Position Description

Position: Enquiry Officer
Functional area: Core Business
Reporting to: Contact Team Manager
Working relationships: Contact Centre Manager, Investigations Officers, Legal Investigations Officers, Member Communications Advisers

1. Organisation overview

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman Ltd (TIO) was established in 1993. The TIO is a dispute resolution scheme for residential and small business customers of telephone and internet service providers (ISPs).

The mission statement of the TIO is to provide “free, independent, just, informal, speedy resolution of complaints.” The TIO is an office of ‘last resort’ and complainants are required to take up their case with the carrier/service provider before the TIO may become involved.

Under the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999, all eligible carriage service providers, including Internet Service Providers (ISPs), are required to be members of the TIO.

The TIO is a company limited by guarantee and is independent of government and telecommunications carriers and service providers. The scheme is committed to the principles of accessibility, independence, fairness, accountability, efficiency and effectiveness (as set out in the Benchmarks for Industry-Based Customer Dispute Resolution Schemes).

2. Position overview

The TIO receives complaints via its free call telephone and fax numbers, online, in writing and more rarely in person. A vast majority of the complaints are received over the telephone. As EO’s spend an average of 5.5 hours per day handling calls from complainants, an Enquiry Officer is generally a complainant’s first point of contact at the TIO. EO’s handle enquiries and Level 1 complaints, with unresolved complaints handed over to Investigations Officers for further action.

Complainants are often unaware of the processes of the TIO and what is required of them for resolution of their complaint. As the first point of contact it is an EO’s role to educate complainants about the ADR process; the role of the TIO within a co-regulatory environment; and industry practices. Where complainants are unable to articulate their complaint or provide information by reason of disability or language, an EO will take appropriate action, such as using the Interpreter Service, to ensure that the complainant is not denied access to the TIO complaint handling process. 

It is an EO’s responsibility to ensure complainants have a realistic expectation of timeframes for resolution and possible outcomes. EO’s must be confident that the advice they provide and the decisions they make are in accordance with principles of fairness and reasonableness, industry practice and relevant legislation.

Prior to handing over unresolved complaints for escalation by an Investigations Officer, an EO will perform analysis of available information to decide whether further investigation is warranted.

EO’s work closely with Investigations Officers within their workgroup particularly in relation to handover of unresolved complaints.

In order to provide appropriate advice, EO’s are required to refer to, use and contribute to the TIO’s knowledge base and keep themselves aware of developments within the telecommunications industry, legislative changes and industry codes.

3. Key responsibilities

The successful applicant will be required to perform the following core tasks:

Complaint Management

• Analyse a complaint to determine whether it is within the jurisdiction of the TIO, and provide appropriate referrals where it is not;
• Where a complaint is within jurisdiction, provide a company specific referral; outline specific information and documentation that TIO may require for further investigation and provide advice about any interim action that may need to be taken.
• Meet current call-taking and email actioning benchmarks
• Enter full details of the customer contact, advice provided and subsequent actions into the TIO complaint management system;
• Record potential industry code breaches
• Prepare written correspondence to complainants and member organisations in relation to Level 1 Complaints and Enquiries;
• Ensure Level 1 Complaints are actioned and closed within set timeframes;
• Analyse unresolved Level 1 complaints to decide whether further action is warranted
• Give clear, concise reasons where a decision is made not to investigate further
• Ensure that a complaint contains all necessary information and/or documentation prior to escalation
• Liaise with IOs about the hand over of complaints.

• Participate in regular workgroup meetings and training workshops;
• Assist in the induction and training of new staff;
• Provide support to other staff members when required;
• Contribute to the TIO knowledge base by identifying systemic complaints and providing feedback to the policy group within the TIO.
• Draft reports for inclusion in the Annual Report;
• Participate in professional development activities to meet identified development goals and achieve personal growth.

Occupational Health and Safety Responsibilities

• Comply with all legislative requirements in respect to the Occupational Health and Safety. Including understanding the responsibilities and accountabilities you have towards to yourself and others in accordance with the legislation, TIO policies and procedures and in promoting a working environment consistent with these laws and guidelines.

4. Person specification

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate how they meet the following selection criteria:

5. Confidentiality

Enquiry Officers are bound by strict confidentiality requirements and must ensure that the confidentiality and privacy of the individual consumer is respected and maintained at all times. Any breach of confidentiality may result in dismissal.

6. Equal Opportunity

The office of the TIO is an equal opportunity employer and promotes diversity, equality and a harassment free work place.  Applications from people with a disability are encouraged.

7. Conditions of employment

Hours of duty	A minimum of 37.5 hours per week, rostered between the hours of 8.30am and 5.30pm. * Additional hours may be required on some occasions in order to handle heavy workloads * Part-time hours may be negotiated where the requirements of the role and the business needs can still be met.
Public holidays	The TIO is open on Labour Day and Melbourne Cup Day and EOs are required to work on these days.

Last updated: 24 March 2010