TIO Annual Report 2003/04

Summary of Complaint Handling Performance

Complaint Handling Performance

Over the past two financial years, the TIO has demanded higher standards of investigation, analysis and decision making from its staff. Particular importance has been given to the clear and reasoned explanation of decisions made, and the need for these decisions to be transparent and backed by available evidence.

The growing number of ACIF codes and TIO Position Statements has meant that staff must now refer to many different factors when investigating individual complaints. When combined with the increasing complexity of complaints, often involving new technologies and two or more service providers, investigations are more time-consuming than ever.

The TIO’s 2003/04 Work Value Study showed that the time historically allocated for formal investigations was significantly under that actually required.

Call Handling Performance

Call handling performance during the first six months of the 2004 financial year changed little from that of the previous financial year. Volumes were relatively steady about 2,000 calls a week.

During this period, the service-level benchmark of answering 80% of calls within 60 seconds was consistently exceeded, with an average level of 90%. Abandoned calls were very low, averaging only 30 calls a week.

However, in early 2004, call volumes began to rise steadily but significantly. By June 2004, weekly calls regularly exceeded 2,500. The increase in calls combined with relatively static staffing levels led to a subsequent fall in the service level and a rise in abandoned calls. Service levels remained above 80% until April 2004, when an unusually high turnover of staff and a continued increase in calls saw service levels fall to a low of 15% in late June.

It is difficult to pinpoint what caused the rise in calls, but increased industry activity, the surge in ADSL broadband connections, and DCITA’s consumer awareness campaign in rural and remote Australia have all had an impact.

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