Complaints Handling Procedure
Making and lodging a complaint or escalation
As a customer, you have the right to raise disputes and escalate such matters until a reasonable resolution has been implemented. Our complaints handling policy outlines the process by which our Dispute Resolution Team (“DRT”) will quickly resolve the matter. In the first instance, please follow the steps below to raise and escalate your complaint through the appropriate department.
Step 1: Submitting a complaint
The first point of escalation, please raise your issue directly with our DRT by lodging your complaint by email in the following format:
• Complaints email: dispute.resolution@ascensa.com.au
• Email subject: For example, Account No: #2142429758: John Smith, Billing Dispute
• Email content: Detailed description of the complaint and or issue
Provide a detailed summary of the complaint. If a complaint is made against an Ascensa employee, details of the representative(s) and date(s) of engagement with the employee(s) will be required. A complaint made about a service(s) provided by Ascensa will require details of the service(s) problem or outstanding issue. All complaints should accompany supporting documents, and evidence recorded by the customer to help the DRT to promptly investigate the matter.
You will receive an acknowledgement of your complaint including a reference number within two business days. Our DRT is empowered to resolve complex issues and first-level complaints and to make fair and reasonable customer service decisions.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you would like to nominate an authorised Representative/advocate to make a complaint on your behalf, please authorise them during your call/email.
Step 2: Escalation to management
If the DRT is unable to resolve your complaint, you may escalate your query to management, the next and final point of Internal escalation. Management will review the dispute and respond within three business days to attempt to resolve the complaint to your satisfaction and reach an agreement that is fair and reasonable for both parties.
When submitting a complaint, please provide the following:
• Account holder’s full name
• Account Number (e.g. #2142429758)
• Daytime contact numbers – mobile/landline
• Details of complaint
• Dates, times, and contact names of corresponding staff members (if relevant)
• Ticket number of relevant issues and or previous correspondence lodged with Ascensa.
The acknowledgement may be verbal by “telephone” or in writing by “email” – at Ascensa’s discretion. We aim to resolve all complaints within five business days (from the date of initial acknowledgement). Complex problems will be resolved within twenty business days. We will contact you directly to advise and discuss a new time frame, should complaint resolution appear to fall outside of these time frames.
Making an enquiry on a complaint’s progress
You may enquire on the progress of your complaint at any time by replying to the email received at the time of complaining or by calling Ascensa during business hours quoting the Reference Ticket Number provided by our DRT.
The outcome of a complaint
We will advise you in writing by “email” of the outcome of the complaint. If you prefer a specific method of contact, this can also be requested when lodging your complaint.
Further escalating a complaint
In the rare situation that the Customer Satisfaction team are unable to resolve the complaint to your satisfaction, you may wish to contact the TIO (Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman) for independent mediation. The TIO is “an office of last resort.” This means that in the interests of fairness, we ask that you provide us, as your service provider, the opportunity to exhaust all possible internal resources before going to the TIO, as in our experience complaints dealt with internally are resolved much quicker than complaints mediated via the TIO.
After exhausting all possible avenues directly with us, the TIO can be contacted via the following means:
• Telephone: 1800 062 058 or (03) 8600 8700
• Fax: 1800 630 614 or (03) 8600 8797
• Email: tio@tio.com.au
• Online: https://www.tio.com.au/making-a-complaint
Alternatively, you can contact the Office of Fair Trading in your state or territory.
Complaints Handling