Calls to Telstra customer service and complaints lines now free
Filed under: corporate, customer service, customers, free calls, news, Telstra CEO, thinking, trends
In another new customer service initiative, Telstra will make nearly 50 million service and support calls free of charge for Telstra customers.
Last month I posted a blog about new customer service initiatives including weekend tech service appointments. That blog generated many comments, complaints and feedback and I would like to thank everyone who took the time to write to me.
Today, I’m announcing another new initiative to improve the value we provide to customers and to help make it easier to connect with Telstra to resolve a customer service issue or complaint.
Millions of calls are made each year to our most frequently rung customer service numbers and, as of yesterday, calls to those numbers from Telstra services will be free of charge.
So, calls from a Telstra home phone or Telstra mobile, in Australia, to our general enquiry numbers for consumers and small businesses will be free as well as calls to our fault numbers, the BigPond helpdesk and our general service number for pre-paid mobile. Calls to activate and recharge pre-paid accounts can already be made without cost to customers.
125 111 Telstra residential mobile enquiries
132 203 Telstra residential faults
137 663 BigPond enquiries
133 933 BigPond Tech Support
125 8880 Prepaid enquiries
125 8888 Prepaid recharges
125 8887 Prepaid activations
132 000 Telstra Business enquiries
132 999 Telstra Business faults
Before we decided to launch this initiative, we researched a number of potential customer service improvements. This initiative came out as the most important when we asked people to tell us what they thought. I’m glad to make it a reality today but I’m also interested in your thoughts. We are very serious about wanting to hear from you. Really listening and acting upon customers’ feedback is a key part of the change we want our customers to experience.
More than two hundred people provided feedback to my blog last month announcing new customer service initiatives. The feedback offered us some encouragement but also gave us clear indications on what we must continue to improve upon. You told me that we can still do better and I agree.
Your views on our services, including our prices and products, have been passed onto the appropriate members of our teams.
Please keep posting your views, ideas and suggestions to me here on Telstra Exchange.
David
refer to prevsious post 16 Jan 2012 at 1:56 am
still no responce or coment from Telstra .
My Telstra Nextg service still fails
some 2 months ago it would work within the house but now – ( as stated before ) it drops out, is not there, has a signal but cannot call out or in. considering there are 6 phones in the house at themoment its totally not acceptable.
Walking out into the stree does & sometime doesnot help.
Hi Dave, I’ve asked a local team to get on to this asap and give you a call. Brendan
Thanks Brendan
someone tried 3 times today to call
2 missed calls and I answered the 3rd but it dropped strait out. I called back but a recored Telstra meessage did not give any options . Look forward to their calls next week.
Hi Dave, I’ve just followed this up for you to make sure you get a call back. Brendan
Hi Brendan
just to keep you in the loop
Emma called yesterday and explain what i needed to to
I called Faults but was given wrong information regarding working how’s 7am to10pm EST. Sadly today I called back and was told no they are always open 24/7.
I was on the line for 30mins then someone was going to call back. after 2 hours I called again ( this call lasted 1.17minustes – not bad )
I spoke with 5 consultants received 3 ref numbers and was on hold with music playing while talking 2 two consultants at the same time. better than that after I was transferred again I had the pleasure to get the recoding to leave feedback on the service I had received and during that experience I spoke to the consultant who helped me the most.( another ref number.)
I hold my breath and the case will be acted on over the next day or two, regards Dave
Hello, just stumbled upon this website while desperately searching for a solution to our phone connection issue.
I moved house recently and called Telstra in advance to relocate the number. After 3 days, i got an ‘sms’ asking for proof of relocation as apparently the line is used by someone else! After I called to confirm that it was indeed Telstra, I faxed the tenancy proof and called again, only to be told that whoever asked for tenancy proof was wrong and instead I needed a technician. The technician came and told me there is nothing wrong with the phone, but the line from the exchange has a defect and Telstra needs to send people to fix it. At the time I was told it will take a week at least. Now after 2 weeks, 5 hours cumulative of waiting on hold, and a promise that my call will be returned today, when nothing happened, I called again on 132 203 only to be told it will take about 5-6 weeks for Telstra to get around sending someone to look at the line.
