Tuned into customers is a load of bull as far as operational staff are concerned.
Only perhaps in NERL. Generally in NSL we deal with them on a daily basis, either on the phone or in person. Having worked in both there is, sadly, a massive difference in attitude between the two parts of NATS. SOME of the NERL ops staff have absolutely no idea of who their customers are and don't care either. I know that we all stop the aircraft banging together, that's a given along with expedition, but we need to know who we answer to. In TC the approach sectors customers aren't the airlines, they are the airports that they are working the approach function to, but talking to them you would think the airport is their customer. There needs to be a sea change at NERL to match that which NSL went through a few years ago and loose the old civil service attitude and realise that we all have to work together.
Please note I'm not management, probably never will be, but I do care that I do my job to the best of all my abilities.