Changes to the Level 2 procedure

News item for TIO members
20 July 2007

Download PDF version (43KB/2 pages)

Last year the TIO introduced a new complaint handling procedure for Level 2 complaints.

Before the change, we used to send you detailed letters with many questions and a list of documents we wanted to see. We also formally investigated ACIF Code breaches.

But after feedback, we changed to a less formal process at Level 2. We write shorter simpler letters and we stopped formally investigating code breaches. Instead, we want to have conversations with you and complainants about how to resolve complaints.

The Level 2 review

Six months after we launched the new process, we reviewed it. We looked at complaints that had been handled in the new way and we talked with 10 representative TIO Member companies—big and small.

The review told us that the new process was encouraging much better communication between you, your customers and us. But it also told us there were some parts of the process that were not clear. There was some confusion about:

• the availability and willingness of all parties to resolve complaints
• the role of the TIO in helping to resolve complaints, and
• the amount of time and contact required to resolve complaints.

After the review

After receiving this feedback, we fine-tuned the Level 2 procedure:

1. We have changed the Level 2 notification letter to complainants to tell them how useful and important it is to talk with you when you call.
2. We have changed our Level 2 notification letter to you to make it clear that the summary of the complaint is not our view of the complaint: it is the complainant’s version of events and their suggestion about how to resolve it.
3. We have produced a fact-sheet for TIO Members. It explains how important it is for you to talk with the complainant and with us. It also explains how it is our responsibility to assess suggestions about how to resolve a complaint, i.e. whether they are fair and reasonable based on available information.

We believe these changes will help us all to resolve complaints more efficiently and fairly.

Start date

The launch date for the revised letters & new fact sheet is Monday 23 July 2007

Links:

• Fact-sheet: see the NEW! item on the Member Publications page at http://www.tio.com.au/Members/MemberPublications/memPub.htm
• PDF versions of the letters are on the same page

We welcome your feedback to TIO Member Communications on these changes, both now and after you’ve had the opportunity to see how they work in practice.

Kind regards

Simon McKenzie
Member Communications Manager
Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman

Phone: 03 8600 8733
Fax: 1800 630 614
email: tio@tio.com.au
http://www.tio.com.au

Document published: 20 July 2007