Meanwhile I am paying for internet connection which I cannot use because the phone line that was supposed to be active immediately will now take about 5-6 weeks to fix. I am disappointed and completely surprised by the response. Does it really take that long for Tesltra to fix a fault in its line? Could you please advise?
Hi Elaine. I can certainly get this investigated for you by a local specialist team. Can you please use this online form to send me your account and contact details or reply to the email I just sent you. Brendan
I rang to ask about my refund because I changed providers. I still have not heard nor have not received my money. I have a copy of the letter $33.97 this has been going on since October 2111. Please reply otherwise I will take this matter further. If we owed you, we would have to pay interest or have the phone cut off. I am a pensioner.URGENT. URGENT. THANKYOU
Hello Pam, If you send me your account number and a contact number I will have someone call you. Brendan
I called to have Telstra and ADSL installed on 15th Jan. Was told I would be called on the following tues with my new number and that my modem should arrive on the Friday. No call received on the Tuesday, but I received a text in the Wed with the new #. I connected the home phone and
was delighted to have a dial tone. However I cannot call out (service not connected message) and although u hear a ring when I call the number, my home phone does not ring.
I called Telstra on Sat 14th and was reassured the fault was with the exchange and a technician would be out by 7pm to fix it. This report was never lodged. I called again on mon, and was told the same story. Again, no one came out.
I called back again today, and eventually after requesting to speak to a manager on two occasions, was told the earliest they can get an engineer out is Saturday.
I am very frustrated as my husband works from home and ADSL is an essential.
I put my previous poor service experience down to living in a rural community, but now that I’m in a metro area, I see no such excuse.
I find it hard to get information out of Telstra about who I can ring about the Top hat project, and why my local RIM cabinet is not included in the list currently. I doubt I would get this information by calling 13 22 00 and saying complaints, and note that that call would not be free for me, as I am using iiNet, which resells a Telstra line, and ADSL service to me.
Hello Brendan,
Thank you for your help and prompt response. Just wanted to update here that after waiting for Telstra’s case officer to call yesterday (as promised after responding to the e-mailed complaint you forwarded) and getting no response as usual, I called again today and was told Telstra has agreed to fix my phone line problem by March, that is 6 weeks if everything goes on schedule. I have now moved to suspend my internet service until I see it happen
Kind regards,
Elaine
refer to previous communications on this subject
16 Jan 2012 at 1:56 am 20 Jan 2012 at 12:37 am
20 Jan 2012 at 10:45 am 21 Jan 2012 at 12:36 am
23 Jan 2012 at 11:00 am 25 Jan 2012 at 5:59 pm
Brendan
My assigned case manager Emma called after I posted the last one to this site.
Emma said she could see that I had success today and got my case escalated,
and sorry to say I started to let rip – acknowledging that its not her fault.
As posted previously 25 Jan 2012 at 5:59 pm I was not too impressed and advised her some time reading all of the interaction is helpful and not just the last paragraph.
I should of added my area Falcon, WA 6210. Towers that service my area .
Mandurah Exchange. @ 8Km Dawesville Hill @6km Yunderup @ 16km
My son ( the little bugger did not think to tell me ) that on his standard GSM prepaid inside a 10 year old Sony gets good signal and very few dropouts while My Sister, Brother inlaw, their Son, My other son & myself have a variety of hand sets some with the good old Telstra Tick and Next G branded: Android, Samsung Iphone4 all with nextG sim cards and now the latest addition a $39 Sony Ericson Cedar all still fail to keep a regular continuous service.
PS
I have been advised tonight by 3 people that they are also having problems in Halls Head 6210 & Erskine 6210
I suggest people advise Telstra of these small issues so that they Telstra can address the issues so that their reputation as the BEST regional provider can be maintained.
