Telstra’s Regional and Rural Presence Plan



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Telstra’s Regional and Rural Presence Plan

Annual Review 2011/2012




INTRODUCTION
The Telstra Regional and Rural Presence Plan (RRPP) summarises Telstra’s continued commitment to regional, rural and remote customers in line with meeting the Licence Condition, Carrier Licence Conditions (Telstra Corporation Limited) Declaration 1997 (Amendment No. 2 of 2005).
This review reports on how Telstra met the broad commitments included in the RRPP for the 2011/12 financial year and highlights the achievements Telstra has made in serving regional and rural customers. In January 2012, Telstra reaffirmed its commitments to regional and rural Australia and in June 2012, the Minister accepted Telstra’s Regional and Rural Presence Plan 2012-2015. As this annual report is retrospective, Telstra will report on compliance with the new plan from next financial year.
The Regional Telecommunications (Estens) Inquiry 2002 recommendation, upon which the Licence Condition is based, recognised the need for a plan that is “broadly compatible with Telstra’s commercial interests” and that is not “unduly prescriptive or burdensome”.
The RRPP suggested a number of measures and subsequent evidence to demonstrate Telstra’s compliance with the RRPP. This review is consistent with that approach and largely uses information already in the public domain as evidence.
Telstra has the largest and strongest presence in regional and rural Australia of any telecommunications company. The local presence of Telstra management is central to its ability to deliver the services that its customers value. Telstra employees are an integral part of Australian communities and make a significant contribution to their economic and social well-being. Telstra has made a clear business commitment to serving regional, rural and remote Australia now and in the future. Telstra’s local presence helps the company to improve customer service and its business performance.


Telstra’s Regional and Rural Presence Approach
During 2011/12, Telstra maintained a local management presence through Telstra Country Wide and field service areas of the company.
Telstra Country Wide (TCW) is the management group that focuses on sales and service activities across Australia in metro, outer metro, regional, rural and remote Australia. TCW sits within the expanded remit of Telstra Consumer and Country Wide (TCCW), which has overarching accountability.

Telstra’s strategy recognises that regional, rural and remote customers are best served by integrated technologies and services, bringing together the many elements of Telstra’s organisational capabilities. Telstra continues to maintain a local presence in regional, rural and remote Australia to add to the value of our products and provide a better experience for customers.


The principal measure of the success of this strategy is business growth, reflecting customer choice in the highly competitive and dynamic Australian telecommunications market. Telstra has continued to undertake projects and activities that benefit customers in regional, rural and remote Australia. Regional, rural and remote customers continue to see improvements in world-class telecommunications products and services. Information about projects that Telstra is undertaking will continue to be reported in Telstra’s annual report and through other public announcements.
In 2011, Telstra signed Definitive Agreements with NBN Co and the Commonwealth Government, outlining Telstra’s participation in the roll out of the NBN. As part of this agreement, Telstra has agreed to disconnect, progressively, copper-based Customer Access Network services and broadband services on its HFC cable network (but not Pay TV services on the HFC) that are provided to premises in the NBN fibre footprint, and will migrate services onto NBN-based services, over the expected 10 year build period of the NBN. Telstra intends to participate in the NBN and in February 2012, Telstra announced its first NBN based plans.
Telstra continues to maintain an ongoing local management presence in regional, rural and remote Australia. This local management presence is intended to assist Telstra to better meet the needs of its regional, rural and remote customers, and to maximise business performance in these areas. Telstra has continued to maintain senior level accountability for regional, rural and remote customer operations during 2011/12. Telstra’s regional, rural and remote customers also continue to benefit from having decisions made at the highest level appropriately informed by the knowledge of local conditions.

MEASURES & EVIDENCE


  1. MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE AND DECISION MAKING PROCESS


Measure 1.1: Telstra will continue to maintain a local presence in regional, rural and remote Australia that is broadly compatible with commercial interests and is not unduly prescriptive and does not impose undue financial and administrative burdens on the company.
Telstra continues to maintain a strong local presence in regional, rural and remote Australia with local sales and service employees from a range of Telstra business units. Many of these employees live and work in the communities they serve. Telstra continues to have a strong retail presence in Australia with customers able to visit over 5000 Telstra owned shops, Telstra licensed stores, Telstra partner stores and dealers across metropolitan, regional, rural and remote Australia. Telstra Country Wide Area General Managers are the most senior Telstra representatives in the local market. This approach means a local manager is responsible for all matters affecting customers in their area.
Evidence1:

