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%
Re: Seeing a complaint as an opportunity to improve is a critical change in the way we’re working.
Nice to see! I want a Release and Indemnity forced upon me against my will made non void and its content accepted by Telstra as wrong and erroneous. In acceptance of these facts I want a line made available for the provider of my choice free of any line rental charges and additional compensation for my losses.
http://broadband.notice.com.au
http://www.openforum.com.au/content/gap-congress-regulatory-affairs-opportunities-business#comment-834
http://christine-milne.greensmps.org.au/forums/topic/rudd-gov-used-entrapment-me
@garyrlooney
Its amazing what one consultant says to you, whilst dealing and resolving your complaint, and then being told otherwise from another consultant.
Telstra’s big big big big big problem is consistency or lack there of…
Oh telstra,when are you ever going to learn that the customer is always right.
When my contract expires, I will be moving to another carrier. Although my move from telstra wont effect there revenue to any degree, the fact that I will recommend to every single person I meet through work and socially not to join this carrier might slightly effect it…..
Telstra learn how to make someone’s day, not ruin it by lies and inconsistent consultants.
I didn’t ever think I would defend Telstra (I had a real hatred for them) But there service (on the business side) has really picked up. So much so we are moving our data services across to them. They seem like they have really turned a corner. Hopefully they can hold onto this CEO as he seem to be change the culture to the betterment of both the share holders and the customers
Narcissism is alive and well at Telstra. I say I’m great so therefore I am great! All the evidence that says I am doing a dreadful job just doesn’t exist!
Complaints to ombudsman down by one third! Where is the evidence for this ludicrous comment! Maybe no-one bothers anymore because the ombudsman is completely disinterested in the customers problems. When was the last the time the ombudsman resolved anything?
Perhaps the ombudsman is a narcissist as well. It goes like this:
Telstra your are great! Wonderful in fact!
On Mr Ombudsman you are even greater! Truly
y wonderful in fact!
You are my favourite telco supplier Telstra darling. You are so special!
I love Mr Ombudsman!
Naughty, naughty customer! Fancy complaining about us! What a waste of their energy! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Jules,
Let me explain my complaint so everyone here knows how inconsistent your organisation is..
Some time ago, I was advised by a billing consultant that he will set up an SMS notification to my mobile phone, indicating if I go over my CAP plan. I then came to realise after receiving my bill that this was in fact wrong and no such product existed.
On the second occassion, I was told to monitor my call usage online, which I did, and had been satisfied with this advise.. End of october 2010, I travelled overseas and although I was making/receiving calls, I was not able to see the update online..
I returned back in mid november and spoke with someone from Manila-Phillipines, who advised me that there was a glitch in the system.. On the 26 Nov, my bill was supposed to be generated, but this didnt occur. I called them on this date and then again on the 30, and they stated there is a problem with online billing..
One consultant, who I will not mention, said the bill has not been sent to you, because maybe there is a problem with Australia post and if you live rural, it might be another problem. In addition, this consultant stated I had made several hundred dollars worth of calls between the 26 November and 30 November.. I am not sure what this consultant was thinking, because It was obvious that these calls had just landed on there system, prior to the bill supposedly being generated.
•investing millions of dollars in training for staff who deal directly with customers to make it easier for customers to deal with us…. LOL..
Jules, your doing a fantastic job.. We can all see that..
Now, this is what really pisses me off..
I started to speak to a fantastic consultant who listened to my complaint, investigated it (that means going out of your way to find out what has actually gone wrong) and resolved it.. She made notes on the system and said I will only pay my CAP plan and CAP plan only..She made a note on the system and apologised to me, stating that the online billing was wrong and till this date, your bill has not been generated…
Yesterday, I went online to see why I have yet to receive a phone bill.. Guess what?? They hadn’t removed the charges as promised in the second telephone call.. I spoke to your complaints consultant, who said. ” the charges stand and you must pay them”.. I said, I was told by your consultant that I only have to pay the CAP plan.. She said, you were advised incorrectly and the resolution was wrong…… NOTES of this advise were made on my profile and yet this consultant had the audacity to tell me that this resolution offered to you was wrong……..
Telstra complaints to the TIO have gone down by 1/3rd.. Well guess what???..
Hi John, Can I do anything to help? Please forward me you contact details via our online form and an account number. Brendan
Done.
MMM i signed up for new 24 month contract with a new phone i have had it now two weeks the phone charger has blown up and can only be charged by using the computer ok i thought call Telstra new phone 24 month contract thay will be helpful thought wrong does anyone realy know whats going on there three times i called pased from pillar to post finally got someone who said no problem we can send you a new charger an a case for your phone as i didnt get one when one was ordered it will be there by next Wednesday at the latest guess what never arrived i called back oh we dont do that, maybe i will cancel the contract go to another provider with better service it is just ridiculous have a phone for a week charger blows cant get replacement to charge a expensive phone takes nearly 4 hours in total still not to get any help with this matter sick of being passed from here to there and no action taken to resolve this matter
Hi Michael
Sorry to hear about your issues. Could you please provide your details (account and contact number) via the contact form.
regards
Michael
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%
Shows your service was even worse than now.
I note you have responded to the other complaints but not mine!
Still forcing Release and Indemnities on people against there will? Any other customers been forced through being in a monopoly Telstra area?
I will be around to remind you untill this matter is resolved. Resolution should be where two parties are happy, not just when Telstra is happy to have controlled the customer through a position of power!
Any other customers agree?
Regards
Gary Looney (Menindee. NSW)
Hi Gary, how can I help? Please send me your account and contact number. Brendan
Hey Gary, you have given yourself a very appropriate surname.
As a relatively happy Telstra customer and small time shareholder, I find it somewhat counter productive – with Telstra supposedly all concerned about those having problems with their Telstra services and/or products – for Telstra Exchange to allow such a childish comment, as that aimed solely at Mr Gary Looney’s surname, above.