Coverage black spots
https://www.telstra.com.au/mobile/networks/feedback.cfm
http://www.telstra.com.au/mobile/networks/coverage/maps.cfm
regards Dave Falcon WA 6210 -just south of Mandurah
My mobile phone does not receive any signal up until 9.30am every morning of everyday, evening time signal reception ceases at about 8.30pm. i work as a snake relocator, i catch snakes from backyards, homes, cars, garages, etc. if i have no phone signal, i do not receive calls, will telstra help the person who has a snake in there backyard, or house, or will it take a person, or child to be bitten and and possable hospitalisation, for this problem of no signal, calls, or voicemail to be solved. this is a very serious matter and i would like a responce and an estimated time of when this will be fixed please, as for other human issues, when you need your phone urgently, this only applies between the hours of 9.30am to 8.30pm.
Hi Allison. Sound like something strange is going on in your situation. If you send me your account and contact details I’ll send this off to be actioned as a priority. Brendan
Still after my initial complaint nothing has progressed. I have had several different billing consultants (i have one id number to prove that i have been speaking to someone from billing). All have promised to contact me and call me with further info no one has called.
We have a business and we have been promised two credits of one $550 (brad) and the other of $770(from Veronica).
Our ‘business solutions specialist’ Brad has been trying to fix this since October..There is no record of his work when i speak with a consultant. I have had everyone promising to adjust my account and nothing. Finally today someone rang to say our account is overdue and payment is required. So again I try to explain my situation and again I’m transferred to several different departments finally got to billing and guess what – got disconnected..
Now what?? Wait until i get a call from Telstra to tell me my account is overdue. The only time i get a call from them is when they want money. I’m happy to pay once my account is adjusted. How hard it is to get someone to fix my account?? This is crazy actually it’s hilarious.
Every consultant apologises for my dilemma but nothing ever gets done…
What a joke!! This would not happen is private practise..
HELP!!!
Hi Dehlia, I’ve sent this off for investigation for you. I’ve asked to be informed of the details and for you to get a call. Brendan.
I am still waiting for an officer to contact me. regarding unreliable signal for mobile phone, and i see that my last two blogs concerning this are no where to be found?…. this is affecting my work ethic and practise, refering to unreliable mobile signal. snake catcher allison. ps i sent to you my acc details, i have a prepaid, does this make me less of a customer.
I have just received a call from a person claiming to be from Telstra Customer Service. He stated the purpose of the call was to see if I was getting the best service and he wanted to go through my bill etc to see if I was on the best plan with phone, mobile internet etc – Would this have been a legitimate call from Telstra. I declined his offer.
Hello Brendan. Just to let you know that all is not dissatisfaction and complaint. This morning top broadcaster at radio station 4BC Brisbane, Greg Carey, told of how he visited the Telstra Shop at the Indooroopilly Shopping Centre and got fabulous service from an employee named Elizabeth. Greg really gave Elizabeth and Telstra a big rap. Perhaps David Thodey could make her day with a congratulatory note.
Thanks for the feedback Syd, I’ll pass it on for you. Brendan
Hi I called today about a line fault and the support operator was great .. 100%
I was asked to answer an online survey on her performance but as the call had gone to mobile the call just ended.
Your Ref was 142983279
Happy with performance = yes
rate out of 5 = 5
Thanks
Steve
Please help me with activating my mobile phone. I have been waiting now for 6 days for this to be done. I had the sim card installed into my new phone at the Bunbury Telstra shop and the sim card was activated by the shop assistant, who said it would be working very shortly. By that evening – 25th Jan, it was not working so I called the online help, who said it was “provisional” and would be working by the next morning. Yesterday – 25th Jan, it is still not working, so I again went into the Bunbury Telstra shop, where the assistant made calls for help and advised that it had been escalated and would be working in 24 hours. Thismorning, I have phoned the helpline again, and have been advised that this has been forwarded to the operations manager, to be escalated and should be working tomorrow. As I have heard this before, I am not confident this is going to be done. Please help. The extended version of this phone goes back to the beginning of December when I upgraded to a 4s from the 3 iphone, which unfortunately only worked for 3 days before I damaged it with water. This was then sent off for repairs, which is where my trouble began. In a nutshell, there have been several errors made and now, almost 2 months later, I still don’t have a phone I can use, but am still paying for the privilege . I really need someone who can resolve this problem to help me.