1.1.1 Telstra’s Regional and Rural Presence Plan outlines Telstra’s regional and rural presence at

http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/commitments/regional-rural-presence-plan/



1.1.2 Media Release, Telstra provides Regional and Rural Presence for consultation, http://telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/media-centre/announcements/telstra-provides-regional-and-rural-presence-plan-for-consultation-1.xml, 16 January 2012

1.1.3 Local management model of Telstra Country Wide at Appendix 1 and Area General Manager role description at Appendix 2

1.1.4 Information on locations at Appendix 3 and

http://www.telstra.com.au/telstracountrywide/contact-us/index.htm


Measure 1.2: Telstra will continue to undertake a range of projects that will benefit its customers in regional, rural and remote Australia.
Telstra has undertaken a number of initiatives in 2011/12 that benefit regional and rural customers. These include continued investment in infrastructure for regional and rural areas, continued product innovation and simplified pricing packages across the range of product suites. Simultaneously, Telstra continued to make it easier for its customers to access a range of communications services across various channels, including online, by phone or by access to Telstra retail, be it a Telstra owned store, Telstra licensed store, Telstra partner or dealer.
Evidence:

1.2.1 Information in the form of media releases showing examples of how Telstra’s range of projects assisted customers during 2011/12 can be found at Appendix 4.

1.2.2 Examples of Telstra’s community projects across regional and rural Australia http://www.telstra.com.au/telstracountrywide/

1.2.3 Information on the provision of fibre deployment to new estates

http://www.telstra.com.au/smart-community/developers/index.htm



1.2.4 Also see evidence for Measure 2.6
Measure 1.3: Telstra will continue to maintain a local management presence in regional, rural and remote Australia.
Telstra has continued to maintain senior level accountability for regional, rural and remote customer operations during 2011/12. Telstra’s regional, rural and remote customers continued to benefit from having decisions made at the highest levels appropriately informed by knowledge of local conditions.
Telstra operates over 5000 points of presence across Australia, with a significant proportion in regional, rural and remote Australia, as well as Telstra’s field services divisions.
Evidence:

1.3.1 Details of Telstra County Wide regions, Senior Managers, Area General Managers and locations are included at Appendix 3 and

http://www.telstra.com.au/telstracountrywide/contact-us/index.htm



1.3.2 References to a wide range of Telstra activities in regional and rural Australia during 2011/12 are included in Appendix 4
Measure 1.4: Telstra will continue to maintain a structure of local managers responsible for overall sales and service performance in their regions.
Telstra has in place Area General Managers (AGMs) who are the most senior Telstra Executive for Telstra in their local area.
They report to a Regional Sales and Service Director who in turn reports to the Telstra Country Wide Executive Director. Telstra conducts regular meetings in regional offices with local staff from all departments from sales and customer service to network construction and design. These internal reviews provide valuable local insight into key areas of the business. The objective is to strengthen the local Telstra community, improve local customer service and Telstra’s local performance.
Evidence:

1.4.1 Telstra Country Wide organisational structure at Appendix 1

1.4.2 Telstra Country Wide Area General Manager and Regional Sales and Service Director roles at Appendix 2
Measure 1.5: Telstra will continue to maintain senior level accountability for regional, rural and remote customer operations.
During 2011/2012, Telstra AGMs have continued to report to senior Telstra managers responsible for the sales and service performance across particular regions. The head of Telstra Country Wide, to whom these managers report, represents regional, rural and remote customers’ interests to the Group Managing Director of Telstra Consumer and Country Wide, who in turn represents these at the highest levels within the company.
Evidence:

1.5.1 Biography of Group Managing Director (TCCW)

http://telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/company-overview/executives-directors/#3gordon-ballantyne



1.5.2 Vision statement from the head of Telstra Country Wide

http://www.telstra.com.au/telstracountrywide/about-us/



1.5.3 Telstra Country Wide organisational structure at Appendix 1

1.5.4 Telstra Country Wide role descriptions at Appendix 2

1.5.5 Telstra Country Wide Directors and Area General Managers details at Appendix 3 and

http://www.telstra.com.au/telstracountrywide/contact-us/index.htm



1.5.6 Telstra senior management team and executives at

http://telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/company-overview/executives-directors/


