Product responsibility PR1-PR9

• PR1 Life-cycle stages in which health and safety impacts of products and services are assessed for improvement, and percentage of significant products and services categories subject to such procedures.

  Integrated Report 2013:

  Sustainable development - Customer health and safety

  Barloworld is responsible for its products and customer solutions. It also has a duty to faithfully represent principals and serve its customers responsibly and support internal and national environmental, empowerment and community objectives.

  Customer health and safety is a critical aspect of all products, services and customer solutions. In representing leading global brands, our customer solutions are backed by warranties, guarantees and product responsibility, and design features.

  All new vehicles, plant and equipment have comprehensive service and maintenance regimes which are time or use-based. These include the inspection, and renewal if necessary, of critical safety items. In many instances vehicles, plant and equipment have self-diagnostic technology and capabilities which run throughout their life. In some cases this is coupled to telemetry devices that transmit ‘real-time’ diagnostic information so that the performance of equipment can be monitored accordingly.

  It is also common practice that vehicles, plant and equipment are sold with maintenance programmes that ensure regular inspection and service.

  Rental plant and equipment is subject to similar assessments and service disciplines and devices. Car rental fleets use vehicles under 12 months old with the latest technology and safety features per category.

  Tyres, brakes, load testing and other identified safety aspects are subject to entrenched assessment systems, Original Equipment Manufacturers’ (OEMs) service requirements, service-plan schedules, and self-diagnostic capabilities in vehicles, plant and equipment. General health and safety aspects are included in the design and manufacture of vehicles, plant and equipment as are features to ensure operator or driver comfort.

  An example of our principals’ commitment to safety is Caterpillar’s launch of SAFETY.CAT.COM^TM , one of the most comprehensive safety sites for the industries Caterpillar serves. The website builds on Caterpillar’s commitment to providing its customers with the safest and most reliable products available, and reinforces safety messages found in the company’s Operation and Maintenance Manuals.

  Operator and driver training is provided where required and/or requested and can include both practical, classroom and simulator training in regions where such facilities exist.

  Appropriate handover procedures for all products ensure customer knowledge, including health and safety operating procedures and service requirements. OEM recommended inspection and safety checks, maintenance and safety system upgrades and training programmes are explained and promoted to ensure customer health and safety.

  
  

• PR2 Total number of incidents of non-compliance with regulations and voluntary codes concerning health and safety impacts of products and services during their life cycle, by type of outcomes.

  There were no material incidents of non-compliance during the year.

  
  

• PR3 Type of product and service information required by procedures, and percentage of significant products and services subject to such information requirements.

  The group is committed to ensuring that all products sold have the certification, labelling, product and service information required by respective local laws. Products are essentially motor vehicles, plant, equipment and related use thereof. In principle, the information and labelling is the responsibility of the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). This information is conveyed to customers in handbooks, handover procedures and, where appropriate, displayed on the vehicle, plant or equipment.

  The group strives to ensure that all products have information and labelling as required by the respective local authority’s health and safety laws as well as those laws that pertain to safety and health in the mining sector, where applicable.

  Every product sold into the European Union has to be certified under Conformité Européenne (European Conformity) standards.

  Information also includes vehicle, plant and equipment operating procedures, maintenance procedures and service intervals and safety.

  
  

• PR4 Total number of incidents of non-compliance with regulations and voluntary codes concerning product and service information and labelling, by type of outcomes.

  There were no incidents of non-compliance during the year under review.

  
  

• PR5 Practices related to customer satisfaction, including results of surveys measuring customer satisfaction.

  Integrated Report 2013:

  Engaging with our stakeholders - Customers Sustainable development - Customer satisfaction Sustainable development - Exceeding customer expectations Engaging with our stakeholders - Principals and suppliers Integrated customer solutions - Equipment and Handling - Managing for value Integrated customer solutions - Automotive and Logistics - Managing for value Integrated customer solutions - Automotive and Logistics - Avis Integrated customer solutions - Using all abilities to satisfy a customer Integrated customer solutions - Technology strategy drives customer solutions

  Customer satisfaction is primarily gauged through a range of informal and formal surveying tools, including regular direct engagement with customers. 

  During the past year Equipment SA engaged with a number of significant customers identified areas to be addressed and developed related actions plans. A dedicated customer experience management (CEM) team conducts value surveys to optimise the customer experience.

  There are formalised KPI dashboards and SMR (Sales & Marketing Roadmaps), S&OPs (sales and operational process tracking) which are jointly monitored by the dealer principal and BWE BUs. These are updated several times per annum.

  A new and very structured transactional survey is conducted monthly across the entire business by a dedicated CEM (customer experience management) team. The rollout is under a banner of the D-LIGHT project and significant change management has occurred. Low regions and high regions are identified with low customer satisfaction and customer loyalty with resulting customer experience projects implemented. The project began in January 2013.