And why, because Gary has come here as a last resort, to try to obtain a bit more help. Talk about kicking someone when they’re down!
Come on Telstra, here you are trumpeting your great reduction in complaints, yet allowing someone who, due to taking exception to Gary’s remarks about Telstra, would therefore appear to be a Telstra stakeholder, to childishly, personally attack another’s name?
Here are a few points from Telstra Exchanges guidelines
* Please ensure you address the conversation (blog) topic
* Please respect the views of others
* We welcome debate and dissent, but personal attacks (on blog authors, moderators, other users or any individual), persistent trolling and mindless abuse will not be tolerated. The key to maintaining Telstra Exchange as an engaging and inclusive space is to focus on intelligent discussion of relevant subjects.
* We understand that people often feel strongly about the issues discussed on Telstra Exchange, but we may reject or remove any content that others might find offensive or threatening. Please be pleasant and respectful of the opinions and beliefs of others. Not everyone has a thick skin, so please consider the impact your comments may have on others.
* Keep it relevant. We know that conversations can be wide-ranging, but if you submit commentary wholly unrelated to the original blog topic (“off-topic”) then it may be rejected or removed, in order to keep the discussion on track.
* The platform is ours, but the conversation belongs to everybody. We want this to be a welcoming space for intelligent discussion, and we expect participants to help us achieve this by notifying us of potential problems and helping each other to keep conversations inviting and appropriate. If you spot something problematic on our blogs, please report it.
Consider yourself notified.
If I were Mr. Looney, I would be even more annoyed (if that is possible) with Telstra, after reading this, pointless, flaming, cheap shot.
Hi Robert, William and Gary
You’re right Robert. We shouldn’t have published the comment about Mr Looney’s surname. This was an oversight and I will have a word to the team. I won’t delete it as then your comment won’t make sense and we want to be transparent. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. Kristen
COMPLAINT REFERENCE NUMBER SR 1-51471399872
I have been dealing with the same problem since 28Oct10 when Telstra terminated my phone and broadband service due to their billing errors. After many, MANY futile attempts working with Customer Service I contacted David Thodey’s (CEO) office and finally got the service reinstated. On 16Nov10 the Case Manager promised to have the billing errors corrected and appropriate credits issued.
That’s the last I’ve heard from Telstra. No bills have been issued for November’s and December’s service and no promised credits have been issued or documented. Why do I have the sinking feeling that when the billing log-jam finally breaks I will be faced with a giant Telstra bill replete with more errors and I’ll be back in the perpetual motion machine they call Customer Service?
When will this nightmare end?
Hi Jim, Geez, sorry you’re still getting mucked about. Can I ask someone to call you to look into this for you? If so please forward your account and contact details.
I just sent you an email. Brendan
I just have a gut feeling that I will not be able to pay my Telstra account when it arrives. Everything in my life is wrapped up in Telstra. My mobile phone, landline, ADSL, and (unfortunately) my Next G mobile broadband access stick. Someone from Telstra responded to my HELP plea by phone and I was assured I would get an email explaining telling me someone had created an online account for me to view and how to access it. My Next 3 mobile broadband stick is limited to 3gig and (according to the guy from Telstra) I used half of that the first couple of days into the account. So, for someone like me who wanted to pay no more than $39 a month my last bill was $319. I’m retired with no income and no young people around to help me understand this new technology. This is a disaster. I can’t help but feel my world is about to collapse. It’s breathtaking that a company with SO MUCH MONEY can not get simple customer relations ‘right’.
Hi Peter, I want to do what I can to show you a better Telstra Experience. I found your contacts from your website so I will have a specialist call you asap. I understand your income is limited but we do have a new service (Premium Plus Support) 13000 TPLUS (1300 087 587) that may well help to get all your tech sorted and help educate you in managing it all. Brendan.
Hi Peter, Glad to hear Hamish helped you fix things up and now you’re in credit. All the best. Brendan.
I had a new turning-point experience with Telstra today. I spoke with Hamish who 1. listened to my problem. 2. repeated it to me in plain English 3. Recommended a solution (which I took up) 4. Backdated the new arrangement 4. Arranged a signficant credit (and I mean hundreds of dollars) 5. Made a note that I cold revert to my old plan after my current circumstances change 6. gave me his name, his number and an invitation to call HIM personally if there were any deviations to his resolution of my problem. Thanks Brendan. Thanks Hamish…….and yes, thanks Telstra. At last, Mr Thodey’s aims are being realised. Pete S
You are welcome Peter.
I have given up even trying to get service from Telstra and am now working on changing to another provider. It’s not worth my time to take anything about Telstra to the TIO and I suspect many other people have similarly given up hence the decline in complaints.
The final straw this week in my ongoing problems with Telstra is a non-functional phone (and consequently ADSL account) that I was told by the Telstra call centre person (following a SMS to ring the Telstra number for a date) would be fixed by COB 14/1/2010 (I’m not in Qld or Vic) followed up by another SMS that confirmed the date as 14/1/2010. I rang at 5.00pm on the 14th when I still had no service and was told it would be fixed by 7.00pm on the 14th. The fault was notified on the 10th. Well as those of you who deal with Telstra you’ll know that this was a fob off by the Call Centre staff, and sure enough still no phone service. I rang on the 15th to ask what had happened and the person told me that it was a typo and that in fact it wasn’t the 14th it was the 19th that they meant. I explained that I had been given both a verbal date and a SMS date – no dice.
This is a new approach to the 5 day rectification commitment of Telstra – give a 5 day out date and then say its a typo. The Call Centre said they had set up a diversion for calls to the faulty landline to be diverted to my mobile phone but that isn’t working either!! I do live in a remote area and I explained this to the Call Centre – but the Call centre people have obviously no training in Australia location issues, nor do they have an interest in trying to see if their standard patter sheet applies in your case.
