Clear
Connect’s Consumer Code of Practice
Nothing
in this Code of Practice detracts from your statutory
or common law rights, nor does anything it contains
form part of any contract between Clear Connect
and a customer. The Telecommunications services
described in this Code are subject to availability
and may be modified from time to time. This Code
of Practice is published by Clear Connect Limited
(referred to as Clear Connect in this document).
Clear
Connect also operates under the trading name's
of Clear Broadband, Clear Hosting and Clear Mobile.
1.
About Clear Connect
Established
in 2000, Clear Connect is a leading business to
business telecoms solutions provider. We have
a Head Office in Swansea and divisions in London
and the West Midlands.
Clear
Connect's partner owns a UK National telecommunications
network which is connected to BT and a number
of other network operators. This network, comprising
ten interconnected digital exchanges, allows us
to operate efficiently resulting in competitive
call costs.
2.
The Purpose of the Code
The
purpose of this Code of Practice is to inform
our customers of their relationship with us. It
is written for residential and Small Business
consumers who purchase telecommunications services
from us directly. A Small Business is defined
as a company having 10 employees/volunteers or
fewer and is not itself a telecommunications service
provider.
This
code aims to provide:
-
Information on how to contact Clear Connect
-
Information
on sales and marketing activities
-
Information on some of our main services
-
Information on billing and pricing issues
-
Contact details for alternative complaint bodies
3 Contact Details
To
order any of our services please call the following
free phone number:
0800
093 9930
If
you would like to talk to us about becoming an
Clear Connect Dealer please call the following
number:
0870
990 9939
If
you would like to talk to us about becoming an
Clear Connect Reseller please call the following
number:
0870
990 9939
If
you are interested in Premium Rate services, please
call our premium rate team on:
0870
990 9939.
For
ALL enquiries, you may contact us by e-mail at
the following address:
support@clear-connect.com
Or
write to us at:
Clear
Connect Limited
Connect House
PO
Box 143
Swansea
SA1 0WT
Contact
details of a number of related organisations are
given in section 11 of this code.
4.
General Philosophy
Clear
Connect offers voice telephony services primarily
to the Corporate and SME (small and medium sized
enterprises) markets in the UK.
Against a background of deregulation in the market
for telecommunications services, Clear Connect
has been successful in winning new business and
growing customer revenue streams rapidly.
Through
our partner's multi-million pound investment in
technology, Clear Connect is a major player in
the delivery of business focused telecom solutions
that are at the forefront of the new communications
era.
5.
Sales, marketing, advertising and promotion
Clear
Connect adheres to all applicable Codes of Practice,
including advertising and consumer protection
regulations. This includes the Mailing Preference
Service, the Telephone Preference Service, the
Fax Preference Service and the E-Mail Preference
Service. Our advertising and promotions comply
with the British Codes of Advertising and Sales
Promotion. We always aim to ensure that our advertising
and promotional literature is clear, unambiguous,
accurate and fair and that it does not contain
any false or misleading information about price,
value or service. We do not denigrate other providers
of telecoms services.
Recruitment
Clear
Connect follows strict procedures when we hire
and train staff who will market and sell our services
whether in face-to-face sales or telephone sales.
Whilst
operating within current employment legislation,
we specifically take into account the following
factors when recruiting sales agents:
•
Behaviour and appearance we recognise that the
sales person may be seen as the ‘public
face’ of the telecoms industry as a whole;
• Security - that all references and relevant
convictions for criminal offences to be checked
thoroughly and taken into account;
• Evidence of mis-selling or lack of integrity
in any previous selling employment.
In
addition we require staff to follow these rules:
•
The applicant must provide a proof of NI number,
proof of address and two references
• Referees cannot be related to the applicant
• Business referees must not be both from
the same company;
• If a sales person transfers to another
company, a copy of his or her records will be
retained for a minimum period of three years;
• All company property including any materials/contracts/identification
badges should be returned from sales agents leaving
the company.
Sales
training
After
recruitment, all our sales agents are trained
to ensure they have a sufficient understanding
of the relevant sections of this Code of Practice.
They are also been tested to prove understanding
and knowledge of this Code of Practice.
All
our sales agents are also trained to ensure they
have a sufficient understanding of the following
topics:
•
How competition in telecommunications works in
the UK;
•
What telephone services Clear Connect provides
and how they may differ from other competitive
telecoms products
•
How the customer orders competitive telephone
services in the UK;
•
The relevant principles of consumer protection
law;
•
Clear Connect’s prices and other terms and
conditions of service and, in particular, methods
of payment, duration of contract and any termination
fees;
•
The nature, and cost, of any additional Clear
Connect services;
•
The process for canceling the contract both during
the cooling-off period and at any time following
commencement of the service; and
•
The Clear Connect procedure for handling customer
complaints.
