🗞️Southern Phone's Complaint Handling Failures Result in $244,140 Penalty

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AGL Energy owns all of Southern Phone Company Limited (Southern Phone), which was fined $244,140 for not handling consumer complaints in a timely manner. According to an enquiry by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), Southern Phone violated the laws governing the handling of telecom complaints 77 times between April and June 2023.Telecom companies must adhere to minimal criteria and timelines for handling complaints under the Consumer Complaints Handling Standard. The telecom is required to tell the client if it does not think it can complete the complaint resolution within the allotted period. For 38 instances, Southern Phone neglected to provide the consumer with advance notice of anticipated delays or to address non-urgent complaints within the allotted ten working days. Additionally, the ACMA discovered that Southern Phone had 39 instances of inadequate complaint handling documentation. Telco consumers have a right to anticipate that their complaints would be handled promptly and that they will be informed if there are any delays, according to ACMA member and consumer lead Samantha Yorke. "Telecom companies should prioritise efficiently handling customer complaints." Southern Phone needs to improve since it lacked the appropriate procedures to handle these complaints, according to Ms. Yorke.

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It might be annoying to have problems with your phone and internet, but having a complaint handled poorly by your provider only makes matters worse. Every day, telecom companies claim to get over 2,500 complaints. Even with the latest improvements, this remains excessive given the essential importance of these services to customers. Telcos must work together to address the excessive volume of complaints and how they are being managed, according to Ms. Yorke. Southern Phone has agreed to a court-enforceable commitment that includes a financial penalty in addition to an independent examination of its compliance with complaints processing guidelines and the implementation of necessary adjustments. The ACMA opened an investigation after evaluating Southern Phone's complaint handling capabilities. Telcos that provide more than 30,000 services are required to submit a quarterly report on their complaint management procedures to the ACMA.

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