I have constantly been dealing on a number of service issues, both for my personal telco services as well as my small business business telco services, with people at the Telstra call centre who are poorly trained, incompetent, unable to pass you on to a team leader/supervisor.
Know how to get this back on track – get the Call Centre back in Australia, invest in training Call Centre staff to a proper degree, and change to a customer focus – sales will follow.
Goodbye Telstra for my personal telco services (once they do get my phone line fixed at some non-typo date in the future) and if the new provider works out then goodbye to Telstra for my small business telco services.
For my small business I got a lovely Australian sales person who offered a new improved service for our company at a reduced rate (after I needed to explain to him the difference between ADSL1 and 2 and that only ADSL1 was available in our area). I have just got the bill for the new improved and cheaper rate – I’ve got charged double.
Hi Susan, Sounds like you have recently had a really negative telstra experience. I’d like to do what I can to change that. Please send me your account and contact number so I can get a local specialist to call you. Brendan
Hi Brendan
Sent you the details yesterday morning but haven’t heard anything from the local specialist as yet. BUT have heard from the standard complaints people. Guess what! The works is now rescheduled to the 21st January. Keeping a record of the continuing changes – what a joke!
On the other side of things I made a phone call to the new Business call centre about things going wrong on my small business lines including the double charging and was delighted that (1) the call centre is in Australia (2) the person knew exactly how to fix the problems straight away (3) they didn’t have a standard patter sheet and could actually troubleshoot individual problems. The proof will be in the pudding of course but at least I got treated respectfully and know that I can ring back and get treated well again.
Now if Telstra could just give the same service for residential customers then you would really see your complaints decline.
We have now been without a home phone and Internet due to its being ADSL since the 10th January – this means at least 2 weeks IF the actual rectification date is true this time. I am expecting a credit on my account for both the line rental as well as for the ADSL service.
PS
The diversion is STILL Not working. I again spoke to the Call Centre person about this morning and reading from the standard patter sheet I got:
1. I’m very sorry
2. No you didn’t ask for it
3. Oh well I’m very sorry (after I told her the pin number to turn off the diversion as proof that it was supposed to have been set up)
4. I’ll make sure the diversion happens right now. I’m very sorry.
The diversion is still not working! Not happy Jan.
Home landline fixed – the techs from Telstra are still great – Telstra must get the customer service via Call Centre right – that’s where the customers are being lost. Everyone I know has horror stories to tell about the offshore Call Centre. The decision to move customer service offshore was the beginning of the end for Telstra service IMHO. I never did get to hear from the local specialist who was supposed to contact me.
The T Hub is the bane of all my existence atm. It drops out, it drops my computer out, the handsets are ghastly and clunky to use. The static on the line is incredible and Now today I have people calling on my mobile to say they left messages and the phone went straight to message bank but I cannot retrieve from the 101.
Now the T Hub modem has arrived and I have no idea how to fit it and the telstra shop, even though they said they would send someone out, now has my money, my contract and don’t want to know.
Duh.
As well as that I am not that sure that what I signed up for is actually what I signed up for and no one can tell me
And I signed up for 24 months!!!! Help.
Susan…I can sympathize with your situation. I HAVE taken my issues to the TIO and to the CEO’s office and I still can’t get the things telstra has promised to do to happen. Like you…I am waiting for settlement so I can switch to another telco.
Hi Jim. Wuld you like me to look int this for you? If you would, please send me your account and contact or complaint number and I’ll get back asap. Brendan
I guess the drop in complaints could be due to the fact that more and more of us are simply sick and tired of telstra’s behaviour and are going elsewhere.
I for one am trying to get out of our current contract after the treatment I just experienced with Telstra. My daughter defaulted on an account I went guarantor for, and without ever letting me know that this had occurred Telstra handed the account over to debt collectors, who then promptly started to harass me about an outstanding account I had no knowledge of. When I spoke to telstra customer service, I was assured at least twice that there was no outstanding account for me to be concerned about.
Of course given that no one had ever bothered to inform me of this outstanding account meant I could not be held responsible, however this was only sorted after I contacted the TIO, this was after a nasty call from Telstra’s so called customer service department, that was the result of my complaint on here.
I too like many others will do all I can to discourage anyone from using Telstra for their telecommunications services.
Hi Elizabeth, it is time for Telstra to make changes in staff and remove the previous training culture but unfortunately it is not happening, the old ways are to well entrenched. Profit and denial of liability will destroy Telstra as their monopoly is taken away.
I will not hold my breath for change and along with others on this forum will suggest customers use another provider at this point in time!
http://www.alp.org.au/blogs/alp-blog/august-2010/how-we-build-for-the-future/
If Telstra would like to respond to me please do so here, not by email!
I request to meet personally with Mr. Theodey about his company in regards to my experience.
If this post is also denied by moderators?
We are attempting to get out of any contract period with Telstra. They somehow think that saying sorry after months of harassment, calling me a liar and treating a me like someone who never pays her bills and yet I am always in credit with my account.
Still I assume that Iinet will appreciate us a lot more than Telstra appears to.
I note that not one of the Telstra staffers have bothered to respond to my comments, continuing to show the disregard they genuinely have for anyone.
Thank God we have a TIO, because if we were to depend on Telstra to behave in an honest manner as a good corporate citizen we would be long in our graves waiting to see even a glimpse of such decency.
By the way Telstra my bloody mobile still does not work correctly, yet another issue you have ignored.
Hi Elizabeth, I sent you a personal email just recently. If you send me your account and contact details I’ll ask someone to call you. Brendan
Brendan I don’t believe I ever received any contact from you regarding this.
Telstra have admitted they stuffed up and have said sorry, personally I don’t think that is good enough, given the harassment I have been put through, the fact that I even checked with Telstra more than once to ensure I did not owe anything and that my account was still in credit.
