Telstra complaints to the TIO drop by one-third
Filed under: business, customer service, customers, innovation, internet, mobile phone, news
Turning every complaint into an opportunity
Seeing a complaint as an opportunity to improve is a critical change in the way we’re working. The feedback we get from these complaints is then used to address what went wrong in the first place – to tackle the root cause.
This is part of how we’re making customer service fundamental to everything we do at Telstra. We want our customer service to set us apart in a competitive market.
Moreover, one of the most critical parts of our CEO-led customer service strategy is to improve the effective resolution of customer complaints as we’re best placed to resolve the issue directly with our customer.
Ways we are doing this include:
- investing millions of dollars in training for staff who deal directly with customers to make it easier for customers to deal with us
- having more front-line people dedicated to complaint handling
- enabling customers to call us and say ‘complaint’ to the voice prompt and be put through to a trained consultant
- putting in place new complaint management standards across the business with timeframes for acknowledgement, resolution and closure that are much faster than the industry code
We’ve also increased our focus on resolving matters for our customers the first time they call us: this is being done with extra training for our staff and the removal of measurements on the length of time our consultants spend on the phone with customers in certain centres replacing those with measures focused on customer resolution.
These initiatives and many others have contributed to arresting the increase in customer complaints that go to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO). Our level 1 customer complaints to the TIO have reduced by one-third in the past year. However, the number is still too high and must be further reduced.
Stay tuned, over the coming months as we’ll be making more changes to improve customer service.
In the meantime, let us know your feedback.
Related links:
- Help with Telstra products and services
- How to make a complaint about a Telstra product or service experience
- Send us a compliment
- Telstra Exchange Contact Us
- Telstra on Twitter
- BigPond Twitter team
TIO complaints data reduction ( April 2009 v April 2010)
Level 1 complaints – down by 33%
Level 2 complaints – down by 16%
Level 3 complaints - down by 52%
Level 4 complaints – down by 50%
I am preparing for another rant about this so called wonderful company. About 6 months ago I recieved an email saying due to a systems error I was billed in error for a cancellation of the above email. I would be billed for $251 but to ignore this as it was made in error. I thought wow telstra seem to be improving and communicating. Only to be totally mistaken every month I get an overdue account letter for the said amount and every month I phone and after being passed from pillar to post I eventually speak to somebody who assures me all is well nd sorted and if I care to say how wonderful they are I am to hold on the line for more pointlles minutes. Suffice to say it has happened again only now I get a further $11 charge for being overdue. I am so mad it seems incredible an organisation can be this bad and still pay their Ceo such a high salary. 1 more thing I am about to move home and like a good fellow I organisd a change of of address with all the major providers everybody took about 5mins per provider not telstra 30mins and I was told that I would have to wait a month for my phone to be transferred. My account number is 2490938700 for anyone who cares. I cannot believe how bad telstra are. Rant over I will prepare for my monthly hour long conversation with someone who doesn’t care and will probably cut me off at least once, deep joy.
Hi Rob, Just a note to say I’ve read you comment and I have organised for someone local to check into your account and make sure everything is as it should be. I’ve asked for that person to call you. Brendan
Is it not pathetic that I have been a loyal Telstra customer for 20 years or more, home phone, mobile phone, broadband and cable at previous residences, and I am unable to get ADSL or ADSL2 to my current place of residence. What is also amusing (sarcasm) that I have been trying for 4 years to get an available port in order to connect to ADSL and then my neighbour apllies for the first time and gets ADSL2 staight off the bat. Mr brother moves into the area early last year, applies, and gets ADSL2 straight up now questions asked. How long do I have to be a loyal Telstra customer to gain a benefit from there so called pacl leading technology? What really gets up my nose is that the Telstra box for my suburb is directly accross the road from my house, 20 metres away and I cant get bloody ADSL.
Come on Telstra, give me a break hey!!!
And my home is in Brisbane 14km from the CBD!!!!! I had better coverage and service in MT ISA!!
Hi Peter, I’ve asked for an explanation and for you to get a call. Brendan
Telstra is bloody inconistant, and there customer service teams at stores are woeful.
Dont even get me started how much I hate them atm, it has nearly taken me 3 weeks to complete the following:
- my phone only has a factory warranty with sony erricson, and there are no sony erricsons repair centres in Melbourne
- telstra then agreed to pay the cost of the repairs, even after I advised there is no repair centres, they advised me there is a authrised repair centre at the other northern side of the city… I dont live in the Northern Suburbs!
- took my phone to another telstra store, lady told me she would not help me, even though there where notes on my account stating telstra would pay for the repair costs (the repair costs would actually cost more then the phone!). I left the shop fumming, she was so rude!
- went to another store (highpoint, bit closer to home), they finally took the phone and have sent it away for repairs and said they would honour the deal from Chadstone.
To All: dont buy any other phone other then an iphone from telstra, to get any repairs/assistance with warrantys you will hit wall after wall.
once my contract is over I will be going to optus, and I will never ever advise anyone to sign telstra.
Regards,
Unhappy Telstra customer,
Andrew Lee
Hi Andrew, So sorry you had to endure this to get your phone repaired. Please could you send me your account number and a contact number so I can follow up. Would you please give me the name of the store where the person was rude and the approx date you were there. I will follow up with the manager of that store. You can use this form to send me your details. Brendan
Hi,
Thanks Brendan, I have filled out the form as mentioned in your comment.
Welcome. I just emailed you Andrew to let you know I’ve asked for this to be followed up and both you and I to be kept up to date. Brendan