Responsibility
for complying with the code
Responsibility
for code compliance by all Clear Connect representatives,
including any 3rd party sales agency lies with
Clear Connect. The Sales Director for Clear Connect
is accountable for ensuring that Clear Connect
and its agents observe the code, and is also responsible
for handling of the complaints relevant to the
code. You can email our compliance contact or
write at address given above.
Remuneration
systems
Remuneration
systems for Clear Connect are such that they do
not encourage misleading or exploitative sales
practices. All agencies representing Clear Connect
disclose all details of incentive schemes related
to Clear Connect.
Customer
contact
Clear
Connect wants to ensure that the customer has
a pleasant and reassuring experience whenever
they come into contact with any of our sales agents.
Our
representatives will show discretion when they
visit consumers’ premises, particularly
in the hours of darkness. We do not visit premises
outside the hours of 9am and 8pm.
We
do not call customers outside the hours of 8am
and 9pm, unless at the customers request.
Our
representatives who visit consumers’ premises
must be issued with identity badges that clearly
display the name of Clear Connect.
Our
representatives will immediately identify themselves,
giving their full name, that they work for Clear
Connect. They will also explain that Clear Connect
is a business telecoms provider, why they are
calling and the expected call duration. If visiting
or meeting in person, they should draw the customers’
attention to their identity card immediately.
When
visiting a customer’s premises, our representative
will give the customer a generic business card
or Clear Connect leaflet which holds the company
name and address, a contact telephone number and
email address. The customer will be able to call
the contact telephone number and confirm the representative
is genuine.
Our
representatives will be courteous, use appropriate
language and offer clear and straightforward explanations.
They will use only the material that Clear Connect
has provided them to explain the service to the
customers including how the service may include
the provision of network services by other companies.
Our
representatives will never misrepresent the services
of Clear Connect or any other company and will
always provide factual and accurate information
Our
representatives will check that the customer understands
that they are entering into a contract with Clear
Connect which will provide the customer with an
alternative provider for their telephone calls
and/or other telecoms services.
Our
representatives will cease contact with any person
who indicates that the contact is inconvenient,
unwelcome, inappropriate or too long. If the customer
requests it, the representative will end the discussion
immediately and leave the premises immediately.
The
representative must confirm that the sale is being
made to a customer who is a decision-maker for
the business.
Marketing
campaign records will be maintained for 6 months,
including the date and the approximate time of
the contact with the customer. These records will
be such as to allow subsequent identification
of the salesperson(s) involved and to assist in
dealing with any complaint or query.
How
the customer enters into a contract with Clear
Connect
A
customer may conclude a contract for Clear Connect
services in three separate ways:
•
In writing (when our representative visits the
customer’s premises); or
•
Verbally (when the customer has agreed over the
phone to take the Clear Connect service).
•
By signing up on the Clear Connect website (www.clear-connect.com)
Whatever
the way, we have safeguards in place to ensure
that the customer understands the service they
are buying from Clear Connect and that they are
entering into a legally binding contract. The
format of these safeguards differs slightly between
the ways to ensure the highest possible standard
of consumer protection.
When
we ask the customer to enter into a contract for
Clear Connect services our representative will
provide in writing the following information:
•
essential information including the name of Clear
Connect, its address, telephone, fax and e-mail
contact details;
•
a description of our telephone service to enable
the customer to understand the service the customer
has chosen, and how it works;
•
information about the major elements of the service,
including the costs of any standing charges, the
payment terms, line rental, key call types and
details of “protected or special support”
arrangements;
•
the arrangements for provision of the service,
including the order process and, as accurately
as possible, the likely date of provision. Where
there may be significant delay in the likely date
of provision, we will inform the Customer;
•
the customer’s right of cancellation and
the process for exercising it; and
•
the period
for which the Clear Connect charges remain valid.
We
have designed our order forms and contracts to
ensure the contractual nature of these documents
is clear to the customer.
When
the customer signs a contract for our voice telephony
service in their premises
The customer will be asked to sign and date the
agreement over the word CONTRACT.
The
contract will clearly state next to the place
of signature that the terms and conditions for
the Clear Connect service are available to read.
The
contract will also state the business name and
address for Clear Connect.
When
the customer enters into a contract for our voice
telephony service over the phone (either through
being called by Clear Connect or through calling
Clear Connect)
During
the telephone conversation, the Clear Connect
representative will ask the customer to confirm
that they understand and agree to the following
points:
•
I understand that Clear Connect is an independent
company and not part of British Telecom
• I understand that Clear Connect will bill
me for my call charges and line charges if applicable,
otherwise BT will continue to bill any BT services
to which I have subscribed
• The representative has explained to me
the benefits of Clear Connect and has advised
me of the process over the next two to three weeks
• I am aware there is a 12 month minimum
term for Line Rental Services.
