affected communities.

Recognition Beyond the Water Industry

What makes this achievement particularly significant is that the Institute of Customer Service Awards are not industry-specific. Browne and Thames Water competed against organisations from a wide range of sectors, including nationally recognised customer service brands.

Judges highlighted the entry as distinctive due to the complexity of the project and the exceptional level of collaboration demonstrated between Browne, Thames Water, TfL and Wandsworth Council. The ability to align multiple organisations around a shared commitment to customer experience played a key role in the success of the scheme and ultimately in securing the award.

A Collective Achievement

This award reflects the dedication, professionalism and commitment of everyone involved in the project. From project delivery teams and customer engagement specialists to partner organisations and stakeholders, the achievement demonstrates what can be accomplished when collaboration and customer experience are placed at the centre of project delivery.

At Browne, we recognise that successful infrastructure projects are about more than engineering excellence. They are also about building trust, maintaining open communication and ensuring communities are supported throughout the delivery process.

We are delighted to receive this recognition alongside Thames Water and would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of the Surbiton Trunk Main project. This award is a testament to the strength of our partnership and our shared commitment to delivering outstanding outcomes for customers and communities.