Telstra calls on customers for help

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Australia's telecom major Telstra, which is trying hard to shed the bad reputation as far as customer service is concerned, will today ask its 10 million account holders to volunteer for what would be the nation's biggest brains trust.

The "My Telstra Experience" program will ask 18,000 customers to devote 10 minutes a fortnight to online surveys and discussions, according to Australian IT. This move follows a surge in complaints to an industry watchdog about disputed bills, poor response to problems and other gripes.

Of course, the company is not asking for a free service. Those who participate in the survey will go into monthly cash prize draws.

"We know we've disappointed customers," said Telstra's executive director for market-based management Gloria Farler. "And we know we've not lived up to our own standards."

The new CEO, David Thodey, took this decision to combat soaring dissatisfaction levels, said the report. There were double the official complaints about Telstra last financial year than a year before.

In 2008-09, 104,000 Telstra users complained to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman and 30,000 Optus users. In 2007-08, there were 51,000 Telstra complaints and 23,000 by Optus users, said Australian IT.

Meanwhile, a Dow Jones report, quoting an official, said Telstra's negotiations with the Australian government over the creation of a national broadband network are progressing in good faith.

Reports says Telstra is likely to sell its passive network to NBN Co., the government-controlled firm established to run the planned open-access network, for around A$2 billion in exchange for regulatory certainty.