I was not informed by telstra that this account had been defaulted by my daughter, mail was sent, but to an address I have not lived in for over 6 years, my name added to their bad debtors list and put on the bad debtors list with BayCorp, and all that Telstra thinks I deserve is a letter saying how sorry they are.
Well you know where they can shove their sorry, this will not end until I get satisfaction and believe me the cost has gone up after that BS letter of sorry.
Any time any where I will tell the world not to deal on any level with Telstra, as they are dishonest, do not appreciate good customers, in fact you treat good customers like we should feel privileged that you deemed to take us on as customers.
I am bloody angry with management, especially accounts, and you can tell them, even if they crawled over broken glass on their hands and knees and begged, it still would not be enough.
Hi Elizabeth. I have emailed you with no reply. Not sure if it’s an issue with your or our email but you can use the form here to send me your account number, contact number and I’ll have a local customer service rep call you. Brendan
The result was exactly as I thought, I filled in the form, and not a single call from anyone at telstra.
As I said Telstra do not give a hoot about their customers, good or bad. They certainly don’t care what you think of them, nor do they do anything to compensate for the hell they put many customers through.
I want released from our contracts with Telstra, I want compensation for the harassment over many weeks from Telstra’s debt collection agency. Daily calls, from 8am through to 10.30pm up to 3 times a day, on an debt I had no knowledge of.
Given the trouble I go through to ensure I do not have debt with our suppliers I pay our accounts so that we are always in credit, all I expect in return is to be treated with the respect a good customer deserves.
Do not continue to lie on here and make believe Telstra gives a dam about us, or that they will call to resolve issues, that simply is not true.
Hi Elizabeth, Which form did you fill out? Send me your contact and account details and reference numbers and I’ll follow it up. Brendan
I have already filled this form out, twice. Phone: 0397868529 as for the account number, look it up along with all the comments from both sides.
I have decided to join in the many customers who are now going to lawyers to get their problems heard. It appears the only thing the Telstra listens to is a Judge.
I am still so bloody angry and still every time the phone rings expect it to be your debt collection agency of choice to harass me further, causing yet more stress, not to mention pain given the daily severe migraines I suffer from and have had to still talk to the anti customer service officers of Telstra or the debt agency who simply ignored everything I said.
I’ve asked for a local rep to call you. Vive, will be in touch asap Elizabeth. Cheers, Brendan
Telstra continue to provide the worst level of customer service of any company I have ever dealt with….this has continued over years and is a disgraceful reflection on what should otherwise be a great company to deal with
These comments in the main do not relate to the individuals at the end of the process once you get to the correct area providing the service
The customer service system Telstra provide however is in general, without question, the most difficult and frustrating of any company I have ever had to deal with
Tonight I have attempted to contact Telstra to sort out a new product problem with a Bigpond Wireless Modem
Call 1 – (to the number I understood to be the correct one) resulted in \you have contacted the wrong area of Telstra – please call %$^&*(
Call 2 to the number provided in Call 1 – you have contacted the wrong area within Telstra please contact &^%$*(
Call 3 to the number provided in Call 2 – you have contacted the wrong area in Telstra – on this occasion the young lady put me through to what appears to be the correct area…however currently I have been waiting listening to music for 1h:10m:30s – no update on progress; no idea if I am ever going to get any service
No point calling again and going through the same frustrating process again
Next step will be to hang up and go through this all again tomorrow……………………………………..
If Telstra had any competitors which provided a reliable regional service in the area I lived I would not use Telstra at all…it is appalling we are forced to use Telstra and receive what is consistently the worst service of any company I have had to deal with, ever !
Hello Ray. Sounds like you have had a very frustrating Telstra experienceon the phone recently. I’d like to have a local CSR call you asap. I’ve passed on this comment and you will get a call in the next few days. Cheers, Brendan.
Just a comment on the heading, Telstra complaints drop by one third, I wonder how many people just gave up and went to another company. I cannot find to many who will say Telstra is a good company to deal with.
I give up!
I have had issues with Telstra since I first used them for my home line and broadband 3 years ago. At one point in time it took me 3 nights on the phone to get a simple problem fixed. I was furious but chilled out over time.
2 weeks ago I decided to get a new mobile phone with Telstra. To cut a long story short I have now spoken to 40+ people within Telstra over the course of the 2 weeks and my new phone is still not working.
Each person I spoke to was either non english speaking and as a result had no idea what I was wanting, partly english speaking and incompetent, or just incompetent.
I actually spent all monday to friday on the phone to them last week, spent a few hours this week, and even went back in to the store, but still no joy.
Nobody in Telstra knows anything. How can so many incompetent people all get a job in the same company?
I have now officially had enough. Home line, broadband and 2x mobile phones going to Optus.
I had Bigpond cable, foxtel and land line all on three separate bills. In August 2010 I decided to roll all of the above on to one bill, which was meant to give me some discount and better plans.
I only got headache.
They sent me two bills ($249.00 a month, for highest foxtel plan, highest cable plan and unlimited calls) and then since October 2010 NO BILLS.
Just a letter saying they having billing issues.
In December I called Telstra only to be told that bill will arrive in January.
10 days ago I have received another letter saying they having billing issue, still no bill.
I called Telstra again only to be told that there is no time frame or date when this billing issue is going to be fixed (it could take months according to the person spoke) and that the person I spoke earlier in December was not suppose to tell me that my bill will arrive in January.
I told them I’m not happy with that and it is my right as a customer to receive bill every month.
As a sign of good will?! he that offered me credit on all of my landline calls.
I expleined to him that I already have that under my bundle and that he is “giving” me something that I actually payed and am entitled to. In fact he is giving me nothing. He then said he can not help me with anything else.
So frustrating …. I did advise him my next call will be to TIO and asked him to write that in my call notes.
