Complaints Handling Policy

1. Scope and complaint-handling principles

This Policy applies to complaints by prospective, current and former customers and other consumers covered by the Telecommunications (Consumer Complaints Handling) Industry Standard 2018, as amended. It covers internet, mobile, managed Wi-Fi, billing, sales, installation, network management, account access, privacy-related service issues, payment assistance, outages and the way Alder handles a complaint.

Our process is free, accessible, transparent and designed to resolve complaints fairly. Staff must distinguish a complaint from a general enquiry or support request. If a person expresses dissatisfaction and expects a response or resolution, the matter should be recorded as a complaint even if they do not use the word “complaint”.

2. What counts as a complaint

Examples include dissatisfaction about recurring faults, unexpected charges, activation delays, disconnection, network performance, mobile porting, account security, service availability, sales representations, payment-assistance decisions, privacy handling or an earlier support outcome.

A routine request for information or technical assistance is not automatically a complaint. If we are unsure whether you are dissatisfied, we will ask rather than assume.

3. How to make a complaint

You may complain using any ordinary complaint channel Alder provides:

• Phone: 03 4332 5184.
• Email: [email protected].
• Online: alderinternet.au/complaints.
• My Alder: create a support request and select “Treat this as a complaint”.
• Live chat: tell the agent you wish to make a complaint.
• Mail: Alder must accept complaints by post. Alder’s designated postal complaints address is being finalised and will be added to this Policy; until it is published, contact us by phone or email and we will provide the current postal lodgement details.

You may complain verbally or in writing. We will not require a complaint to be submitted in a particular form if it can reasonably be recorded through the channel you use.

4. Assistance to make or progress a complaint

If you need help because of disability, accessibility requirements, language, financial hardship, vulnerability or another special need, tell us and we will provide reasonable assistance. This may include using simpler language, a different communication channel, an authorised representative, interpreter or relay service, or helping you identify the issue and outcome you are seeking.

5. Authorised representatives and advocates

You may appoint an authorised representative, advocate, financial counsellor, support person or other representative. We will verify authority in a proportionate way. Where domestic, family or sexual violence may be involved, we apply additional safety checks to ensure a representative arrangement does not expose an affected person to risk.

6. Acknowledgement and complaint reference

We provide a unique complaint reference or another reliable means of identifying the complaint. The acknowledgement will explain, where appropriate, how to contact us about the complaint and whether we need more information.

7. Urgent complaints

A complaint is treated as urgent where the applicable Standard requires it, including where:

• you are a financial-hardship customer who has applied for or entered payment assistance and the complaint concerns an issue that could worsen your financial position;
• the complaint concerns a service for which you receive Priority Assistance, where applicable;
• Alder has disconnected or is about to disconnect a service without following the required process; or
• you identify as a person who is or may be experiencing domestic/family violence and indicate a threat to your safety or the safety of your children.

If we consider the matter does not meet the regulatory urgent-complaint definition, that does not prevent us from prioritising it operationally where safety, serious service loss or another material risk warrants faster action.

8. Investigation and proposed resolution

The staff member handling the complaint will identify the issues raised, the outcome sought, relevant account/service facts, actions already taken and any information needed from other Alder staff or Wholesale Suppliers. We may review tickets, invoices, service logs, order records, network information and communications relevant to the complaint.

A proposed resolution should explain what Alder found, what we propose to do, any customer action required, and the expected implementation date. If we reject part of a complaint, we will explain the reasons in plain language.

9. Resolution timeframes

We aim to resolve complaints sooner than the maximum timeframe wherever reasonably possible.

10. If we cannot meet a timeframe

If we reasonably believe a resolution will be delayed, we will tell you as soon as possible. We will explain:

• the cause of the delay;
• the new expected timeframe;
• what is being done to progress the complaint; and
• your escalation options, including the TIO where the Standard requires us to provide that information.

If the expected delay is more than 10 working days beyond the required resolution timeframe, we will provide the TIO information required by the Complaints Handling Standard, subject to any specific exception such as a notified mass outage or delay caused by customer action.