Measure 1.6: Telstra will continue to seek the views of its regional, rural and remote customers for the purpose of addressing the telecommunications service interests of its customers.
The principal way in which the interests of regional, rural and remote customers are identified continues to be through feedback from customers during the normal course of sales and service activities. Staff and managers in shops, call centres and on service calls provide information on customer issues and needs.
Telstra also undertakes extensive regular surveys and research into the needs and views of its customers throughout Australia, particularly in relation to the development of new products and services, and service performance.
Telstra AGMs regularly speak to customers, customer representative groups and community organisations in the course of their day to day duties. Telstra also regularly consults with customers via regional visits from Senior Telstra executives.
Telstra also maintained close links with key organisations and stakeholders, including:

  1. Farming organisations;

  2. The Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association (ICPA) and state chapters;

  3. Local Government;

  4. Regional Development Boards;

  5. Local MPs, Federal and State;

  6. Disability advocacy groups via our Telstra Disability Forum and Disability Equipment Program Consumer Advisory Group;

  7. Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (which has a range of rural and regional organisational members); and

  8. A wide range of rural and regional community welfare organisations that provide assistance to low income customers through Telstra’s Access for Everyone programs.


Telstra's National Indigenous Directorate

The Telstra National Indigenous Directorate was established in 2005 to coordinate improvements to telecommunications services for remote Indigenous communities across Australia and has the following accountabilities:




  • Champions the availability of culturally appropriate products and services for Indigenous people living in remote communities;

  • Supports the rollout of new infrastructure and services to remote Indigenous communities, with support of government agencies where investment would otherwise be uneconomic;

  • Represents Telstra to governments and stakeholder groups in the delivery of appropriate telecommunications infrastructure and services to Indigenous people;

  • Works across Telstra to support the attraction and development of Indigenous employees;

  • Supports Telstra's sponsorship and community investment partnerships which benefit Indigenous people and their endeavours; and

  • Provides advice to ensure cross company consistency with policy and processes in Indigenous affairs.

During 2011/12, Telstra’s National Indigenous Directorate was actively involved in many activities. Some examples are provided below.




  • Through Telstra’s Reconciliation Action Plan, Telstra is focused on providing access to communications, employment opportunities, and support for education, the arts, and culture to help secure a brighter future for Indigenous Australians.




  • During NAIDOC week this year, Telstra unveiled the first of more than 400 signs to be displayed acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land and country where stores are located. Telstra was proud to introduce this official acknowledgement as a small but genuine sign of our commitment to recognition and reconciliation.




  • Last November, Telstra provided pro bono support working with the Artists in the Black Wills Project where a Telstra lawyer travelled to the Kimberley and assisted with the drafting of wills for Indigenous artists.  This is the first time a corporate lawyer has accompanied Arts Law on one of their trips to remote communities.




  • In February 2012, Telstra provided high speed internet access to 4 remote communities in the Northern Territory.  At Lajamanu, the arrival of high speed broadband was celebrated by leading artists from the Warnayaka Arts Centre with the creation of huge works depicting their dreaming with a communication theme. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/dream-fulfilled-as-the-remote-lajamanu-community-now-up-to-speed/story-e6frgakx-1226310706124




  • In September 2011, Telstra delivered high speed broadband to 15 remote island communities in the Torres Strait.




  • In February 2012, Telstra partnered partnered with the WA Government to deliver the Regional Mobile Communications Project resulting in 113 new mobile sites of which approximately 20 sites are remote Indigenous communities.


Customer Facing Events

As part of familiarising customers with the ongoing development of networks and services including Next G, BigPond, HomeLine etc, Telstra conducted customer facing events throughout regional areas during 2011/12.


Examples include:

  • Eyre Peninsula

  • AgQuip

  • Dowerin Field Days

  • Agshow

  • Henty Field Days

  • Elmore Field Days

  • AFND Borenore

  • Seymour

  • Farmworld

  • Agfest

  • FarmFest

  • Primex

  • Mudgee Show

  • Royal Adelaide Show


Evidence:

1.6.1 AGMs are accessible and accountable for gathering local intelligence on customer’s needs and views. See details at Appendix 3

1.6.2 Information on Telstra Indigenous Directorate http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/sustainability/in-the-community/

1.6.3 Telstra Indigenous hotline

http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/commitments/access-for-everyone/az-products-solutions/#list_i



1.6.4 Telstra Reconciliation Action Plan

http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/download/document/telstra-reconciliation-action-plan-2011.pdf



1.6.5 The Access for Everyone package shows Telstra’s general community engagement in developing a wider range of programs designed to meet the telecommunications service needs of customers

http://telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/commitments/access-for-everyone