Indeed, straight after that I called TIO and explained what is going on and that I can not get any satisfactory answers or solutions. Person from Ombudsman Office asked what I would like as an outcome, I have stated following:
1. To start receiving my bill on monthly basis ASAP
2. To be given same amount of time that the bills were late to pay them. (so if they were late 5 months, I shall be given 5 months to pay them)
3. If they can not start issuing bills in a week or two, I’d like to be released from contract.
Few days ago I have received a call from Ali from Telstra to follow up on my TIO complaint.
I explained and repeated all of the above and asked when will I be start getting my bills? Ali could not provide me with any time frame or date. I then asked to be released from my contract because they are clearly breaking up their contract obligations and Ali said he is not authorized to do that?!
I mean, why would they allocate someone to call me if he is not authorized to do so? Specifically after what I stated and told TIO.
Ali was very quick to offer me two months of credit if I’m happy to hang on for a bit until they fix their billing system.
I only agreed on a condition that if I don’t receive my bills until the end of the March 2011 that I would be calling TIO again requesting release from contract – not negotiable, and I wanted that in writing ASAP.
I did get a letter yesterday from Telstra (Ali) stating what we agreed on.
Waiting end of the March now.
1 hour ago I left a complaint here.
I was able to see my post with the note “awaiting moderation…”
Now it’s gone. I have checked my email expecting explanation for deleting my post, but there is none.
Is this how Telstra deals with customers? Delete what ever is not good for company PR? I will keep posting my complaint until its published ow until I’m given satisfactory reason why am I not allowed to voice my issues with Telstra.
Hi Igor, Sorry for the delay in posting your comment. I don’t moderate after 5pm. I’ll get to moderation the next day. I don’t delete comments unless the don’t meet our community guidelines.
Hi Brendan, thank you for your reply.
Is there any input or comment from you in regards to my issues with Telstra?
Hi Igor. I read your comment and it ended with I did get a letter yesterday from Telstra (Ali) stating what we agreed on. I can appreciate your frustration with the billing issues. If you need me to assist I’d be more than happy to help, but I thought you were giving your feedback and you’d reached an agreement with Ali. Brendan.
I only reached temporary agreement with Ali. I was hoping that you might have more information about this billing issue, (because judging from the big number of google search results I’m not the only Telstra customer with this problem), why is it there and what is the estimated time to fix it.
If Telstra are real about getting the amount of complaints down why on earth are you changing the way that calls are made on plans from 30sec to 1 minute so that it makes it easier for customers to go over their cap. This change will increase the amount of complains.
Don’t believe a word of what Telstra says about improving customer service.It’s nothing more than spin from the grand masters of spin.I’m getting legal advice to cancel my adsl account and refuse to pay an early cancellation fee.You brought this on yourselves Telstra.The story for ACA and TT goes ahead.
How about starting this comments site with the new messages not the old ones? Why should you need to wade through older ones to get to the new ones? Does anyone know about web site development at Telstra?
I think we all in the same boat at this matter. I used Telstra as our internet service provider before the messed up our bill right from the start and now we ended up with $ 1468.59 bill from Telstra wich we disputed but never got it resolved up to this moment.
I believe we have made enough efforts trying to fix this billing problem. Went through a long hard frustrating process which include 10 times coming to telstra store spoke to I dont know how many consultants who happen to say different things everytime. Endless phone calls to Telstra call centre only to get tossed from one consultant to another or from billing department to credit department and back to customer service department, back and forth and it was just a complete waste of time and we gave up. Telstra disconnect our service and we dont have any intension whatsoever to use telstra as our provider anymore but we still stuck with this huge amount of bill and have no idea where to go to fix it.
Telstra is by far the most terrible company I have ever dealt with and just like many other I will personally share this bad experience to everyone I know and would never reccomend it.
I think if it’s not because of the good coverage, nobody would really use it.
INCONSISTENCY is one of the major problem telstra have, there’s really no standard and how each consultant say one thing and other say completely the opposite. Lack of competency of the representative you put on the first line of contact with customers,and just by seeing how many complaints lodge against the company, I’m not surprise how they get defensive of having to deal with hundreds of complaints on daily basis.
The poor customer service and ignorance and how the wrong billing problem is what you are famous for. If you cant get our address correctly, I highly doubt you can get the bill correct as well. I have send the complaint letter via the online service you provide and I certainly hope that this time, someone competent will actually care to have a close look on the problem, because this will be our last effort in trying to resolve it with Telstra.
Hello Yuli, Please use this online form to send me your account and contact number so I can have a local rep look into this billing issue and give you a call. Brendan.
We had ADSL at our current address for about 6 years. Moved away for 5 months during a reno and now we’ve moved back are told we can’t have ADSL back at this same address but have to get wireless. I ordered the wireless equipment at considerable extra cost but it doesn’t work well – at best have low signal strength, one or two bars, constant drop-out, very slow. Rang another provider and apparently, during our absense, Telstra has pair gained our phone line. We paid extra to keep our phone number during our absence, it was always clear to Telstra we were moving back, no-one told us there could be a problem re-connecting to ADSL. I guess it’s back to the TC Ombudsman and/or Australian Broadband Guarantee people, or just putting up with a very poor and more expensive connection. This is sooo frustrating …I can’t work from home and our distance ed student can’t rely on the wireless internet connection during exams etc.
Hi Celia. Sorry you’ve had such a negative experience with Telstra lately. I’d like to change that and offer you some assistance dealing with your issues.
I’ve asked a specialist customer support team to call you as soon as possible. Brendan
Gosh Brendan, you must be the busiest employee at Telstra, I must admitt you are trying your level hardest to help customers, but where are the rest of the team? lol, certainly not in the mobile wireless complaint section, when are you coming back.