11. Implementing an agreed resolution

Once you accept a proposed resolution, we will complete the agreed actions within the applicable implementation timeframe. Implementation may include a billing correction, credit/refund, technical action, service restoration, account-security change, replacement equipment process, payment-assistance change, written explanation or another agreed remedy.

We record when implementation is complete. A complaint is not closed merely because a proposed resolution was sent if Alder still has agreed actions outstanding.

12. When we cannot contact you

If we need to contact you to progress or resolve a complaint and cannot reach you, we will make at least 5 separate contact attempts on different calendar days, completed within no more than 10 calendar days, before treating you as uncontactable for that step.

If those attempts are unsuccessful, we will write to you explaining that we could not contact you, how we attempted contact and how long you have to re-engage, with a response period of at least 10 working days where required by the Standard. If a new point in the complaint later requires contact, the contact-attempt process resets.

13. Internal escalation

You may ask for a complaint to be escalated if you are dissatisfied with progress, the proposed resolution, the time being taken or the way the complaint has been handled. An escalated complaint should be reviewed by a person with sufficient authority and who, where practicable, was not solely responsible for the disputed decision.

Escalation does not remove your right to contact the TIO at any time when the TIO can accept the matter.

14. Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman

We will provide TIO information at the points required by the Complaints Handling Standard, including certain delays and where you express dissatisfaction with complaint progress, expected resolution time or urgency.

Using the TIO does not prevent Alder from continuing to work with you on a resolution where appropriate.

15. Complaints during significant or major network outages

Outage-related complaints are handled having regard to both the Complaints Handling Standard and the Telecommunications (Customer Communications for Outages) Industry Standard. We distinguish an individual account/fault issue from a notified network outage and provide outage information through the appropriate status and communication channels.

A notified outage may affect particular complaint timing or TIO-notification requirements in the way the Standard specifies, but it does not remove the customer’s right to make a complaint or receive reasonable assistance.

16. Payment-assistance complaints

If you have applied for or entered a financial-hardship arrangement and your complaint concerns an issue that could worsen your financial position, we treat it as urgent where required. We will resolve an urgent complaint about a disputed amount before taking action on that disputed amount where the applicable rules require this.

Making a complaint, requesting review of a payment-assistance decision or going to the TIO does not stop you from agreeing to a financial-hardship arrangement.

17. DFSV and safety-related complaints

Where a complaint is made by a person affected by domestic, family or sexual violence, we apply the Safe Support protections. We confirm safe communication, minimise unnecessary disclosure, do not require the affected person to engage with an alleged perpetrator and treat a complaint as urgent where there is a threat to the person’s or their children’s safety.

If information must be shared with a third party or representative to resolve the complaint, we limit it to what is necessary and consider safety risks before disclosure.

18. Complaint records

Alder keeps systematic complaint records. Depending on the complaint, the record includes:

• the complainant’s name and contact details and any representative;
• a unique reference or complaint identifier;
• issues raised and outcome sought;
• investigation steps and findings;
• the proposed resolution and reasons;
• any due date for the customer to respond;
• the customer’s response and any request for the proposal in writing;
• the agreed resolution and commitments;
• implementation status and completion; and
• relevant correspondence and internal notes.

Records are retained and protected in accordance with applicable telecommunications recordkeeping rules and Alder’s Privacy Policy.

19. Privacy, accessibility and fair treatment

Complaint information is shared internally and externally only where reasonably necessary to resolve the matter, operate the service, obtain provider assistance or meet a legal obligation. We take extra care with DFSV, hardship and other vulnerability information.

We will provide reasonable assistance to customers with disability, language needs, literacy barriers or other accessibility requirements. Complaint information is written in plain language and can be provided in another accessible format where reasonably practicable.

20. Governance, staff responsibility and review

Staff who receive or manage complaints are trained to recognise complaints, identify urgency, record required information, escalate appropriately and explain TIO rights. Alder reviews complaint records and process performance to identify recurring service or operational issues.

This Policy is reviewed at least annually and whenever a material regulatory or process change requires it.