The purpose of our Code of Practice:
The code applies to the sales and marketing of our services to domestic and small business customers (“you” and “your” refer to customers) and covers all aspects of the sales process. We aim to avoid mis-selling and misrepresentation and to ensure that you fully understand the services and the terms of the contracts we offer you.
All our sales and marketing staff and agents are briefed on this code and we routinely monitor compliance with it. If you feel that any representative of Telecom Warehouse Ltd Ltd has breached the terms of the code, please report your concerns to Pauline James, Operations Manager, (Tel 0845 4506 340, pjames@telecom-warehouse.co.uk) who has responsibility for compliance with this code, and for handling associated complaints.
Copies of our Code of Practice are available on request from our Customer Service Helpdesk on 0800 554 155 or emailing customer.service@telecom-warehouse.co.uk and online at our website: www.telecom-warehouse.co.uk
This Code of Practice has been prepared in line with guidelines published by Ofcom, the industry regulator, on 13th April 2005.
We keep our customers up dated on current services and promote forth coming products and services using various methods. In all cases, we act responsibly and try to comply with relevant legislation.
We will respect your wishes if you have registered with any relevant preference service, including the Mailing Preference Service, the Telephone Preference Service, the Fax Preference Service and the E-mail Preference Service.
All our advertising and promotion activity keeps to the principles of the British Codes of Advertising and Sales Promotion. In addition, we ensure that advertising and promotional literature is clear, unambiguous, accurate and fair, does not contain false or misleading information about price, value or service and does not denigrate other companies.
To ensure that our employees act responsibly at all times, we follow strict procedures in the selection and training of staff that have direct sales and marketing contact with customers. We also ensure that all our sub-contractors and agencies use equivalent selection and training procedures and remuneration (payment) systems.
When recruiting new sales staff, we take up references and carry out relevant background checks. We also consider whether applicants are suitable for this type of work, recognising that our sales people will be seen as the ‘public face’ of our company and the industry in general.
We train our sales and marketing employees to ensure they have a good understanding of our services and of industry practice generally and do not give our customers inaccurate or misleading advice.
We also ensure that our sales staff are familiar with the relevant aspects of consumer protection law, the content and interpretation of this code and the benefits it provides to customers.
Our remuneration systems for sales and marketing personnel are designed to discourage misleading or exploitative sales practices.
Our sales staff are given clear guidelines on contacting residential customers at home, particularly during the hours of darkness. They must not visit you before 8am or after 8pm, and must not telephone before 8am or after 9pm, unless this has been requested by the customer.
Our representatives are trained to be courteous, to use appropriate language and to offer clear and straightforward explanations. They must only offer factual and accurate information about our services and contracts and must not misrepresent our services or those of other companies. They must check that if you enter into a contract you fully understand the terms and are sure that this is what you want to do.
Our representatives will cease contact with anyone who indicates that the contact is inconvenient, unwelcome, inappropriate or too long. At your request, the discussion will be ended immediately and, if making a doorstep call, the representative will leave your premises immediately.
Our representatives will not abuse the trust of vulnerable customers, for example people who are elderly, have special needs, or whose first language is not English.
When visiting sheltered housing, nursing homes or residential care facilities, our representatives will make contact with the warden or other person in authority before approaching a customer.
We will not aim sales or marketing activity at people who are under the legal age for entering into contracts. To ensure we maintain these standards, we keep the records of our sales and marketing activity for at least six months. Records include the date and the approximate time of the contact with you. To help us deal with any complaints or queries, all such records clearly identify the salesperson(s) who made the call or visit.
We check that the person entering into a contract with us is authorised to sign a contract for services and be responsible for bills at the premises in question.
Our order forms and contract forms are designed to ensure that you understand that you are entering a contract, and each document states this immediately next to where you sign.
We will tell you that you have the right to change your mind during the switchover period and that there is no cost for cancellation during this period.
In all cases we will give you the following information:
Our representatives have a full summary of our tariffs, which you can ask to see at any time.
Where our representative meets you in person, they will give you the information in writing. When you sign an order form, or enter into a written contract, you will also get a copy of the order form or contract, as well as information about any after-sales services or guarantees and arrangements for ending the contract.