Hi Karen, Sorry you’re still having issues with your phone connection. If you send me your account details and a contact number I’ll get someone local to investigate. Use this online form to send them please. Brendan.
Hi Brandan
The mobile covrage or should I say lack of coverage has still not improved. I look forward from a followup call from a Technician or an improvment in service.
refer to previous communications on this subject
16 Jan 2012 at 1:56 am 20 Jan 2012 at 12:37 am
20 Jan 2012 at 10:45 am 21 Jan 2012 at 12:36 am
23 Jan 2012 at 11:00 am 25 Jan 2012 at 5:59 pm
26 Jan 2012 at 1:29 am
Regards Dave Falcon WA 6210
PS the Lady up the road from me who is having the same problems is a Snake catcher & Fauna relocator
allison Dixon
26 Jan 2012 at 4:10 pm 29 Jan 2012 at 3:02 pm
- I would hate her not to recive a call and some one gets Bitten by a Snake: will Telstra or its consultant be liable under comcar and WHS legislation ?
http://www.inmycommunity.com.au/news-and-views/local-news/All-girl-snake-rescue-team-flat-out/7581824/
Hi Brendan
The mobile coverage problem appears to be resolved thanks to the team and thanks to Emma
refer to previous communications on this subject
16 Jan 2012 at 1:56 am 20 Jan 2012 at 12:37 am
20 Jan 2012 at 10:45 am 21 Jan 2012 at 12:36 am
23 Jan 2012 at 11:00 am 25 Jan 2012 at 5:59 26 Jan 2012 at 1:29 am
pm1 Feb 2012 at 12:07 am
regards Dave Fish Falcon WA.
Hi , I just moved in to a new estate in moorebank liverpool just 4 kms from the town.been trying to get a home bundle package with telstra … each time given different information from customer care plus the telstra shop . first was asked me to get a new telephone connection to get a broadband network and telephone package.I was told that i cant get adsl2 only adsl. i was ok with it but now after paying 300 dollars to get a new home pohone connection now iam told that i cant get any broadband connection not even dial up… as we dont hav any cables layed. sadly my both neighbours have home bundle package and my opposite neighbours tooo have it. today i was ininformed in telstra shop that i can only have wireless or satellite foxtel… which century and country am i living in. I need to know why i cant have any broadband or any internet connection with my phone … any answers telstra please?????
My experience with telstra over the past 3 months has been a nightmare.. The final straw was when I received a bill for $157 last week..I AM ON A $30 cap plan. This is a 4G internet stick..The previous bill was $547 and it was supposed to have been rectified…The store where I purchased this item are completely hopeless. I actually have to tell them what to do… All you have to do is send a bill for $30 per month.. God, it is so simple…
Hi Ted, Did you get the email I sent you?
1/2 hour on phone to get nowhere AGAIN !
3 years, THREE YEARS this has been going on – Telstra even ignores the TIO !!!!!!!
I understand the people on the front line cant help with deeper issues but from case mgrs up….. wake up to yourselves and grow some pride and professionalism ! your customer service is non existant – it is embarresing that you represent our national telecomunications carrier – it will be bye bye telstra when other companys get an even footing in the market.
feel free to pass this off for ‘investigation’ Brendon…bloody disgusting!
Hi Jason, Can I have your account number and a countact number please? You can use this form.
I recently went into Telstra at the Booragoon branch to enquire about our contract as it was coming up to expiring and we were concerned about the huge bills we were receiving.