  Barloworld Equipment Iberia surveys up to 60% of repair customers in the month after the repair. They also conduct customer surveys on other parts of their business including Parts sales (similar target of reaching 60% of their customers), rental operations as well as machine and generator sales. The ‘Initial Purchase Survey’ is conducted by the principal, Caterpillar.

  In Barloworld Equipment Russia in addition to monthly customer surveys, Caterpillar conducts bi-annual customer surveys.

  All Automotive’s dealerships participate in external independent customer satisfaction surveys.

  These are normally conducted by OEMs. In addition, individual motor dealerships conduct their own surveys, particularly for their service departments.

  Many Barloworld dealerships received awards from their respective principals in recognition of their achievements.

  At Avis RAC, independent customer surveys are entrenched in our car rental operations which conduct over 3 000 independent interviews per month with scores that are generally above 88% and peaks of up to 91.8%. Scores and targets have been improving steadily in recent years. Scores above 90% are considered excellent. In October 2012, Avis South Africa was awarded Avis Licensee of the Year for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EAMEA) in recognition of its ongoing commitment to providing customers with world-class products and services and for responsible corporate citizenship Avis Budget Group Inc., the holding company for the Avis and Budget brands. In 2013 Avis received the Sunday Times Top Brands Award, establishing them as South Africa’s leading car rental brand for the 10th consecutive year. Avis was also announced as the winner in the car rental industry category of the Ask Afrika Orange Index^®. This accolade is testament to Avis’ commitment to always try harder.

  The Ask Afrika Orange Index^® reflects on customer service excellence across industries and interviews are conducted over 22 industries, 110 companies and 33 000 people. Its meticulous research and expert collaboration provides the foundation for in-depth discussions on service trends and diagnostics in the South African corporate and consumer landscape.

  Similarly, Avis Fleet Services monitor customer satisfaction with national average scores constant at around 90%.

  Logistics has an independent company conduct regular customer satisfaction surveys to determine customer satisfaction levels. The marketing team and client services teams also conduct regular customer satisfaction surveys and client feedback surveys. General market research, benchmarking and client reviews endorse the approach and services being provided.

  Handling operations have a number of customer interfaces including customer focus meetings, a variety of surveys and a call centre in South Africa.  Handling SA’s three types of customer surveys address equipment handover, service experience and service relating to parts. Agriculture operations in SA conduct customer surveys on a quarterly basis with current scores at around 94%. In Russia customer surveys are conducted by independent providers.

  Quality and customer satisfaction are elements of the ISO 9001 quality management system certification which is in place in our following operations:

  •	Avis Rent a Car: South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland
  •	Avis Fleet Services: South Africa and Namibia
  •	Four Barloworld Volkswagen dealerships in Melbourne and Sydney
  •	Equipment Iberia Finanzauto: Sales, assembly and installations of engines (18 branches), Post-sales (six branches)
  •	Equipment South Africa’s Middelburg, Isando, BRC Boksburg, Belville, Durban, Bloemfontein, Botswana and Zambia
  •	Handling: Netherlands operations
  •	Logistics Middle East

  Importantly, the operations use this information to improve performance; performance is also formally reported in management and executive and divisional board meetings.

  Full list of awards received by our operations during the reporting period.
  

• PR6 Programmes for adherence to laws, standards, and voluntary codes related to marketing communications, including advertising, promotion, and sponsorship.

  Integrated Report 2013:

  Sustainable development - Marketing communications Social, ethics and transformation committee report - Responsibilities

  Corporate governance report 2013:

  KING III Chapter 6 - Compliance with laws, codes, rules and standards

  Group standards ensure that all marketing and advertising conforms to applicable laws. The standards and corporate identities set by principals are adhered to. These are detailed and comprehensively monitored by Barloworld divisional operations and their principals. Any local adaptations require prior consent from principals. Barloworld Logistics and group brands are managed by established functions at divisional and group level.  We are also guided by the standards set by industry bodies such as the Advertising Standards Authority who have self-regulation codes of practice that ensure appropriate conduct in advertising and marketing communications.

  
  

• PR7 Total number of incidents of non-compliance with regulations and voluntary codes concerning marketing communications, including advertising, promotion, and sponsorship by type of outcomes.

  Corporate governance report 2013:

  KING III Chapter 6 - Compliance with laws, codes, rules and standards

  During the year there were no instances of non-compliance with regulations on advertising, promotion or sponsorship.

  
  

• PR8 Total number of substantiated complaints regarding breaches of customer privacy and losses of customer data.

  Integrated Report 2013:

  Information technology - Supporting strategy and mitigating risk

  Corporate governance report 2013:

  IT governance KING III Chapter 5 - 5.6

  During the year there were no substantiated complaints on breaches of customer privacy and losses of customer data.
  

• PR9 Monetary value of significant fines for non-compliance with laws and regulations concerning the provision and use of products and services.

  No fines were imposed during the period for non-compliance with laws and regulations on the provision and use of products and services.