You will get this information at the same time as you sign, or within 5 working days, unless you received it in writing before signing the contract.
Orders placed with us by distance-selling methods (such as phone, fax or internet) comply with distance-selling regulations. As with order forms, our telephone scripts are designed to ensure that you understand that you are entering into a contract and will be sent the information detailed above.
In the case of internet orders, a well signposted and easy-to-see hyperlink to this information is prominently displayed and the information is readily available for downloading and printing.
Regardless of our method of selling, you may cancel orders and end contracts by telephone or in writing by post, fax or email to:
Telecom Warehouse Ltd Ltd
Prestige House
Cornford Road
Blackpool FY4 4QQ
Tel: 0870 055 4155
Fax: 0870 055 4156
Email: customer.service@telecom-warehouse.co.uk
Our standard procedures minimise the risk of errors or mis-selling on our part when taking orders or making contracts during face-to-face or telephone selling.
We confirm orders by sending a notification of transfer letter to the customer in accordance with the industry-agreed process. The letter, which is clearly dated, gives details of the transfer, including the date of transfer, and information on any services and features which may be affected by the transfer. The letter also provides contact details for any queries.
We contact all customers entering into a new contract to confirm that you understand that you have entered into a contract, are happy to proceed with the contract and are content with the way in which we conducted the sales and marketing.
This check is generally incorporated into the order confirmation letter but is always completed not more than 5 working days after a contract is agreed. Where we contact you directly, this is done by a person not involved with our sales and marketing activities, who will tell you who they are.
The letter may be sent electronically if you have applied online and have confirmed online that you wish future correspondence to be sent electronically.
We will terminate the contract without charge or other penalty to you if we find that you did not understand the contract or it was not what you intended or if it was finalised before the expiry of the switchover period, and you wish to cancel.
We keep our contract procedures under review and take steps to prevent the recurrence of any problem identified through audit. Audits of our systems, procedures and documents used in sales and marketing are carried out on a regular basis.
Complaints regarding sales and marketing are dealt with under the procedures set out in our Complaints Procedure document.
This document outlines how complaints can be registered, how complaints are dealt with, how to proceed if you are not happy with the final resolution and useful contact information.
Initially, your complaint should be directed to Telecom Warehouse Ltd Ltd, via the following:
Telephone: 0870 055 4155
In writing to:
Telecom Warehouse Ltd Ltd
Prestige House
Cornford Road
Blackpool FY4 4QQ
or via email: customer.service@telecom-warehouse.co.uk
If we are unable to resolve the complaint to your satisfaction, you are entitled to contact Otelo or Ofcom. You can also ask for advice from your local Trading Standards Department or Citizens Advice Bureau.
By law, all companies marketing services to customers must issue a Code of Practice for Sales & Marketing.
Compliance with this code does not guarantee that it complies with any other legal requirements.
Non-compliance with this code does not affect the validity of any contract beTelecom Warehouse Ltdeen the company and the consumer, unless the law states otherwise.
| Organisation | Contact Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Otelo | PO Box 730, Warrington, Cheshire WA4 6WU | 0845 450 1614 www.otelo.org.uk |
| Ofcom | Riverside House, 2a Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HA | 020 7981 3000/ 0845 456 3000 www.ofcom.org.uk |
| ICSTIS | Clove Building, 4 Maguire Street, London SE1 2NQ | 020 7940 7474 www.dma.org.uk |
| Federation of Communication Services (FCS) | Burnhill Business Centre, Provident House, Burrell Row, Beckenham, Kent BR3 1AT | 020 8249 6363 www.fcs.org.uk |
If you wish to find details of your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau or Trading Standards Department details can be found in the Yellow Pages or the websites shown below will help you:
Citizens Advice Bureau - www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Institute of Trading Standards Administration - www.tradingstandards.gov.uk
“Fixed line telecommunications services” means narrowband calls and lines services provided to domestic and small business customers by means of indirect access, carrier pre-selection or wholesale line rental.
“Domestic and small business customer” means a customer or potential customer for the services who is an individual or an undertaking for whom fewer than ten individuals work (whether as employees or volunteers or otherwise).
Published June 2006. Correct at the time of printing. © Telecom Warehouse Ltd Ltd