Quick exit

Quality framework

The TIO is committed to delivering fair, independent, and accessible external dispute resolution services. The TIO delivers on this commitment with a shared purpose to resolve complaints fairly and drive improvement in a dynamic communications environment.

We use the most appropriate means to resolve a complaint, from referral to conciliation, investigation, and determination. In resolving complaints by these means we commit to the delivery of sustained exceptional quality services and see this as the cornerstone of our success and delivering on our purpose. Our Quality Framework serves as a guide to the organisation and demonstrates our commitment to exceptional service delivery. This document should be read in conjunction with our Fairness and Accessibility frameworks.

Our Quality Framework has three key aims:  

  1. Experience: Ensuring our processes and practices are measured and considered, focussing on needs, feedback and expectations.
  2. Strategy: Clear and effective practices and processes to enable individual growth, valuable service delivery and highly capable case handlers. Structured quality performance monitoring with the aim of building capability and performance and providing clear expectations. Clear organisational support for quality commitments, including articulated roles and accountabilities.
  3. Future ready: Commitment to improved quality practice through continuously seeking to innovate, adapt and improve to meet the current and future needs of parties using our services. 

Our Quality Framework is comprehensive, designed around five key pillars: 

  1. Stakeholder and User Focus
  2. Capability Building
  3. Quality Management
  4. Organisational support and ownership
  5. Continuous Improvement 

Embracing our Quality Framework emphasises our commitment to our staff, the parties who use our services and our broader role within industry. We seek to empower our staff with the tools and knowledge to not just meet but exceed the TIO expectations and the expectations of those who use our services. Fostering and enabling a culture of quality at every level will ensure the organisation is committed to developing staff, continually optimising processes, and consistently exceeding customer and stakeholder expectations. 

Our Quality Framework will be flexible and stands to support our telecommunications industry as it evolves with our commitment to service excellence and sustained success.  

We are proud to commit to a Quality Framework that, in large, is a commitment back to our people and the TIO’s purpose of resolving complaints fairly and driving improvement. Our framework goes beyond compliance and embodies a culture of learning, growth, continuous improvement, and innovation, aimed at driving positive change throughout the organisation. 

TIO’s five pillars of Quality 

TIO is committed to delivering a Quality Framework that will provide the foundations for increased and sustainable satisfaction with our service, operational excellence and efficiency, risk mitigation and compliance and employee satisfaction. We will deliver this focusing on TIO’s five pillars of quality.  

Stakeholder and user focus 

At the core of the Quality Framework is a focus on user needs and preferences. By operating in a customer centric manner, the TIO will commit to ensure that each interaction adds purpose, value, and satisfaction. The TIO will seek feedback and be proactive in addressing the evolving needs of our audiences and the benchmarks expected of an ombudsman scheme. We will achieve this by committing to:

  • Measuring and considering the voice of the consumer, member, community, and staff
  • An engagement strategy
  • An accessibility strategy
  • A fair and reasonable framework
  • A complaints and compliments policy
  • Guiding collateral for our various stakeholders

Capability building 

A critical aspect of our Quality Framework is capacity building. We commit to developing the competencies and skills within the organisation to consistently deliver a high-quality service. Through clear and effective, targeted capability building initiatives we will equip our teams with the knowledge, tools, and resources needed to excel. By investing in employee learning and development, we will enhance our service quality and foster a culture of continuous learning, professional growth, and a highly capable workforce. We will achieve this by committing to: 

  • An annual program of training
  • Learning library
  • Coaching
  • Induction or academy process
  • Capability and competency process
  • Guidance documents
  • Critical casework thinking including operating in a fair and reasonable manner 

Quality management

To ensure adherence to our quality standards and to identify areas of improvement, our quality framework incorporates a robust, meaningful auditing function. By leveraging a growth and risk mindset we will ensure that our work is delivering its intended functions and take corrective actions where it is not. We will aim to use these functions to build capability, monitor performance and set clear expectations. We will ensure that quality metrics are cascaded throughout the organisation and in doing so will recognise that commitment to quality is everybody’s responsibility. We will achieve this by committing to: 

  • Consistent feedback and performance management
  • Regular quality assessments (i.e. self-reviews, calibration, manager/quality reviews and executive reviews of reviewers) phone and desktop
  • Data checking assessments
  • Thematic reviews
  • Quality metrics present in all roles
  • Annual review of collateral
  • Independent annual review of cases
  • Quality risk register 

Organisations support and ownership

Successful implementation of our Quality Framework requires organisational support and ownership at all levels. Leadership commitment is essential to create and grow a culture of excellence, fostering an environment where everyone feels empowered and supported to contribute to the TIO’s success. By fostering a multileveled commitment and accountability to quality we can ensure that quality initiatives are embraced and sustained over time. We will achieve this by:

  • A shared understanding and adoption of the Quality Framework
  • A shared understanding that all staff are responsible for quality success
  • Clear and consistent quality performance management and uplift
  • Governance meetings for alignment with strategic objectives
  • Processes and support that guide the quality of independent, fair and reasonable decision making
  • Clearly defined roles and accountabilities for quality outcomes 

Continuous improvement

In TIO’s ever-evolving landscape, continuous improvement is key to ensuring we are meeting the needs of our current users while also ensuring we are future ready. TIO’s Quality Framework aims to encourage a growth mindset and for all staff to embrace innovation, quality and exploring how we deliver a valuable and valued service, driving meaningful change and setting the standards for industry. 

We will achieve this by: 

  • Commitment to data/insights driven continuous improvement activities
  • Minimising and correcting errors through commitment to quality management
  • Impact assessments to change (pre and post)
  • Commitment to the use of technology to enhance our quality and service capabilities
  • Recognise, acknowledge, and encourage innovation to improve processes and practices 

Free, fair and independent help for phone and internet complaints.

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, culture and community.
We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and extend our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples from all nations of this land.