Regards Mark,
Thanks Brendan. If you can get this sorted we’d much appreciate it. And Telstra have not given us any time to deal with it. I said on 9 Feb to send the wireless modem, ‘cas by then we’d been a week without internet, and I’d made many phone calls over several weeks about reconnecting our service. The letter and the modem arrived on the 17th Feb (you can check … I signed for it at the post office). But from theie letter, it looks like Telstra is counting from 9 Feb which gives me to Wednesday to cancel the service without penalty. I’m reluctant to do that until we find an alternative, bad the connection is, as that leaves us with nothing at all, but I now foresee a fight about cancellation fees looming, in addition to everything else. This whole thing is crazy. All we want is the reconnection of the ADSL service that we’ve had, at this address, for several years. BTW, it’s taken me several attempts over more than an hour to get a connection and send this.
I’ve just dumped Telstra. 3 years of intermittent, slow connection, despite paying for a premium cable service, was just too much. I made over 150 calls to tech support and billing, and have had to go to the TIO 4 times.
When you’ve rung for the 5th time in a single day (which happened often) I CAN’T STAND being fed several minutes of recorded messages, then fobbed off to a call centre in the Philippines. These people never EVER fixed the problem, nor did they seem particularly interested in doing so.
In the end, it was 3 days of absolutely no connection, during which I had to go to Dick Smith to get a Vodafone USB modem, that sealed it. It boggles my mind how one of the largest, most experienced telecommunications companies in the world can’t get such simple thing right.
It could be that complaints are down because of failures on the Telstra web sites!
I have tried several times over the last few days to have multiple errors on my latest bill corrected by emailing Telstra through the pages at:
https://help.telstra.com/app/email_complaint
and
http://www.telstra.com.au/help/contact/online-services.html?red=/contact/online.htm
In both cases the “Submit” or “Continue” buttons are inactive – so the complaint goes nowhere…
Copy and paste the same message to “Send us your Positive Feedback” on:
https://www.telstra.com.au/help/contact/email-compliments.cfm
goes through without a hitch.
Now, call my cynical if you will, but how come enquiry and complaint links don’t work when saying nice things to Telstra works a treat?
Hi John, Thanks for the feedback on the forms. I’ve asked for a local rep to call you. Brendan.
Thanks Brendan,
I hope they realise that I’m in Crete, Greece until November. It was stepping our plans down whilst away that has caused all the problems!
Hi John. I have contacted the team and asked them to update me so I can email you the results. Brendan
They’ve been in touch, Brendan, but obviously:
1. They don’t know I’m in Crete
2. The “call forward immediate” that we ordered before leaving Australia has not been enacted. I’ve told them this.
Hi John, I have spoken to Jason this morning and I will will email you when I get the details.
I have to say the only reason I can assume complaints have dropped by a third is that the people couldn’t get through to speak to anyone. I have never dealt with a more incompetent organistion. I have had to make 2 complaints this month 1 about a billing issue from a property that I lived in a year ago I have been speaking to billing every month to sort and every month it is sorted (not) and I get ac overdue letter. That is just one issue. On another issue I am still waiting for a callback from last thursday when the operator said they would call me back in 20 minutes. I could write a book actually. I think the ceo should do an undercover boss. If ever you want a bad start to your day just ring telstra, that will do it.
Hi Robert, Sorry you’ve had such a terrible experience with us to date. I’ve asked a local rep to call you asap to help you with your outstanding issues.
I just moved the business to Telstra, Mobiles, Landline and Internet and have to say I was looking forward to experiencing high quality service, as preached by the CEO and its fallen well well short of basic expectations. My landline and Internet are still not connected, and all my business is on the internet and phones. I have a recruitment business specialising in Telecommunications and if asked I will unfortunately have to be honest of my terrible experience.
Hi Rav, Sorry for the delay in getting you set up. I’ve asked for someone to call you as soon as possible.
I am no fan of Telstra – far from it. But I have to say the organisation is like a glacier. For those of us who are older and accustomed to its service behaviour I have found an almost imperceptible improvement. There is no doubt waiting times are long, but not as long as they were. There is no doubt we have frustration being shoved from ‘consultant to consultant’ but it, too, is becoming less.
And Thodey has taken a low profile while he gets on with the job. I am no fan and there must be people who have had it up to the back teeth but I am witnessing improvement that are happening. I suspect within five years our perceptions of Telstra will be of a company that has finally got its act back together.
Please don’t send me any abusive comments.
Hi Pete and Rav
Few people use their own time to actively promote a company when not a fan but I do accept what you say could be true, pity it never came freely but out of NBN imminent introduction and the Market changes that will occur as a result.
In fairness 2 points should be made:
1/ Respect is earned, not given.
2/ 5 years is a long time for business to wait or survive if not already stung!
My previous comment was not accepted, so be it if other methods be required!
I also make the point that my experience could be a positive for Telstra and that I am not the enemy, only what the company makes of the opportunity.
Regards Gary Looney
Hello Gary. Thanks for your comment. I note you say a previous comment was not posted. I’ve checked and can’t see any recent comments from you before this? You may want to try again. Brendan
So I’m not the only one frustrated with Telstra! I’ve requested a simple service from them, Duet, so I can run a fax and landline on the same line but with two different numbers in a home office.
I thought it would be a simple matter to ‘flick the switch’ as I believe it is a software implementation. Well, I think it is.
I requested this back very late 2010. It is now June 2011 and still no joy. I’ve contacted Telstra on numerous occasions and endured being shuffled between different consultants and departments. It is not unusual to be on the phone to Telstra for a couple of hours between being ‘on hold’ and being shuffled between departments. One time, after being transferred by the operator to the ‘correct’ department I was told I was in the wrong department. Go figure!
I requested many times, always politely I might add, for the service to be connected and each and every time I was assured that it would be ‘this time!’ Bananas! I informed Telstra that I will not be paying any more bills until such time the service I requested over six months ago is activated and then asked, “Is this conversation being recorded?” “Yes.” “Good! So there is a record of it!” So sometimes recording conversations is not always in their favour. What’s more, the billing I get is a mess, my accounts are a mess, the mailing address has been changed without my consent to an old but now incorrect address.
