Helping Canadians for 10+ YEARS 2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT
“I was very impressed with your services” – L.T., wireless customer in BC “I was very satisfied with the process.” – H.R., internet customer in ON “Awesome service. We are very content with the service and resolution.” – G.C., phone customer in NS “My agent was nice and super understanding” – D.W., TV customer in NB “I was very impressed with your services” – L.T., wireless customer in BC “I was very satisfied with the process.”– H.R., internet customer in ON “Awesome service. We are very content with the service and resolution.” – G.C., phone customer in NS “My agent was nice and super understanding” – D.W., TV customer in NB “I was very impressed with your services” – L.T., wireless customer in BC “I was very satisfied with the process.”– H.R., internet customer in ON “Awesome service. We are very content with the service and resolution.” – G.C., phone customer in NS “My agent was nice and super understanding” – D.W., TV customer in NB “I was very impressed with your services” –L.T., wireless customer in BC “I was very satisfied with the process.” – H.R., internet customer in ON “Awesome service. We are very content with the service and resolution.” – G.C., phone customer in NS “My agent was nice and super understanding” – D.W., TV customer in NB “I was very impressed with your services” – L.T., wireless customer in BC
P.O. Box 56067 – Minto Place RO, Ottawa, ON K1R 7Z1 www.ccts-cprst.ca [email protected] 1-888-221-1687 TTY: 1-877-782-2384 Fax: 1-877-782-2924 CONTENTS
2017-18 HIGHLIGHTS 2 TOPICS AND TRENDS 15 STATISTICAL REPORTS 42 Overview Contact Centre activities CHAIR’S MESSAGE 3 Internet Out-of-mandate issues Internet service delivery issues Small business COMMISSIONER’S 4 Wireless: Overview of issues Analysis of closed complaints MESSAGE Wireless non-disclosure issues Compensation analysis Non-disclosure issues Performance standards WHO WE ARE 5 for all types of service Regional analysis AND WHAT WE DO Incorrect charges: monthly price plan Our mandate GOVERNANCE 49 Our complaints process WORKING WITH 24 Board of Directors Year in review PARTICIPATING Director biographies SERVICE PROVIDERS Board changes - Top 10 PSP profiles 2017 18 COMPLAINTS 7 Meetings and director attendance About our data Compliance Committee meetings Operational statistics Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Program CCTS budget 2017-18 operational statistics overview Strategic and operational initiatives for 2017-18 WORKING WITH 39 CODE OF CONDUCT 10 CUSTOMERS REPORTING Introduction APPENDICES 52 Introduction Website Appendix A – Complaints Resolving complaints and by service provider analyzing code compliance Accessibility Appendix B – Detailed analysis Wireless Code Customer survey results of issues raised in complaints Deposit and Disconnection Code Appendix C – Financial statements Television Service Provider Code Appendix D – Definitions
CCTS ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 1 2017-18 HIGHLIGHTS
COMPLAINTS UP 57% 92% of concluded complaints successfully resolved
98% of complaints resolved at the first stage of our process were concluded within 40 days
172 service providers another 111 360 brands operated had ZERO complaints had 3 or less by 242 service providers
Over 17% of complaints accepted included a TV problem, under 5% were about TV alone, 1 TVSP Code confirmed breach
CCTS ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 2 Message from the Chair of the Board of Directors CATHERINE ACZEL BOIVIE
CHAIR’S MESSAGE
This is my second message as Chair of the CCTS Board of Directors. Last year I wrote about many of the initiatives being undertaken in 2017-18, including the expansion of our mandate to include complaints about subscription TV services and the development of a service provider compliance monitoring program. I am pleased to report that these were successfully implemented. The results can be found in this Annual Report.
