The report highlights a mixed performance across the industry, signalling the need for telcos to prioritise customer satisfaction and efficiency.
In 2023–24, telcos received 899,691 complaints, a notable decrease from over one million in the previous year. However, the average time taken to resolve these complaints rose from 5.2 days in 2022–23 to 6 days in the most recent period. ACMA member and consumer lead Samantha Yorke expressed concern about this trend, urging telecommunications companies to take more responsibility in addressing customer issues promptly.
“The time taken to resolve complaints is going in the wrong direction, which is very frustrating for telco customers,” said Yorke.
“People need to feel confident that their telco services will work as expected, and that when something goes wrong, effective and timely action will be taken by their telco to fix it.”
Yorke stressed the importance of quick resolutions, particularly when complaints involve essential services like phone or broadband, which can impact work, social connections, or even lead to incorrect charges.
“Whether the complaint is about a phone or broadband service, potentially impacting people’s ability to work or connect with family and friends, or incorrect charges being applied, or other issues, telcos need to act quickly to rectify the problem and we would like to see a greater focus on this across the industry.”
Despite the rise in complaint resolution times, the percentage of unresolved complaints escalated to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) remained steady at just over 6 per cent. Consumers are encouraged to first reach out to their service provider when facing issues. If a satisfactory resolution is not reached, they can then seek help from the TIO.
Read also: Improving telecommunications: Government’s next steps
The full 2023–24 telco complaints report includes detailed data on complaints received by Australia’s 34 largest telecommunications providers. Notably, this year marks the beginning of a new approach by the ACMA to hold individual providers more accountable. Following recent legislative changes, the ACMA will now publish rankings of telcos based on key performance metrics, starting with data from July to September 2024, which is expected to be released in November.
This increased transparency aims to encourage telcos to improve their performance and customer service. By publicly ranking providers, consumers will have greater visibility into how their telco compares, ultimately driving competition and better outcomes across the sector.
Adrianne Saplagio is a Content Producer at Comms Room, where she combines her passion for storytelling with her expertise in multimedia content creation. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for engaging audiences, Adrianne has been instrumental in crafting compelling narratives that resonate across various digital platforms.