Needless to say I am now very angry and thoroughly fed up with Telstra.
Contrary to the few (albeit, very few) positive comments on this thread, I have found Telstra service has actually deteriorated. Not that long ago services would be implemented quickly, Telstra would contact regularly to see if they could do anything to save you money, they would recommend options, etc. They were good, or at least I found them so-but now-bananas! I wish they’d go back to the way they were! Yeah, I know, most everyone will disagree with me. Like I said, my personal experience, that’s how I found them in the past.
I asked if I could be put onto someone willing to take responsibility for my account and the operators, understandably, became evasive. Doesn’t help me though!
I am now very, very angry with Telstra! As I said before, I was polite with them up to now as I don’t see any reason or excuse to be impolite with people as the operators are probably helpless sods working in a massive corporation too big to know what the left hand is doing from the right! But I am now finding difficult to contain my anger and frustration!
What I don’t understand is why is a simple request so hard to implement? Telstra is in the telecommunications industry, it’s what they do, so why do they have so much trouble doing what they’re supposed to be good at? It’s not as if they don’t have the resources to do it. Small businesses do a better job with shoestring budgets, less resources and in a tight economy. What’s Telstra’s excuse or any big corporation for that matter? Complacency maybe?
Hey Brendan, seeing on how you’re doing a sterling job troubleshooting, reckon you can have a look at my account? I’ll even shout you a beer!
I’d be interested to know why my insightful comments were removed.
My comments had a status to be evaluated by the Moderator. So I’m assuming that they are still being evaluated. If they have been removed then I am very disappointed and it only serves to reinforce the import of my comments!
Hi Constantine, I’ve just organised for someone to call you. This should take 24-36 hrs. Your comment were in moderation over the weekend along with all the others. Typically I only moderate Monday to Friday and only managed to get to yours this morning. Brendan.
Hi Jules
After reading your profile I cannot believe how you ended up in a place like telstra. Really, ethics committee; customer satisfaction! What planet are you on?
Telstra provides appalling levels of service and treats its customers with contempt. That was my opinion two months ago when I was forced to spend weeks dealing with your imaginary concept of customer service.
I am now watching a friend being driven almost to despair as day after day she attempts to resolve the massive 24 separate clerical, billing and device problems that Telstra has caused for her.
To make matters worse Telstra owes my friend over $1600 but they still keep sending bills for non-existent services. And of course as we all know (interesting ethical point) if my friend doesn’t submit to this extortion she will end up with a black mark on her credit file which will remain for seven years.
Please have the decency to assign someone with the authority and patience to resolve this long list of errors, so that she doesn’t become tempted to throw herself off the gap.
Your customers are people; hopefully they won’t end up being dead people!
p.s. the ombudsman is useless
P.S The ombudsman is just as useless as you are.
Hi Leonie, Sorry to hear you and you friends have had negative experiences with us recently. I’d be happy to help if you ask them to send me their account and contact details using the form on this page. Brendan
Hi Brendan,
Apologies for me being abrupt but unfortunately now I’m so cynical that whatever action Telstra takes, even though constructive, is misinterpreted as being unconstructive and subversive!
I just cynically assumed that my comments were deleted as Telstra’s response to ‘dealing’ with the problem.
But thanks for your efforts and look forward to someone calling me to sort this mess out, finally.
No problem Constantine. I understand. Appology accepted.
Hello
Thank you for your quick response. Is the form you suggested my friend complete just the same form she has completely already at least seven times? Doesn’t this just take us back to the beginning again?
I am not prepared to have my friend suffer through that process yet again. She is not well. None of this is her fault and the compliants are already in the system as complaints. If a dedicated person is prepared to devote a significant period of time to resolving her many concerns then it may be worth the effort, but not if it is another fifteen people who takes great notes and then do nothing.
Can you assure me that she isn’t going to be exposed to even more distress by following the path you suggest? This situation is urgent!
Hi Brendan,
I’m pleased to report that my Duet line issue has been resolved! Miracles never do cease! The chap that contacted me resolved it within minutes and he was able to isolate what the technical issue was. Why Telstra couldn’t do that at the start is a mystery, after all, like I said in my original email, it’s the business that Telstra is in – telecommunications, if I’m not mistaken! By the way, the chap that contacted was most helpful and knowledgeable. Have to give credit where credit is due and not berate all the time.
Now I need to resolve my accounts issue as they are a proper mess, wrongly addressed, and a few other issues that I’m not in a frame of mind right now to articulate into writing.
How or who should I take this up with? I’d like someone that is willing to take responsibility.
I’m working my way through the list of issues and am starting to make some progress, finally! Hopefully I’ll be able to close this Telstra file soon!
Glad to hear that’s all sorted now. I’ve asked a billing rep to call you.
Thanks, am looking forward to it with tremulous anticipation!
After being without access to internet and email for 3 days and numerous phone calls to bigpond a Mr Alam phoned at approximately 6.30pm on 10th July 2011 and within 15 minutes had my connection problem resolved. He was easy to understand and certainly knew how to fix my computer modem
I called the billing section to find out why i had recieved a bill for a USB modem given to me as a gift under my new plan.
This invoice was for $15.67 and the first consultant told me i could read a bill correctly and that it was now for $5.07 . I couldnt make him understand the concept of a free gift didnt mean recieving a bill nor could he unsdersattnd that i was reading the bill to him. He was extremely rude and when i asked to talk to a supervisort to trey and sort the mess out. he refused. I eventually got transferred to another consukltant who was even ruder than the first. She found out i was a business customer and transferred me despite not even assisting with my enquiry.
