North East-based insight agency, Explain Market Research, has strengthened its position at the heart of the UK’s utilities sector after securing a renewed contract with Gas Distribution Network (GDNs) through a competitive tender process, alongside a series of new client wins and framework appointments, securing over 40 jobs in its Insight Hub. 

Explain, which is headquartered in Newcastle, has delivered the GDN Customer Satisfaction Survey since 2021. The Ofgem-mandated survey measures customer satisfaction, with financial rewards or penalties linked directly to results. At the same time Explain has also been successful in securing a new satisfaction survey contract with National Gas.

This follows the retention of its decade-long Broad Measure of Customer Service (BMCS) contract with the electricity DNOs for the third time, marking another major milestone for the business.

These contracts strengthen Explain’s presence across the UK’s regulated utilities landscape and demonstrate its ability to deliver insight across both electricity and gas infrastructure. Both contracts involve significant volumes of outbound telephone research, delivered through Explain’s dedicated in-house telephone centre, the Insight Hub, based on Grey Street in Newcastle. Together, the programmes account for around 14,000 surveys each month, underpinning the scale and consistency of the agency’s work. 

The retention of this work represents sustained investment in local employment and skills, reinforcing the North East’s growing reputation as a centre for high-quality research, data and insight. More than 40 local roles have been secured as a result of these retained contracts with the team managing complex, high-volume research programmes, providing critical customer insight that helps network operators understand performance, respond to customer needs and meet regulatory expectations.

In addition to its utilities work, over the last year Explain has secured a new partnership with Ordnance Survey, supporting the development of an online community to better understand partner engagement and behaviour. The agency has also been appointed to the Northumbrian Water Group framework, positioning the business to support strategic planning ahead of PR29, the next regulatory period for the water sector.

Holly Shiel Redfern, Director at Explain Market Research, said, “Securing both the renewal of our Broader Measures work and a retained contract with Gas Distribution Networks is a really exciting moment for us as a business. These are complex, high-profile programmes that require not just methodological excellence, but a deep understanding of the sectors we work in.”

“What’s particularly important to us is that this growth is being delivered from the North East. Our Insight Hub is home to more than 40 talented people who are delivering nationally significant work from this region every day. We’ve built long-term relationships by consistently delivering insight our clients can trust, and it’s fantastic to see that continue alongside new partnerships being formed across the UK.” 

With demand for robust, human-centred insight continuing to grow across regulated industries, Explain’s latest contract wins underline its role as a trusted partner to some of the UK’s most critical infrastructure providers.

ENDS

Media contact:

Lauren Regan 

lauren@wearemole.com

07792886540

Notes to Editors:

Explain Market Research is a full-service insight agency specialising in customer behaviour, lived experience research and co-creation. The company works across sectors including utilities, infrastructure, public services and digital, helping organisations make better decisions through robust, human-centred insight.