We
record all calls for training and quality assessment
purposes.
The
Clear Connect representative will ask the customer
to confirm that they have the authority to change
telecommunications provider for the telephone
number concerned.
When
the customer enters into a contract for our voice
telephony service by visiting the Clear Connect
website
The
customer will be prompted to agree to the terms
and conditions before completing the transaction
of signing up for Clear Connect.
The
final page will confirm their personal details
This
Code of Practice is available on the Clear Connect
website.
After
the customer has agreed to take the Clear Connect
voice telephony service
Every
customer will receive a Clear Connect information
pack either when they sign the contract or, if
they sign up on the phone, within seven working
days.
Every
customer will receive a letter which contains
the following information
-Date
of notification;
-CLI(s) affected;
-List of services affected/unaffected;
-Date of switchover;
-Clear Connect’s contact details for any
queries;
-Note of the Code of Practice and how to obtain
a copy of it.
With
the letter the customer will also receive a general
information leaflet giving full details of the
service, how it works and frequently asked questions.
If
the sale was not made face to face Clear Connect
the welcome pack will include a printed copy of
the terms and conditions (these will have been
provided at the point of sale for a face to face
sale).
If
you wish to cancel your Clear Connect service
you can do this in writing, by telephone or by
e-mail.
We
aim to complete the process from agreement to
the service going live within a total of 20 working
days.
We
reserve the right not to enter into agreements.
Consumer protection and other legal requirements
We
comply with all applicable consumer protection
legislation and other legal requirements.
Audit
Clear
Connect will make regular audits of our systems,
procedures and documentation to deliver compliance
with our code of practice.
6 Range of services
The
main services offered by Clear Connect to Small
Business Consumers are described below.
Inbound
Telephony
Number
Translation service
The
Number translation service (NTS) allows non-geographic
numbers (e.g. 0800 0870 etc.) dialled by a caller
to be translated according to special rules that
are maintained by Clear Connect. A very large
list of number ranges is available for Non-Geographic
Numbers (NGN). These numbers can be either provided
by Clear Connect or an existing number can be
ported (i.e. transferred) from another operator
to Clear Connect. Clear Connect's partner has
number porting arrangements with alternate operators
(see section 7).
Interactive
Voice Response (IVR) Services
Clear Connect offers a wide range of products
and services that can be combined with Number
Translation Service. Some of the products are
naturally associated with routing options, for
example voicemail with divert on call fail, or
timed delivery with data collection.
For
more details of Clear Connect’s unique inbound
call management facilities, IVR services and number
portability please speak to your Clear Connect
account manager or call Clear Connect Sales on
free phone 0800 093 9930.
Outbound
Telephony
Indirect
Access (IDA)
Indirect access allows customers to benefit from
discounted calls using the Clear Connect network.
Customers who rent their telephone service from
BT can benefit from cheaper calls using this service.
IDA provides a basic platform from which additional
products and services can be offered.
You dial the required phone number preceded by
1840 (Clear Connect's Partner's Access Code).
When BT sees 1840 in front of the phone number
they route your call via Clear Connect’s
Network.
There are various ways that you may be connected
to the Clear Connect network. We can advise you
of the best method of access to our service based
on your particular circumstances. The preferred
method of connection is using carrier pre-selection
(see below). Other methods include either programming
of your telephone system to automatically insert
1840, or providing an 'auto-dialler' - a device
fitted to your phone socket that inserts 1840
on your behalf.
Carrier Pre-Selection
Carrier Pre-Selection (CPS) - is the service which
allows BT customers to pre-select an alternative
carrier(s) to deliver certain categories of calls
and to be billed directly by that carrier.
There are currently four service offerings of
CPS, which are available:
- ALL CALLS
- NATIONAL
- INTERNATIONAL
- NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
The preferred option is for Clear Connect to carry
"all calls" to maximise the cost savings
against BT standard rates. Calls such as 999 and
operator services are handled by BT together with
a few special numbers.
Carrier Pre select provides significant advantages
over conventional IDA.
CPS is applied at our request by BT to their network
so that when you dial a number there is no need
for you to dial the 1840 prefix.
CPS offers the following benefits: -
- Capture more customers calls (less leakage to
BT)
- Faster connection
- Greater service reliability
- No site visits required
- No installation costs
- Can be used for telephone lines and fax lines
- Lower spend qualification
- Easy Connection
- IDA Call Barring
Any of the three options listed below can be provided
at network level with any IDA/CPS product.
- Premium Rate barring
No call can be made to any premium rate telephone
number i.e. ranges starting with 090X.
- International Barring
No call can be made to any international destination
starting with 00
- Mobile Barring
No call can be made to any mobile or pager service
via the 07 number range.
We provide tick boxes on your service agreement
so that you may select the call barring option
(if any) that you require. There is no additional
charge for this service.
