6. Complainant satisfaction survey
Complainant Satisfaction Survey
Every two years, the TIO engages an independent consultant to carry out a survey of people who have used its services.
The purpose is to:
· assess enquirers’ and complainants’ opinions of the
service provided by the TIO
· establish the extent to which dealings with TIO have been satisfactory
· identify what enquirers and complainants like and dislike about
the TIO service
· investigate attitudes towards TIO.
The latest survey, by Sweeney Research, was conducted in late 2005 and 465 people were interviewed.
A total of 74 per cent of people questioned rated the TIO’s performance as very good. This compares with 58 per cent of respondents in 2003, when the last survey was completed.
A summary of the results is presented in the accompanying graphs in the
adjacent column and below.
| Overall Rating of the TIO | 2003 |
2005 |
| 1. Very Good | 58% |
74% |
| 2. Fairly Good | 24% |
15% |
| 3. About Average | 11% |
8% |
| 4. Fairly Poor | 4% |
2% |
| 5. Very Poor | 4% |
1% |
| Strengths of the TIO (%) | 2003 |
2005 |
| 1. They are efficient and quick | 18% |
12% |
| 2. They can direct you where to go | 16% |
9% |
| 3. Staff helpful/friendly/not kept waiting | 15% |
14% |
| 4. Willing to help/They get problems solved | 11% |
18% |
| 5. We need people like them | 10% |
|
| 6. They make it fair for the consumer | 9% |
|
| 7. They listened to what I had to say | 7% |
19% |
| 8. They take it further if you need to get action | 6% |
|
| 9. It is independent/industry watchdog | 9% |
7% |
| 10. It can cut through red tape | 5% |
|
| 11. Good to have support/influence when dealing with big companies | 9% |
|
| 12. Provide advice/knowledgable/informative | 8% |
|
| 13. Don’t know/nothing | 19% |
16% |
| Weaknesses of the TIO (%) | 2003 |
2005 |
| 1. Could handle complaints directly/be more involved | 2% |
3% |
| 2. Need some more power | 4% |
3% |
| 3. They are too slow | 2% |
2% |
| 4 Need to call/communicate back to the client | 2% |
2% |
| 5. Need to investigate phone companies more | 3% |
2% |
| 6. Need to let people know they’re there/advertise more | 2% |
|
| 7. Handling of problem could be warmer | 2% |
|
| 8. They could have tried to help | 3% |
|
| 9. None/Don’t know | 72% |
82% |
Member Satisfaction Survey
Last year, for the first time, the TIO surveyed members who had one or more complaints brought against them over the previous year.
The TIO has about 1,100 members, with membership of the Scheme a legal requirement for all telecommunications and internet service providers.
A minority of members receive complaints.
Not surprisingly, the ratings, left, were not as positive as the Complainant Satisfaction Survey, but they still acknowledged the importance of the TIO’s function.
For example, 16 per cent of respondents said they thought the TIO “did an important job/provided a useful service”.
On the negative side, 13 per cent of members surveyed said that the TIO was too biased towards customers.
It should be borne in mind when viewing these results that the TIO is
not a consumer advocate and is required too independently assess each
complaint based on information from the complainant and the member concerned.
| Aspects liked about the TIO | |
| None | 43% |
| It’s an important job they do/useful service | 16% |
| It is an independent body | 8% |
| Staff helpful/friendly | 8% |
| They resolve the complaints | 8% |
| Easy to deal with | 6% |
| Don't know | 5% |
| They are impartial/fair | 5% |
| They are there to take complaints | 4% |
| They are professional | 4% |
| They are informative | 4% |
| They are efficient | 4% |
| They are approachable | 4% |
| They are knowledgeable | 1% |
| Aspects Disliked about the TIO | |
| None | 40% |
| Too biased towards customer | 13% |
| They could manage themselves better/investigate claim more/be more objective | 11% |
| A vetting process needed to see if TIO should handle the case/weed out fraudulent claims | 11% |
| Lack of communication | 10% |
| They fine us when it is not warranted/should refund money | 9% |
| Lack of industry knowledge | 6% |
| Claim too time consuming/be more efficient | 5% |
| Don't know | 5% |
| More information on how statement is interpreted | 4% |
| They tend to escalate the complaint | 3% |
| Inconsistent in way they classify their complaints | 2% |
| Complaint fees too expensive | 2% |
