OPTUS CUSTOMER INITIATIVES SEE COMPLAINTS DIVE 36 PERCENT

TIO complaints drop 50% for coverage, 37% for contracts
Optus My Plan sees zero TIO complaints in first quarter

Optus welcomes today’s Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) 2013 Annual Report, recording Optus’ 36% decline in total complaints for the year ending 30 June 2013.

Crunching the numbers

After six straight quarters of decreasing complaints, Optus is pleased to see its initiatives reflected in the areas that matter most to customers. The top three areas that have seen the largest decrease in complaints for the year ending 30 June 2013 are:

• Coverage complaints declined by 50%
• Poor contract information complaints declined by 37%
• Disputed bills complaints declined by 25%

Vicki Brady, Managing Director, Customer, Optus, said, “Our customers are our number one priority, which is why we’re working hard to make sure everything we do benefits them. Not only have we seen an industry-leading decline in TIO complaints over the past year, but we’ve also seen a strong decline in complaints to Optus, proving that our initiatives are having a positive effect on customers.”

Putting these results into context, Optus also measures complaints per 10,000 services to ensure that comparisons can be made across the industry regardless of the size of customer base. Optus has seen a 54% decline in June 2013, compared to June 2012, with around two complaints per 10,000 services.

Dissecting the details

Over the last 12 months, Optus has implemented a number of customer initiatives that have contributed to the decline in complaints, including:

• Coverage: Optus continues to invest in its network to deliver a great experience for customers. The workhorse of the network, 3G, has been upgraded nationally for improved in-building coverage, while 4G continues to roll out to more areas for a better data experience.
• Poor contract information: In March, Optus introduced the Critical Information Summary (CIS) documents, as part of its commitment to comply with the Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code. This two page document provides customers with a clear product summary describing all the details of the offer, customer service, pricing, how to monitor spend and complaint handling processes.
• Disputed bills: Usage alerts continue to help customers stay on top of their SMS, voice and data habits, contributing to the decline in complaints. Optus also introduced a payment reminder in April, which sends a SMS reminder to customers three days after their bill is due and before they are charged with a late payment fee.

Trend continues down

New TIO complaints for the most recent quarter, July–September 2013, continue to decline with a 50% decrease from the same quarter in 2012.

“We’re focused on delivering simple, transparent plans that are easy to understand and help minimise bill shock. Optus’ most significant customer initiative, My Plan, was launched on 1 July and received zero TIO complaints in its first quarter, which is quite an achievement. We know we still have a lot of work to do, but it’s encouraging to see the positive results starting to come through,” continued Ms Brady.

Media contact:

Claire Wong

Optus Corporate Affairs

(02) 8082 7850