There are gaps in the customer service of the New Zealand telecommunications sector, and the industry is aware of it.
That's according to the New Zealand Telecommunications Forum (TCF), which has been facilitating a range of initiatives to improve customer service across the industry.
Some of TCF's initiatives include:
- Implementing improvements to the Telecommunications Dispute scheme – a free complaints and mediation service for consumers and small businesses, advertised to consumers on their telco bills;
- Development of a customer-centric UFB installation Code which will assist the industry work together to make installations as painless as possible for the end-user;
- Development of customer service metrics across the industry to measure improvements; and
- Development of a consumer education channel, including refreshing the TCF website with increased consumer information.
TCF's CEO Geoff Thorn says, "Constant improvement in customer service is a key factor in customer retention and is something that the individual companies work hard to improve."
Thorn's comments come in response to the recently released Commerce Commission Consumer Issues Report.
The TCF says the data reflects the sheer size of the industry and the volume of interactions that customers have with their service providers in today's modern world.
"Consumers and businesses interact with telco services all day every day: mobile; broadband; and landlines," adds Thorn.
"We're constantly connected to our telco services. As the Commission notes in its report, the number of complaints reflects the size of the industry.
"Our members are aware that there may be some gaps in customer service. In our increasingly competitive market, companies compete vigorously to attract and retain customers.
"There's no silver bullet in an industry as large and as complex as telco" continues Thorn.
"We're working together on industry-wide initiatives to improve the customer experience, and individual companies are constantly reviewing and improving their interactions with consumers."
