The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman is expanding its Vision and Roles beyond dispute resolution, to deal more effectively with systemic issues. Through this new focus – reported in the June edition of TIO Talks, released today – the TIO aims to contribute to better customer service and complaint handling within the telecommunications industry.
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The new brand and logo are designed to unify the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman’s diverse stakeholder community and represent all parties in the complaint resolution process. The identity blends a number of visual concepts together: the wider community and membership; authority and strength; cooperation and inclusion; growth and evolution; and helping all parties to find a clear way forward.
Nearly 10 million Australians have experienced a problem with their phone or internet service, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman will announce at the CommsDay Summit today (4.00pm, 9 April 2018).
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman introduced a comprehensive survey for the first time in 2018 and surveyed almost 3000 people from across Australia’s residential consumers and small businesses.
Complaints we receive involving priority assistance services include claims that:
One of the issues high on the agenda was accessibility of telco services. Panel members highlighted examples of consumers facing accessibility issues, such as the unique problems for people who are blind or vision impaired.
The Panel heard that consumers with vision impairment often require extra assistance when troubleshooting modems, as telcos may rely on visual cues such as flashing lights to diagnose problems.
The TIO’s contact centre hours were previously aligned with Victorian and New South Wales time zones – Australian Eastern Daylight Time and Australian Eastern Standard Time. For members and consumers based in Western Australia, this only allowed a narrow timeframe to discuss a case, with a five to six hour window instead of the eight and a half hour standard work day.
The ACMA found that Urban Telecom contravened two clauses of the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code. Firstly, for failing to ensure that its sales representatives are appropriately trained to promote and sell in a fair, transparent, responsible and accurate manner. Secondly, for failing to keep appropriate records.