NEWS | Wednesday, 29 August 2007

Poor customer service dominates complaints on internet, postal services

Matthew Vella

Internet service provider complaints dominated the Malta Communications Authority’s three-month review from consumers lamenting the quality of customer service.
While 37 per cent of the complaints concerned suppliers of internet broadband services, only 6.5 per cent of the nature of these complaints addressed the issue of poor download speed.
Instead, customers felt more aggrieved because their perception was that they were paying for a service “they were not getting to the full”, the MCA said in its report.
A sizeable 27 per cent of complaints were related to the perceived poor quality of service concerning the late delivery of postal service, the repeated delays in e-mail exchanges, and inefficient business procedures. The MCA noted that a large percentage of the postal delays were related to the industrial actions taken by postal workers recently.
Issues included instances where customers were unable to reach the service provider by telephone, or waiting for more than 15 minutes on the line when seeking help.
Others complained that customer care personnel failed to return their calls, and that no response or acknowledgement was received on complaints sent via e-mail.
Another 14 per cent complained about contractual issues. The MCA reported instances where a customer subscribed to a number of services offered by the same provider, decides to terminate one service but is disconnected also from the remaining service. Complaints were also received in instances where the provider had grounds to terminate one service, but chose to terminate all services rather than just one.
The MCA said such actions may, and often do, constitute a breach of contract. “The service provider cannot terminate contracts unilaterally unless there is a clear violation of a relevant clause in the contract for service entered into by the subscriber.
“In instances where a service provider intends to disconnect a service, whether on request or because of a breach of contract terms, the service provider must ensure that action is only taken in relation to the service being terminate.”
The MCA advised that provider clearly explain terms and conditions before subscribers sign up to a service. “This would, for example, avoid instances where subscribers refuse to pay for a service once they place a request for disconnection, because they are unaware that the contract stipulates that disconnection will only take place after a notice period has elapsed.”
Other complaints received concerned incorrect billing, unsolicited commercial communications which were referred to the Data Protection Commissioner for investigation, and also mobile phone base stations.
The MCA said a number of citizens complained about mobile phone stations positioned near their home, but reiterated that since it started its audit of mobile phone bases, all sites had been found to be fully complaint with authorised emission levels. The great majority, it said, had readings below the 5% threshold of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection.
The complaints spanned from April to June. The MCA said complaints raised by end-users with the authority had decreased compared to the first three months of the year.

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