TIO to deploy case management system after a spike in complaints

A record number of telecommunications cases and complaints has resulted in the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) announcing its intention to deploy a dedicated management system.

The ombudsman, which receives between 5000 and 6000 calls each week from unhappy telco customers, will move from its aging system to one provided by Melbourne-based software developer, Resolve.

The case management solution will contain an in built self-service function, and is the tenth Commonwealth Ombudsman office to use Resolve for the creation of a management system.

The deployment is expected to improve the agency's process efficiency and greater member accessibility.

The ombudsman, which Senator Stephen Conroy last month said needed to be reformed after an increased workload, receives 168,000 new complaints each year and is authorised to investigate both ISPs and telephone providers for misconduct.

The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) last month called on the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to impose penalties on telecommunications companies with poor customer service after the release of statistics from the TIO finding a massive increase in complaints against Australian telcos.

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