Our Customer Care Code of Practice for Complaint Handling

Introduction
1.  Contacting Dome Telecom with a complaint
2.  Dome Telecom’s first response to a complaint
3.  Estimated time to resolution
4.  Dome Telecom advanced response (escalation)
5.  Guaranteed customer service level
6.  Independent advice

Introduction
Dome Telecom prides itself on providing a first class service at lower costs than other operators in Ireland.  We provide a range of prepaid services for residential customers, tourists and non-Irish customers alike.  These services are provided via our own switching network.  Despite the fact that not all Dome Telecom services are provided under the current regulatory framework we maintain a similar code of practice for all services.

1. Contacting Dome Telecom with a complaint
Should you wish to log a complaint in relation to any Dome Telecom service you can do so by contacting our customer service team on 1890 927 001.  Our call centre is open during business hours i.e. 9am – 5pm Mon – Fri.

Your complaint will be logged and your telephone number taken so our customer service staff can stay in touch with you as your complaint is processed.  Where a complaint can be dealt with directly by our customer care agents your number will not be taken.

Complaints in relation to pricing, billing or technical service quality can be dealt with directly by our call centre staff.  Dome Telecom will attempt to address and resolve all such complaints immediately or within 24 hours of receipt of first notification.  If your complaint is not one which can be dealt with directly or within 24 hours then you will be notified that your complaint requires an advanced response.

Should your complaint be such that an advanced response is required then you may be asked to contact Dome Telecom in writing.  Our address is
Dome Telecom
The Old Distillery Building
Beresford Street
Dublin 7
You may alternatively wish to send your complaint by fax to 01-872 4080
or by e-mail to info@dometelecom.com

All complaints requiring advanced response should be accompanied by a contact number or e-mail address via which your complaint will be addressed and progress reports provided.  All complaints should also include the account number or pin number about which the complaint is being made.

2.  Dome Telecom first response to a complaint.
It is our intention to answer all complaints immediately on the phone.  Should this not be possible then the matter is immediately forwarded to the appropriate commercial or technical person within Dome Telecom. 
Should an answer not be provided within 1 hour, but is expected to be resolved within 24 hours i.e. without requiring an advanced response,  then you will be contacted and informed that your problem requires escalation to the appropriate department manager.  You will be given an estimated time to progress your complaint and contacted within that timeframe. 

Should the problem subsequently be deemed to require an advanced response then you will be notified of same and a further estimated time given for a resolution to your complaint.

3.  Estimated timeframes for complaint resolution.
Since complaint may relate to a broad range of issues and given that complaint resolution may require different solutions on our part we cannot give a single timeframe for the resolution of all complaints.  It is Dome Telecom policy to classify complaints according to subject matter and as summarised below;

Billing:  All Dome Telecom customer care agents have direct and instant access to the account database and call history database.  Therefore billing complaints can be resolved immediately where they relate to the direct use of Dome Telecom products and services provided that the account number or PIN code is supplied at the time of first complaint. 

Should a refund be considered necessary then this refund will be immediately applied to your account.  Where a complaint relates to the use of Dome Telecom services via premium rate then a refund may be provided immediately to you via an alternative Dome Telecom product providing exactly the same service.  More information will be provided should this option be satisfactory.

Should a refund be required in relation to indirect use of a Dome Telecom service and you require that it be credited directly to your mobile or residential account then a request for an advanced response will be required.  This is done in writing as per section 2 above.

Should no refund be deemed necessary and the explanation provided not be satisfactory from your perspective then you will be invited to request an Advanced response.  This is done in writing as per section 2 above.

Pricing complaints:  Should your complaint relate to the accuracy or otherwise of prices of our services then we will immediately confirm the prevailing prices and direct you to the appropriate.  All customer care agents have access to the latest prices of all services provided by Dome Telecom.

It is our aim to resolve all complaints received as quickly as possible and to your satisfaction. Where possible we will resolve your complaint at first point of contact.

Technical service complaints:  All customer care agents will be aware of any major issues that may affect your overall service.  Should your complaint relate to a major outage you will be provided with our best estimate as to time to problem resolution.  Where any major outage is as a result of faults on our supplier’s network only their best estimate can be provided.

Should you complaint relate to difficulties with contacting specific countries or individual numbers in specific countries then your complaint will be logged and a technician will, within 1 hour, attempt to resolve the problem.  You will be asked to try the number again in 1 hour.  Should the problem continued then you will be asked to contact customer service again and the complaint will be automatically escalated to the appropriate department manager.

Where problems relate to specific countries Dome will automatically change the route on which calls are carried and should the problem persist then the matter will be escalated to our suppliers.

Where problems relate to specific numbers, yet the overall country access is working, you may be asked to try to contact the intended party via an alternate i.e. mobile number.  This is for the reason that in the case of specific number problems it can be the case that number can change or lines disconnected.   We will endeavour to investigate these issues on a case by case basis.

Other complaints:  Where a complaint relates to matters other than those outlined above your complaint will be logged and categorized on a case by case basis.  A best estimate to resolve the complaint will be provided and where that timeframe requires amendment you will be contacted and notified of same.  We will keep you regularly updated throughout the resolution process.

4.  Escalation procedures:  Our customer care agents are trained in all Dome Telecom products and are there to assist you with any queries and to resolve any complaints you may have.  However should the response you receive not be to your satisfaction or you are not satisfied with the level of support you receive then you can ask to have the matter escalated to the appropriate manager.  This request should be made in writing to our offices and addressed to the customer care supervisor.  Please ensure you have included a contact number or e-mail address.

Our customer care supervisor will ensure the matter is escalated to the appropriate department manger who will review your complaint and contact you to discuss the matter directly.

Should you remain dissatisfied then you may request that the matter be further escalated to the office of the managing director.

5.  Our customer service guarantee
In accordance with the guidelines set down by our regulator, Comreg, Dome Telecom operates customer service guarantee.  This guarantee is part of our code of practice.

Should Dome Telecom not adhere to its own code of practice as outlined above then you will be entitled to an appropriate rebate for charges incurred in the processing of your complaint and in addition to any refund that may be due arising from your complaint.

Should you wish to make a claim under our customer service guarantee then you should notify us on 1890 927 001 or in writing to our office address above.  Please provide a full detailed history of your complaint and the manner in which it has been dealt with.

Your claim will be immediately forwarded to the office of the managing director and you will be contacted within 2 days.

No claims relating to matters beyond the control of Dome Telecom can be considered.  This included network outages on supplier networks or downstream faults contacting other countries arising from faults on our supplier networks.

6.  Other points of contact for complaints in relation to the telecommunications industry.
The following organizations will provide you with any independent advice you may seek in relation to your complaint.

Commission for Communications Regulation
Abbey Court, Irish Life Center, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1
Tel: 1890 229 668 or Fax: 01 804 9680
E-mail: consumerline@comreg.ie

Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs (ODCA)
4 Harcourt Road, Dublin 2, Ireland, Dublin 1
Tel: 01 402 5500 or Fax: 01 402 5501
Website: www.odca.ie

Advertising Standards Authority
IPC House, 35/39 Shelbourne Road, Dublin 4
Tel: 01 6608766 or Fax: 01 6608113
E-mail: info@asai.ie

Regtel
Crescent Hall, Mount Street Crescent, Dublin 2
Tel: 1850 741 741 or Fax: 1850 741 747
E-mail: info@regtel.ie

Small Claims Courts
Information is available from your local District Court Offices.