The CCTS celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2017, and information. As part of this initiative, we will review the I am very proud of the work completed on behalf of technologies we use to facilitate access to our service, Canadian consumers and service providers. Looking to determine how we can make it more accessible for ahead, we have identified a number of projects that we customers, service providers and staff. intend to undertake in 2018-19 to provide better service to our customers. Instead of reinventing the wheel, we intend to explore the approaches taken by organizations similar to ours We have begun the process of developing a new strategic worldwide, and the tools they use in a rapidly changing plan to guide the priorities of the organization in the years digital world. In this way, we can ensure that we remain ahead. This is a challenging undertaking in an organization among the leaders in delivering the best service we established to allow for diverse stakeholder representation can to our customers. on the Board as well as to respond to continuous change, such as the CRTC’s sales practice review, planned to start At the beginning of our fiscal year, Dennis Béland, the in late October of 2018. I am confident that the Board director appointed by the cable companies, retired from and the CCTS staff will complete the new strategic plan the Board after nearly ten years of service. I would like to successfully, working in the cooperative manner that has thank him for his dedication and invaluable contribution become the hallmark of our governance of the CCTS. to the organization throughout his tenure. In his place, we welcomed Dean Shaikh as the newest member As we continue to position ourselves for future success, of the Board. we intend in 2018-19 to conduct a review of the processes used to deliver our primary service—helping telecom My message would not be complete without a word and TV customers and their service providers resolve of sincere thanks to the Commissioner, Howard Maker, their disputes efficiently and effectively. Despite our past and to all the CCTS staff for their dedication and hard success in fulfilling this objective, we must always be work. Thanks to their ongoing efforts to meet stakeholder open to exploring new approaches. For this reason, we needs, I believe we are well-positioned to undertake the intend to carry out a detailed examination of the way in new initiatives mentioned above. which we deliver our service as well as gather and analyze
CCTS ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 3 Message from the Commissioner HOWARD MAKER
COMMISSIONER’S MESSAGE
The big story for the CCTS in 2017-18 was the rapid and significant increase in complaints received from Canadian telecom and TV customers. With the addition of TV complaints to our mandate in September of 2017, we did anticipate an increase—but not the 57% that we received. And our data shows that it was not TV complaints that pushed up the numbers. Complaints about TV alone accounted for less than 5% of all complaints accepted. The increase was in the same types of issues that Canadians have complained about historically: sales transactions that go wrong, service that doesn’t work as expected, and billing problems.
The number of complaints we accepted this year might You may notice a change this year in the way we have been even greater but for our proactive approach report the complaint results for our Participating Service to an unusual situation. Providers (PSPs) in the Top 10 profiles and in Appendix A. Some service providers have commented that simply Earlier this year a wireless provider decided to remove a describing the number of complaints we receive from particular plan from the market. Customers were outraged, their customers is misleading because this implies that claiming that when they signed up the provider had all complaints have merit. promised to never retire the plan. In the next 36 hours, customers took to social media to express their outrage. For many reasons, we have never tracked complaint Also, 1,600 Canadians filled out our online interactive outcomes (wins and losses). However, to provide more questionnaire to complain. We spoke to the provider and insight into the breakdown of how complaints are concluded, informed it of the large number of dissatisfied customers. we have revised our reporting to show in a more detailed way It promptly reversed the change. exactly how complaints are concluded. We hope you will find this helpful, and we welcome your feedback as we continue The large increase in complaints this year did have an to consider the best way to report our statistics. effect on our operations, and it has taken us somewhat longer to handle those complaints that reach our The CCTS is continuing to grow: more complaints, more investigation level. However, our operational results demands, more staff, higher expectations, and a larger continue to be good. budget. The CCTS has been successful—and will continue to be so—only through the efforts of our dedicated staff. We concluded almost 4,600 more complaints than This year they have worked tirelessly to ensure that we last year. Our focus on efficiently resolving complaints deliver the best possible service to customers and service resulted in the successful resolution of almost 92% of all providers, all to accomplish our mission of providing the complaints we handled this year. Of the complaints outstanding dispute resolution services. To all of you resolved, 84% were resolved at the pre-investigation stage, I offer my most sincere thanks. usually within 30 days of the complaint being received. And our customer survey continues to show high levels of satisfaction with various aspects of our process, including the timeliness of our work.
CCTS ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 4 WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO
Our mandate The CCTS is Canada’s national and independent organization dedicated to resolving customer complaints about telecommunications (telecom) and TV services. We work with consumers, small businesses and participating Canadian service providers to resolve disputes about INTERNET WIRELESS1 most telecom and subscription TV services after direct communications between a customer and a service provider have proven ineffective. Services We can help with most types of problems between a in our customer and service provider, including disputes about mandate contracts, billing, service delivery and credit management.
For full details, see our Mandate web page.
For an overview of who we are and what we do, watch this video. PHONE3 TV2 1 Including voice, data and text. 2 For residential customers only. 3 For home and small business, including long distance, white page directories, directory assistance and operator services.
Our complaints process We regularly examine our complaint-handling process to ensure that it is thorough, fair, effective and efficient. The steps in the process are: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ASSESSMENT COMPLAINT INFORMAL INVESTIGATION RECOMMENDATION DECISION ACCEPTED RESOLUTION (or out of mandate)
For an overview of our complaint resolution process, watch this video.
