Energy supplier E.on Next has said it plans to hire another 1,300 people as it looks to beef up its customer support operations.

The business said that these roles – which are permanent positions – will be based in Nottingham, Leicester and Bolton, among others.

It is hiring specialist workers who are trained to look after residential and small business customers. People who are tasked with helping customers through social media will also be hired during the recruitment push.

The business is also looking for staff to help recruit new customers and others who specialise in different areas, including supporting customers with prepayment meters.

“We do things a little differently at E.on Next – our energy specialists are dedicated to caring for their own group of customers so they can get to know them better and do more to help them, which is all the more important in these challenging times,” said Ramona Vlasiu, the company’s chief operating officer.

“We would love to hear from people who are passionate about providing excellent service. Previous experience of the energy industry is not essential but the desire to care for our customers and help us continually improve our business is.”

The customer service system is based around the technology that E.on licenses from Octopus Energy.

E.on is one of the biggest suppliers in the country, and services around 5.5 million customers across Great Britain.

Chief people officer Chris Norbury said: “These roles provide a great opportunity for people to join our business and help us drive the energy transition towards a smarter and more sustainable future.

“We are proud to have been accredited as one of the UK’s top 50 inclusive employers for the past six years in a row because we believe in creating a workplace where everyone feels respected and valued – a place where everyone is empowered to develop and thrive and to be the best they can.”