The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is Australia’s regulator for heavy vehicles and employs more than 470 people across the ACT, Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. The NHVR was established in 2013 as a statutory authority to administer one set of laws – the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) – which applies in all Australia's states and territories except the Northern Territory and Western Australia. CSIA spoke with NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto about the experience of completing their first ICSS Certification with CSIA.

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NHVR has been in existence for a short time yet is already demonstrating how a relatively new organisation can build a reputation for delivering a leading customer experience. How have you achieved this?

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We understand the critical role our customers play in helping to deliver a safe and productive heavy vehicle industry, and believe they deserve the best possible experience when dealing with the NHVR so from the very beginning, we reflected this in our corporate values – Customer First, We Add Value, People Matter and Strong Partnerships.

For us, great customer service isn’t just about giving the customer what they ask for, it’s about being proactive, genuinely listening to concerns and feedback, finding innovative solutions, and going above and beyond to add value to every interaction. Our staff are committed to delivering the best customer experience the first time, every time – whether that’s via interactions at the roadside, through our Contact Centre, at industry events or on our social media.

  

Working across so many sectors of the industry must be incredibly difficult. How have you overcome these challenges?

We have an incredibly diverse customer base – drivers, companies, industry associations, police, road managers, government, media and the local community – to name a few. Each sector faces different challenges and has different goals and ideas about how we can make the heavy vehicle industry safer and more productive. We put a lot of effort into openly engaging and collaborating with our customers to find the most appropriate and sustainable solutions. We use a range of different forums, working groups, committees, and engagement channels, as well as a dedicated industry engagement team to ensure everyone’s voice is heard.

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What was it that motivated NHVR to seek ICSS certification?

We wanted to ensure we’re providing the absolute best customer experience in every interaction. To do that, we need to be assessed independently against the highest industry standards. Achieving ICSS certification is not only an important indicator for us, it also demonstrates to the heavy vehicle industry that we live and breathe our values, and are fully committed to a customer-first approach.

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How important is it that NHVR’s interactions provide the best possible experience for customers?

It’s vital. Every time a customer uses one of our services or interacts with us, it shapes their experience. Our customer touchpoints can happen across multiple channels, so it’s important our approach is consistent across the organisation, so we’re achieving the best possible outcome for everyone. Building and maintaining strong working relationships with our customers is so important to achieve positive safety and productivity outcomes for our industry and all road users.

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What was the process like, completing the ICSS certification through CSIA? Was there anything that came to light that you weren’t previously aware of?

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It was fantastic. Our Customer Experience Officer worked closely with staff right across the organisation to collect evidence on our engagement processes. CSIA gave us helpful advice and support along the way to ensure we were clearly demonstrating our best-practice approach.

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It was a great chance to reflect on everything we’ve achieved since 2013, and I’m excited by the opportunities ahead – not only for the NHVR as a customer-focused organisation but for the heavy vehicle industry as a whole.