1.6.6. Telstra extending broadband access to remote communities, Newspaper article, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/dream-fulfilled-as-the-remote-lajamanu-community-now-up-to-speed/story-e6frgakx-1226310706124

1.6. 7 Media Release, Telstra and government invest in WA mobile coverage expansion, http://telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/media-centre/announcements/UBERSTAGING_173859, 31 January 2012

1.6.8 Media Release, http://telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/media-centre/announcements/telstra-on-show-at-henty-machinery-field-days.xml, 26 August 2011

1.6. 9 Media Release, Telstra Bluey roars into agfest, http://telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/media-centre/announcements/telstra-bluey-roars-into-agfest.xml, 5 May 2011

1.6.10 Telstra engages with consumer organisations representing people with a disability to enhance the accessibility of our products, services and information, and to support disability community initiatives,http://telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/commitments/disability-services/community-initiatives/
Measure 1.7: Telstra will continue to maintain senior level accountability for representing the telecommunications service interests of customers at senior levels within the company.
The Group Managing Director for Telstra Consumer and Country Wide (TCCW) reports directly to Telstra’s Chief Executive Officer. Telstra’s regional, rural and remote customers benefit from having decisions made at senior levels appropriately informed by knowledge of local conditions.
Evidence:

1.7.1 Telstra Consumer and Country Wide Group Managing Director http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/company-overview/executives-directors/#gordon-ballantyne
1.7.2 Telstra Country Wide Executive Director vision statement
http://www.telstra.com.au/telstracountrywide/about-us/

1.7.3 Telstra Country Wide Directors and AGMs at Appendix 3

1.7.4 Telstra Country Wide organisational structure at Appendix 1.
2. CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUPPORT INCLUDING COMPLAINT MANAGEMENT AND PROVISION OF SERVICE INFORMATION
Measure 2.1: Telstra will continue to maintain a formal complaint management process including publication of complaint handling areas and contact details.
Telstra maintains a formal complaint management process to ensure that each customer complaint is addressed at an appropriate level. It applies to all Telstra customers no matter where they live, including those living or working in regional, rural and remote Australia. Complaints can be lodged online, by phone or by letter.
Building on the work commenced in 2010, Telstra has continued to focus on resolving customer issues throughout 2011/12 resulting in a 21% decrease in consumer call volumes throughout the year.
Specifically, Telstra Country Wide Area General Managers work with local Telstra stores and partners to improve the customer experience. During the 2011/2012 period, this was measured through regular Customer Transaction Surveys (CTS) that rate the level of a customer’s satisfaction after an interaction with Telstra. From 1 July 2012, this has been replaced with the Net Promoter System, which will measure customer satisfaction and advocacy.
Simplification remains a priority for Telstra

Telstra’s business improvement programme remained on track and delivered benefits in fiscal 2012 of $1.1 billion, enabling reinvestment in customer service initiatives. These benefits included improvements in productivity, reduced customer call volumes and growth in online customer interactions.


TIO complaints continued to decline

Building on the reductions last year TIO level 1 complaints relating to Telstra were reduced by 26% over the last year. Customer service improvements introduced over the last year include a new consumer bill format, making it simpler and clearer for customers to understand charges, the introduction of an application which enables customers to access their account via an Apple iPad® and Facebook and many other operational improvements.
An improved online presence

In 2011/2012, Telstra continued to improve its online presence. For example, Telstra launched a dedicated customer service presence on Facebook, including a trial release of an industry-first application - My Telstra on Facebook - which provides customers with convenient and secure access to their Telstra products and services. In addition, Telstra customers became among the first in the world to control their Pre-Paid mobile service directly from Facebook® with the launch of the My Telstra Pre-Paid application.


Regional stores win exceptional customer service award

In 2011/2012, Telstra’s Colac and Burleigh Heads stores received an award for exceptional customer service from the Telstra Licence Store Awards.


Evidence:

2.1.1 Telstra’s Customer Service Charter http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/commitments/charter/

2.1.2 Telstra’s vision is to know its customers and meet their needs better than anyone else http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/company-overview/vision-and-mission

2.1.3 Complaints policy at

http://telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/commitments/telstra-complaints-policy.cfm



2.1.4 Complaint contact details at
http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/commitments/telstra-complaints-policy.cfm

2.1.5 Contact details for complaints about fixed phones see

http://www.telstra.com.au/contact/fixed_phones.htm




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