Looks like they are taking the right steps to improve customer...

Looks like they are taking the right steps to improve customer service, a good move .
An inquiry about customer service by the Australian Communications and Media Authority was launched last month.


"Telstra gives customers a call

* Natasha Bita, Consumer editor
* From: The Australian
* May 28, 2010 12:00AM


TELSTRA, the nation's most-berated communications company, has pledged better service to its customers, including weekend visits from technicians and a review of its unpopular offshore call centres.

Telstra chief executive David Thodey yesterday admitted that the telco giant -- which generates 100 complaints an hour to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman -- "doesn't always get it right".

"We know we've got to do better," he told Radio 2GB's Ray Hadley. "We want to be known as a company that really looks after its customers.

"We don't always get it right . . . but we really want to change the way we run the business."

Mr Thodey, who celebrated his first year in the top job two weeks ago, announced a review of long-term contracts for overseas call centres to handle customer inquiries and complaints.

"It's really important that when people ring they understand what the issue is, can answer the query, and there isn't a communications problem," he said.


Telstra's corporate mea culpa coincides with an inquiry into customer service by the federal government's industry watchdog, the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

The inquiry was ordered last month after complaints to the industry ombudsman about phone and internet providers soared by 54 per cent in a year. Complaints relating to customer service more than doubled during 2008/09.

Telstra was the subject of 174,123 complaints about landline and mobile phones -- about 100 every working hour -- including 36,000 about customer service and 46,000 about billing.

Telstra Bigpond triggered a further 49,285 complaints.

Optus, the next-biggest provider, drew 52,000 complaints relating to landline and mobile phones, and 12,000 relating to the internet. Vodafone drew almost 18,818 and Virgin Mobile 16,731.

Telstra's new service will enable metropolitan and some regional customers to book appointments on weekends, and a simpler automated system will deal with customer calls.

Disgruntled customers who utter the word "complaint" will be connected directly to a "specially trained consultant to resolve the issue", Telstra said.

On a trial basis, customers will be able to leave a call-back message rather than wait on hold.

Mr Thodey even invited customers to call and complain.

"If you've got a problem and are not happy, please let us know," he said. "We know we're not perfect, but if you let us know we'll get on to it."

Mr Thodey said Telstra wanted to "respect our customers and their time", and not take their choice of provider for granted.

"We know our customers have busy lives, which is why we are giving them the option of weekend appointments as well as making it easier to speak to the right consultant and trialling the call-back service," he said."