TIO Annual Report 2003/04

Case Studies

Silent Line Disclosure

The Complaint:

A police officer complained to the TIO that her silent line request had been overlooked when she transferred to another service provider. She also claimed that her new service provider sent mail in her name to her street address rather than to her PO Box as requested. As a result, she felt compelled to implement additional security measures at her home, costing about $6,000. The complainant claimed that she received a death threat within two months of her details being revealed. The complainant provided evidence demonstrating the steps she had taken in the past to protect her security. These included having all personally addressed mail sent to a PO Box and arranging a 'silent' electoral roll listing. She also provided a statement from a witness testifying that she had requested a silent line from her provider. The provider maintained that it had no record of a request for a silent/unlisted number. Significantly, the provider maintained that its representatives were required to follow stringent procedures when connecting new services or accepting transfers from other providers.

TIO Response:

During the investigation, the TIO examined the provider's system records. It found that the relevant field in the activation database had remained blank. On the basis of this evidence, the TIO concluded that the provider might not have followed its own procedures by failing to ask the complainant whether she required a silent number.

The Outcome:

The TIO asked the provider to pay the requested compensation, which it agreed to do. Of interest was that the provider's own computer systems appeared not designed to require completion of the silent/ unlisted number field. This would appear to contradict the provider's assertion that it had stringent procedures in place to ascertain new customers' privacy requirements. Furthermore, the service provider sent its remittance advice for the agreed compensation to the complainant's street address, despite the complainant's request that all correspondence go to her postal address. This highlights an important point about customer service. While systems and procedures need to be well designed, providers' staff at all levels need to pay careful attention to the specific needs and requests of their customers. Care and attention to detail are essential.

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