Skipton has become the first building society to receive official recognition for its commitment to outstanding customer service for a third, consecutive time.

In 2006, Skipton was the first financial institution to be awarded Customer First accreditation.

Customer First is an assessment standard that recognises organisations achieving high standards of service. To achieve and retain the award, the Society has to undergo a rigorous assessment by an independent panel who judge it against a comprehensive framework of guidelines.

As well as its customer service, they also investigate criteria such as the organisation’s work culture and whether its employees feel they receive enough training support.

Chris Worts, head of human resources at Skipton Building Society, said: “As an established mutual