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Complaint Handling
Q: What does the TIO do when it receives a complaint?
A1: Telephoned complaints (1800 062 058)
When you ring the TIO, an Enquiry or Investigation Officer will answer your call and record the details of your complaint.
In most cases, the Officer will refer you to a high-level complaints department in your telephone or Internet company.
Your complaint is likely to be resolved when you negotiate directly with company representatives who have authority to investigate matters and propose resolutions. In the TIO's experience, this process of direct referral to a senior level of complaint succeeds in over 90% of cases.
A2: Written complaints (PO Box 276, Collins Street West, MELBOURNE VIC 8007 or fax: 1800 630 614 or e-mail tio@tio.com.au).
Depending on the circumstances of your complaint, the TIO may handle your complaint in one of several ways:
Your letter may be forwarded to your telephone or Internet company, and a high-level complaints department will be asked to contact you directly to try and resolve your complaint;
Alternatively, a TIO officer may contact you by phone and provide advice and/or a telephone number for you to contact the relevant department in the telephone or Internet company;
If the TIO decides that your complaint warrants formal investigation in the first instance, it will write directly to the company concerned and ask it to present its perspective on your complaint. The TIO may then be in a position to make a decision about how your complaint can be resolved fairly.
If the TIO believes that investigation of your complaint is not warranted, it will exercise its discretion not to investigate.
If the matter you raise lies outside the TIO's jurisdiction, the TIO will usually refer you to another agency that may be able to assist you.
Q: How does the TIO decide what level a complaint should be?
A: The TIO classifies complaints as being Level 1, 2, 3 or 4, or an enquiry.
1. The TIO will classify your complaint as an 'enquiry' if:
The matter you raise is outside the TIO's jurisdiction, or the TIO does not have the power to investigate;
The company has not yet had an opportunity to consider your complaint;
You do not wish to supply your full name, or you do not wish to supply a service identifier - like a phone number - and you are able to do so;
You are making a request for information only.
2. Level One Complaints involve matters that:
The TIO believes are simple and easily resolved; and/or
Have not yet been investigated by company team leaders or managers.
3. Level Two and Three Complaints involve matters that:
May be complex and may require extensive investigation;
Have not been resolved, despite your attempts to negotiate with a company team leader or manager; or
Appear not to have been resolved after referral by the TIO to the company's high-level complaints department.
4. Level Four Complaints involve:
Unresolved Level 3 complaints; or
Disputes over the installation of 'low-impact mobile phone facilities,'
Q: When will the TIO upgrade my complaint?
A: The TIO may upgrade your complaint if:
At Level 1 it is not resolved within two weeks of being referred to a high-level complaints department; or At level 2 or 3 it has not received a response from the company concerned or if the matter has not been resolved.
At any stage of your complaint, the TIO may exercise its discretion not to investigate, or not to investigate complaint further, if it believes there are not grounds on which to pursue the matter or where it considers that a fair and reasonable outcome has already been achieved.
Q: Who will handle my complaint?
A: Enquiry Officers handle enquiries, Level 1 complaints, and some types of Level 2 complaints.
Investigation Officers handle enquiries and all levels of complaints. ¡¤ Investigation Managers may review Level 1 to 3 complaints.
The Ombudsman , Deputy Ombudsman and the Disputes Officer handle some Level 4 complaints, and supervise Investigations Officers in the handling of other Level 4 complaints.
Q: What if I'm not happy with the outcome of a complaint?
A: If you have evidence that may change the proposed outcome to your complaint, you can contact the officer handling your case. They may choose to investigate further.
You can also ask for a review of the outcome of your case by a TIO Investigations Manager.
Ask and answer these questions about complaint handling.
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