After the usual bunfight to get someone to pay attention i got sent to a team member called \brad\, after voicing my concernes about our current contract we hammered out a new deal and new mobiles for my husband and I.
As we were finishing up he said \oh and since you are signing up for bundle you can have either a tbox or thub for free! the tbox you pay nothing for and the thub it $35 upfront.
I was initially suspicious and asked him repeatedly if I really paid nothing for the tbox, the answer every time was \YES\.
I came back to pick up my products and asked again \are you sure its free\ again i was told yes and he even laughed when i asked what the hidden snags were as i looked at my contract and told me \truly you pay nothing\
Great took the tbox home plugged it it as wasn’t impressed at all, it was slow, the channels dropped out all the time and i was just a pain to deal with, but we weren’t too stressed as we were not paying for it.
Lo and behold yesterday I got a letter informing me of how MUCH I AM PAYING FOR THE TBOX!!!
we rang telstra and were told yes we were paying for it.
It appeared the customer service operator was not surprised when my husband angrily informed him of what i was told.
Supposedly a post bag will be sent to us to send the tbox back.
I am utterly discussted and furious that you encourage your staff to blatantly lie to peoples faces just so you can shift product, albeit a incredibly crappy product.
Not nice at all, the fair trade and consumer affairs groups will be hearing about this.
Hi,
After being assigned multiple case managers that have over the past 3 months claimed to have corrected my billing situation, this morning i received another bill notification saying my bill is now past $8000.
I made online complaints over the past month, only to have nobody call me, and in fact, I’ve had to follow up twice myself to have someone talk to me.
The situaion is quite basic. And for the life of me, I’m tired of re-explaining the situation to 100′s of Telstra staff who then go onto say it’s really an easy situation to have rectified. Clearly it isn’t.
I ordered my new Blackberry in early November 2011. I was told the phone would be delivered the following week to an address I nominated. After this time passed, I contacted Telstra to find out what was happening, after being told it was being delivered that day, then the next day, then there is no stock, and I can’t give you a delivery date, to then all of a sudden the phone was delivered, I wasn’t there to accept the delivery, so the phone was returned to your depot. In order to send me a new phone, they cancelled that phone contract, and as a result, I have been charge over for an entire contract cancellation fee.
At the same time this was all happening, I requested for my bigpond account to have its download limit increased, never happened until I chased it. Then allegedly it was increased and I started a new contract, only to try and use this at the time, and the internet was slower than dial up. So I rang up to cancel this new contract I had allegedly started, only to find out there was new contact at all.
Back on the subject of my mobile contract, I expressed that the $99 per month was not sufficient in relation to my needs – re call amounts, and that my last contract had a much larger call amount that I was using entirely. Because the majority of my time has been taken up by having my bill credited, I’ve left the remaining items until I can have the bill sorted.
According to a telstra represenative earlier this week, my billing situation should be rectified, and reflected over the next couple billing cycles. This would be fine, except I’ve noticed my bill has no exceeded $8k which makes me think extra charges have been further incurred.
I am passed discussing this with every Telstra staff member I talk to. I’m passed waiting for a Case Manager to ring me. If this situation isn’t rectified immediately, I will be bundling up all my notes, reference numbers, bills and forwarding these to the TIO, and also to my friend Justin Armsden who is a reported at ACA. I have given ample time for the matter to be rectified, and I have been most patient.
Looking forward to your response.
hello David
When I last recharged my mobil broadband 0467****** in early december I was told by your operator that I would receive 5 gig extra for being a good customer. I don’t believe i received the said offer as 3 weeks later i was creditless. I find it imposible to open the right telstra pages to recharge online while restricted and is why i need to call to have vouchers applied.Somehow this very welcome credit did not appear in my account and doubt that i’m getting value for money overall.
Hi Darren, I’d like to get a local team to investigate and call you. Please can you send me your account and contact details? You can use this online form. Brendan.