For a detailed explanation of the steps in the process, see our Complaints process explained web page. YEAR IN REVIEW
AUGUST 2017 CCTS approves amendments to its Public Awareness Plan, effective February 2018. SEPTEMBER 2017 CCTS expands its mandate to begin accepting complaints about TV issues and administering the CRTC Television Service Provider Code (TVSP).
CCTS launches new online “Submit a Complaint” interactive questionnaire on newly-redesigned website. OCTOBER 2017 Canadian cable companies elect Dean Shaikh to represent them on the CCTS Board for a three-year term. NOVEMBER 2017 CCTS issues 2016-17 Annual Report. DECEMBER 2017 CRTC’s revised Wireless Code comes into effect. JANUARY 2018 CRTC initiates a proceeding against six service providers who had refused to participate in the CCTS. All six later joined. FEBRUARY 2018 CCTS participates in CRTC proceeding reviewing wireless phone unlocking rules.
CCTS Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Program comes into effect. APRIL 2018 CCTS issues 2017-18 Mid-year Report.
JUNE 2018 CCTS publishes its first two videos: “What is the CCTS?” and “This is how our complaint process works”. JULY 2018 CRTC launches inquiry into use of misleading or aggressive sales practices by large telecom service providers. AUGUST 2018 CCTS terminates participation of AllCore Communications for non-compliance and refers AllCore to CRTC for action.
CCTS ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 6 2017-18 COMPLAINTS
This section provides a broad overview of this year’s complaint The complaints we receive and investigate after July 31, 2018 data. Additional detailed analysis follows throughout the report. will be in next year’s Annual Report. For definitions of the terms used in this section, see Appendix D. Included in this report are all telecom complaints accepted during the 2017-18 fiscal year and all TV complaints accepted on or after About our data the September 1, 2017 effective date. We report on the complaints that were accepted between It’s important to note that a single complaint may raise more August 1, 2017 and July 31, 2018 (our fiscal year) as well as than one issue for wireless, internet, phone and TV services. on the complaints that were concluded between those dates. A portion of our concluded complaints are audited throughout the year for quality assurance. Operational statistics TABLE 1: THREE-YEAR SUMMARY OF OPERATIONAL STATISTICS 2017-18 2016-17 2015-16 YoY YoY YoY Number change Number change Number change
Complaints accepted 14,272 57% 9,097 11% 8,197 -18%
Complaints concluded 13,224 53% 8,641 4% 8,323 -19%
COMPLAINTS RESOLVED 12,149 55% 7,846 6% 7,431 -16%
Complaints resolved at pre-investigation 10,214 57% 6,510 9% 5,979 -14%
Complaints resolved at investigation 1,935 45% 1,336 -8% 1,452 -25%
COMPLAINTS CLOSED 1,068 35% 791 -9% 870 -33%
Complaints closed at pre-investigation 337 13% 297 -5% 311 -42%
Complaints closed at investigation 731 48% 494 -12% 559 -27%
Recommendations accepted 5 67% 3 -84% 19 -47%
Decisions issued 2 100% 1 -67% 3 -63%
CCTS ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 7 2017-18 COMPLAINTS
2017-18 operational statistics overview
COMPLAINTS 12,149 RESOLVED 10,214 complaints resolved at pre-investigation 1,935 complaints resolved 13,224 at investigation Complaints concluded COMPLAINTS 1,068 CLOSED 337 complaints closed at pre-investigation 731 complaints closed at investigation
RECOMMENDATIONS 5 ACCEPTED
DECISIONS 2 ISSUED
CCTS ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 8 2017-18 COMPLAINTS
TABLE 2: LEADING COMPLAINT ISSUES, BROKEN DOWN BY SERVICE TYPE
Service Billing Contract dispute Service delivery Credit management Total
Wireless 5,393 4,880 1,947 537 12,757
Internet 3,223 2,909 2,580 275 8,987
Local phone 2,034 1,933 1,242 145 5,354
TV 1,448 1,163 560 77 3,248
Long distance 203 95 81 4 383
Directory assistance 1 0 0 0 1
White page directories 0 0 0 0 0
Operator services 4 0 0 0 4
TOTAL 12,306 10,980 6,410 1,038 30,734
The largest number of complaint issues related to wireless services, including the largest number of issues with billing and contract disputes. However, internet service had the largest number of service delivery issues.
FIGURE 1: COMPLAINT ISSUES BY SERVICE TYPE FIGURE 2: MAIN COMPLAINT ISSUES