N E W S

Mixed results for

phone fault repair
and connection
customer
satisfaction
While customer satisfaction with repair of phone faults between February and April The report is on the ACMA web site,
has remained relatively constant, customers were less 2005. www.acma.gov.au. Go to ACMA >
satisfied with phone transfers and connection of phone Survey respondents were Publications > Consumer > Survey
services in 2005 than in 2004. asked to use a five-point rating Reports and use the link to Consumer
scale (from very dissatisfied Satisfaction Survey Reports.
The findings are in the The 2005 survey, by Roy to very satisfied), to rate their
Consumer Satisfaction Survey Morgan Research for ACMA, satisfaction. They were also
asked their main reasons for
2005: Fault Restoration and covered more than 2,400
satisfaction and, if a company
Telecommunications
Connection of Service, the residential and small business
eighth consumer satisfaction customers in urban, rural and technician attended, to rate performance data
survey by ACMA and its remote areas of Australia their satisfaction with the
predecessor, the Australian who had a fixed line service person’s punctuality. ACMA has released its first
Communications Authority. connected or fault repaired Satisfaction telecommunications performance
trends data results, for the September
Reasons for satisfaction or dissatisfaction The deterioration in satisfaction 2005 quarter, with data on the
rates for faults and connections customer service guarantee,
There has been strong consistency in recent surveys in the reasons given by
in 2005 reverses the slight priority assistance and payphone
customers for their satisfaction with the services they received.
improvements evident in the services and the network
Fault repairs 2004 results. reliability framework.
2005 sample Residential customers Small business Small business and The data will also provide the
66% satisfied (69% in 2004) 67% satisfied 59% satisfied residential basis for other occasional and
27% dissatisfied (24% in 2004) 26% dissatisfied 34% dissatisfied special ACMA reports analysing
Satisfaction rates were generally carriers’ performance in more
Satisfied customers Dissatisfied consistent across urban, rural detail.
The main reasons nominated were: customers and remote customer groups. ACMA is continuing to
• the fault was fixed or the repair The main reasons nominated were: Small business respondents publish Telecommunications
was of good quality (60 per • the long time to repair the fault were less satisfied than Performance Data on a
cent) (48 per cent) residential customers with quarterly basis on the internet,
• short time taken to repair the • the fault was not fixed or repair both fault repairs and service but has discontinued the
fault (42 per cent). was poor quality (33 per cent) connections. This has been quarterly Telecommunications
• the long wait for an appointment a recurring finding in recent Performance Monitoring Bulletin.
(23 per cent). surveys. These bulletins included the
Phone transfer, connection of service punctuality existing performance data
Of the respondents who had categories and related analysis.
2005 sample Residential customers Small business
arranged an on-site visit The use of occasional and special
76% satisfied (82% in 2004) 79% satisfied 66% satisfied
15% dissatisfied (14% in 2004) 14% dissatisfied 20% dissatisfied from a technician or another reports will allow more analysis
company representative to to be undertaken and will be
Satisfied customers Dissatisfied fix a fault, 79 per cent were more useful for readers.
The main reasons nominated were: customers satisfied or very satisfied with Telecommunications
• no problems—it works (62 per The main reasons nominated were: the person’s punctuality, a Performance Data, September
cent) • connection/transfer was significant increase from 71 per 2005 Quarter, is available on
• the short time to connect/ incorrect, faulty or not as cent in 2004. For connection www.acma.gov.au
transfer the phone (30 per cent). requested (51 per cent) of services, 75 per cent of (go to ACMA > Publications
• the long time to connect/transfer respondents were satisfied > Industry > Telecomms
the phone (36 per cent) or very satisfied with the Performance Reporting >
• The poor provision of information technician’s punctuality, up Performance Bulletins), or
regarding the connection/ from 72 per cent in 2004. telephone 1300 850 115.
transfer (18 per cent).

ACMAsphere | Issue 5 – February 2006