Hi Darren, Leah will be looking after you.
thankyou for the call today but…..
your operator acknoleged that i had been not given what was promised (5gig)and told me he believed my account had been credited with $50.00 = to 3 gig extra and was crediting another $50.00 extra credit expiring in 28 days(=3gig) to make up for 5 gig i was promised.which i said would resolve my issue.I stayed on the line to provide a survey but I really should have checked all was well first. because alas it appears no credit has been received yet.I can still only get access to the telstra main page,I.ve tried to register with my account ,but it said it would send confirmation message as if it was a phone ? I need some more help please
I’ve asked the team to follow this up for you Darren.
I have called telstra now 5 months in a row about the same issue. It has been a simple bill error they made when I changed telstra plans. Each time I call, the operators (who are pleasant) tells me the problem will be fixed on the next statement…and you guessed it once again my new bill has the same error carried forward.
Each time the person I spoke to (whos names I have recorded the last 3 times) guarantee me the problem has been fixed. I have asked for notes of my call to be made on their system, I give a reference number for my previous call each month and they say our calls are recorded etc.
I have had enough – I want to speak now with a supervisor or manager ASAP. If this is not fixed on the next bill I will be leaving telstra forever – incl. by landline, mobile and internet.
The irony of this is that at the end of each call they ask me to take a customer service survey of whether i was happy with the service.
What a joke – as I said last time – I will not be leaving any comment until the statement is fixed – ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THEN WORDS !
Hi Ron, I’ve asked a local specialist team to call you. I can understand your frustration in dealing with this month after month and I’ve asked the team to investigate this for you. Brendan
I have rang telstra multiple times, ever since Saturday (11/2). To wanting to activate my data connection. and was always promised to wait for the day after, being informed changes took 24 hours to affect. Now Monday(13/2)
Until now haven’t got any 3G connection no email/internet, I JUST WANT RESULTS NOT PROMISES AND APOLOGIES.
I have been with optus for many years and have moved house and have no mobile reception. After breaking my contract after only 2 months I transferred to Telstra who promised better mobile reception and purchasing an iphone 4S under contract. My reception is now worse. I can’t be contacted in my house or surrounding area outside. I have telephoned Telstra on several occasions up untill last night (spending over 2 hours on the phone) eventually I hung up as it was after midnight. I was put onto several departments who could not help me. I am extremely sorry I signed with Telstra. I have my home phone, internet, mobiles and foxtell through telstra and thought they would look after me. Unfortunately not. I was informed I needed an outside aerial and told to call another number, on calling they couldn’t help me. It is very frustrating.
Hi Debbie, I have sent this to a local team and asked that they call you as a priority. Brendan
Sheer stupidity!
What more can I call the new “design” of the printed Telstra account.
Who would think to put the account total in the middle of the invoice, yet have another amount at the top right hand corner of the invoice.
Last time I paid the amount at the top right, so this month’s account has an extra $ 100 on it, because the account “design” must have been put together by a bunch of kindergarten children, rather than a professional forms designer.
One day, Telstra will get it all together. One day. Some day.
When?
Robert I am sure Telstra will examine your complaint re the billing account but if you are confused by your bill probably it would not be so mentally exhausting for you to call 132200 where a friendly lady will ask you phone number and then tell you the amount required for payment.
Yeah, and then Telstra charge you for contacting a 1300 number, even though it is their number, but they charge you anyway …
Exactly Robert..It recently cost me $36 to call that nice lady on 132200 that david ( in his dreams ) is talking about..I have a $30 a month internet stik…. I say again $30 a mth….. My lasat 3 bills have been $457, $157 & $171. And each month they tell me it is fixed. Each month I pay the $30 and then the morons charge me a late fee…Telstra is the ultimate in incompetence…. totally useless…
Hi Ted, Please send me your account details and a contact number so I can get a local team to investigate and call you. Brendan
LATE NEWS FLASH! Todays Australian Newspaper. Telstra to spend 30 million dollars to upgrade customer billing system. Robert your influence with those who control Telstra is without question.