I got put through to a third consultant who apparently couldnt help becoauyse i was a business customer and not a landline issue. he then transferred me again to another consultant thaqt could not help. After an hour on the phione being abused by telstra staff she advised me she would then transfer me again as she couldnt help me. At this point my phone went flat and cut out.
All i wanted was to find out why i was being billed for a free gift . Now Ive been told that i need to pay the bill and HOPE the account section gets it right next month. If i doint pay the bill I will be liable for a late fee which will continue to grow until i pay up.
Where is the logic in all this and what ever happened to Service.
Surely somewhere in telstra there is someone that can assist me to sort out this mess that telstra have created by giving me a free gift
In Feb 2011 i signed up for an iphone, home phone and Internet all at a fixed bundle price of $137pm. I have been charged $220pm since. I inquired today about the additional costs. Was connected to India with one simple request, a proper breakdown of my bill. Three transfers and 30mins later they still couldn’t give me a simple breakdown! So i went into a Telstra shop and inquired. They looked on the system and could see that i was being charged in excess of what i originally signed up for. They tried to fix it on the spot but couldn’t and had to go through Indian call center themselves. Jesus! The manager at the Telstra shop was then transferred around six different times herself. I was in the shop for over an hour until i was told i didnt need to wait any longer. Had a call saying i had been discounted $300 off the entire contract, 24months because the bundle failed.
I had thoroughly researched the contracts before i entered one and saved all the info i was provided. Recommended. I am at complete whits end with Telstra and its complete incompetency!!
Recently i attended a Telstra conference, the theme being, “Changing the way people talk about Telstra”.
Not likely Telstra!!
Hi Jay. Have you got this all sorted now? If you need further assistance don’t hesitate to contact me using the online form here. Brendan
I don’t believe the TIO report is relevant to anything as many people simply except Telstra as a dysfunctional operation and no longer complain.
I’ve been struggling for a week to resolve a (wap) billing issue with customer service (obviously outsourced) while being bounced around like a ball between operators. Even more frustrating was having to explain the the issue over & over & over, getting nowhere, what a waste of time. Just as I had run out of patience & having written my experience on a draft copy to be posted on complaintsboard.com & 100′s of other consumer forums, I finally got through to a lady with Australian accent (big relief) who was helpful & polite. You could easily tell from the tone of her voice that she wanted to help & is trying her best to put me through to someone who can help. I was then transferred to Josh who resolved the matter within mins & made it look so simple & easy. Dear Telstra don’t waste our time & money with overseas outsourcing which in return gives Telstra a bad reputation.
In order for me to believe you are not overtly misleading the public on the level of complaints regarding Telsta, can you answer the following questions?
1. Why is it almost impossible to find the complaints form on your web site?
2. Why do Telstra refer to my complaints as “enquiries”, no matter how many times I state it is a complaint?
3. Are complaints incorrectly labelled as “enquiries” excluded from the count of complaints?
4. Do you have a separate Bigpond complaints/enquiry form so they are not included as Telstra complaints?
5. Why do Telstra complaint calls have a suspiciously high drop out rate?
6. Why do Telstra cancellations have such high drop out rate preventing the cancellation of services?
7. Why does the telstra online cancellation form not work?
8. Why do you refer to my complaints as product “feedback” when it is a complaint?
9. Are the complaints made during service cancellations counted in the complaint totals?
10. Why do complaint and cancellation call recordings and notes disappear?
11. Why do calls to your sales area not drop out?
Hi Brendan
I note my last entry has been removed. It was a list of questions relating to telsta’s claims about a decrease in complaints. These were very sincere and serious questions. Why have these been deleted? Even worse why have they not been answered. You have my private email if you do not wish to admit to errors in public. I am very offended that these issues have been dismissed without response. I would appreciate an explanation. I suspect most of Australia would also like to hear your explanations.
Hi Leonie. I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing difficulties with your Telstra services and we do have a number of contact numbers available to provide the assistance you require.
If you select the “Contact Us” link in the middle of our homepage at http://www.telstra.com.au and then “Personal” you will be provided a number of options for service. Just select the product that meets your service enquiry – Home, Mobile, Online Services or Bigpond and you will be provided all the online options and phone contacts to meet your requirements. In addition, the Other Contacts provides details for issues relating to Foxtel, Payphones and damage to any Telstra infrastructure.
Scroll down and you will find the area that will enable you to make a complaint. Please note, we have a quick link also available on the front page of our homepage on the lower left hand side. The following link will enable you to make a complaint online at http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/commitments/telstra-complaints-policy/
I understand that we do not get things right and we are committed to resolve all matters directly with our customers.
Telstra Complaints Team
Telstra, I am dissapointed with you. Whilst you provide fantastic coverage and reasonable CAP plans, your staff members let you down in terms of product knowledge. So much so that a total of 6 consultants have provided me with inconsistant information.
A member of staff within your complaints unit advised me to return my handset to the store I purchased it from, rather that resolve the problem. When I informed this consultant that it’s her duty to retain customers as opposed to instruct them to cancel their handset, she was not too concerned. I then spoke to another consultant who tried to solve it but provided me wrong information. The cancellations department tried to solve it by suggesting I take it back to the store within 24 hrs ( cooling off period). I then spoke with the store and was told that this option is not available as I signed a 24 months contract ( no disclaimer which denotes this, is in the contract). I then rang your cancellations department and wanted to speak with this particular consultant but unfortunately your consultants are not equipped with internal transfer numbers. This new consultant told me that the 24 hr cooling off period does not exist. Nevertheless, complaint escalated to the next level up. TIO will certainly be notified. If you can streamline your product knowledge training, it will certainly save you lots of complaints..
There is no where in my contract which mentions that a ‘cooling off period’ does not apply to this contract..
Hi Johnny, Sorry you’ve had to endure this. I’d like to get a local specialist look into this for you. Can you please use this form to send me you account and contact details please.