Issue No 31: 16 November 2021

Telecommunications Providers Improving Customer Service

Telcos have reported a 4th consecutive decrease in the ratio of complaints made to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) according to Communications Alliance’s Complaints in Context report.

The quarterly report details the complaints received by the Ombudsman per 10,000 Services in Operation (SIO) for participating service providers for each quarter.

The industry-driven report, published today for the July – September 2021 quarter, states that across all participating service providers there were 4.8 complaints per 10,000 SIOs, a decrease from the 5.3 ratio for the prior quarter and a significant drop from the 7.0 ratio of the October – December 2020 quarter. The latest results show that fewer than one in every 2,000 services in operation during the period experienced an issue that generated a complaint to the TIO.

Communications Alliance CEO John Stanton said, “This positive trend aligns with the recent complaint reports from the Ombudsman and the ACMA. However, the Complaints in Context report uniquely allows consumers to compare the customer service and complaint handling performance of telcos across sizes. It also shows the true performance of a telco over time, regardless of changes in the number of services they provide.”

Stanton further explained, “Not only are we seeing a continued downward trend in complaints, but many participants have recorded their lowest complaint ratio since the report began in this format in 2019.”

The participant list will be updated for the next quarter’s report. Communications Alliance encourages any RSP interested in joining the index to contact them.

Background:
The report is published by Communications Alliance, using complaints data provided by the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) and SIO data supplied by participating providers. Per the Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code, the top 10 complaint recipients in the most recent TIO Annual Report must participate, along with volunteers.

Participants are updated annually for the October – December report (published in February), and thus the ‘All Participants’ ratio is not comparable to prior years. However, ratios for individual providers can be compared back to the July – September 2019 quarter, when the methodology of the report was updated per the revised TCP Code.

Current Consultations

Below is a list of currently open telecommunications-related consultations being conducted by Government and other organisations that provide an opportunity for you to have your say.

Communications Alliance members interested in contributing to an industry submission (if one is being developed in response to a specific consultation) should contact us.