Line
Rental
Clear
Connect provides Line Rental services. These services
are available to customers who have an existing
BT line. In addition to line rental, Clear Connect
provides a comprehensive range of line services.
Premium
Rate Service
Premium
Rate Services include recorded information, competitions,
voting, live conversations and downloadable material
which are accessed at a rate above that which
would normally be charged for a national or local
call. The extra cost of the call is paid to the
service provider who provides the information
such as weather forecasts. A small proportion
of the cost of the call is retained by the network
operators such as Clear Connect and BT to cover
the costs associated with providing the call.
These calls can be recognised by the dialling
codes starting with 090 and 091.
The
Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards
of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS) publishes
a Code of Practice giving guidance on the advertising,
promotion and content of these services. ICSTIS
may be able to help you if you have a complaint
about a Premium Rate Service and they can be contacted
at the address given in section 11 of this Code.
Directory
Enquiry Service 118114
In
December 2002 the traditional 192 directory service
changed in order to remove BT's virtual monopoly
of this service. Other service providers including
Clear Connect now provide an alternative service.
The new directory enquiry numbers are six-figure
numbers beginning with 118, E.G. 118114.
We
provide a full national directory enquiry service
over the number 118114. This number is charged
at 40 pence per call. We normally need a name
and location to search, but may ask for more information
to provide an exact match. We are not able to
provide you with a name and address from a phone
number. This service is intended to provide you
with one directory search per call. The number
is available from other networks including some
mobile networks who may charge you more for your
call. Please check your network operator who will
advise you of the charges.
7
Customer Service
Our
customer service representatives are able to help
with all your queries including products, billing
and tariffs. Where possible, we will respond to
your enquiries within 2 hours. Our service centre
is open to deal with your enquiries from Monday
to Friday between 9.00 am and 6.00 pm.
If
you have any service enquiries please call us
on 08450 99 22 22.
Alternatively,
you may write to our customer service centre at:
Clear
Connect Limited
Connect House
PO Box 143
Swansea
SA2 0WT
Or
e-mail us at support@clear-connect.com
Direct Sales
Clear
Connect contacts new potential business customers
by phone. Prior to making a call, we ensure that
the number being called is not registered with
the telephone preference service (TPS). We also
check that it is not a number that we have called
before where we have been requested not to call
again.
Our
sales advisers aim to ensure that they are speaking
to the person who is responsible for purchasing
telecommunications services. Once we have established
that we are speaking to the correct person we
will ask to discuss their various telecommunications
requirements.
We
need to establish the technical requirements and
potential savings that you could make if you were
to use the services of Clear Connect.
We
would normally request a meeting with one of our
sales consultants to discuss in detail the requirements
that you might have.
Order
processing
Usually,
as a new Clear Connect customer you will speak
to one of our sales advisers who will review all
of your telecommunications needs. We may arrange
a visit to your premises in order to carry out
a detailed survey or we may discuss your needs
over the phone. We will agree your requirements
with you and then supply you with a written agreement
together with our terms and conditions.
Once
we receive your completed agreement, we will aim
to process this as quickly as possible. Some processes
require some time to implement but most connections
to Clear Connect are completed within 20 working
days. We reserve the right not to accept agreements
according to our terms and conditions.
We will keep you informed throughout the connection
process by phone and we will write to you confirming
the date on which you will start receiving Clear
Connect’s service. If you wish to check
the progress of your order you may get in touch
on the phone number given above.
Cancellation
If
you wish to cancel your service with Clear Connect
you can usually do this by phone, in writing or
by E-mail. Our contact details and Office hours
are given above. Please refer to your Clear Connect
contract for duration and conditions on cancellation.
Some
services take a little time to cancel, as they
require us to work with special industry processes.
When you cancel your service, we aim to advise
you of the time period from us receiving your
cancellation request to the time at which the
service is withdrawn. During this period, you
remain liable for the costs of any services we
provide.
Fault
Repair
Faults
can be reported free of charge, 24 hours a day.
However unless otherwise stated in your service
agreement, engineers only attend to faults in
normal working hours (Monday to Friday from 9.00
am to 5.00pm, excluding bank holidays).
Faults
can occur on the Clear Connect Network, another
operator's network, or on the telephone used by
you or the person you are trying to call. If the
fault is reported during normal working hours,
we will try to establish the location of the fault.
We may request that you carry out some simple
checks to help us establish the cause of the fault.
Repairing
faults on our network is part of the maintenance
cover we provide with our service. If the fault
is not on our network then we may not be responsible
for its repair. If the fault is on the BT network
then you may need to report this fault to BT directly.
To report a BT fault call one of the following
numbers.
BT
residential customers call 0800 800 151 or visit
www.bt.com
BT
Business customers call 0800 800 154 or visit
www.bt.com
We
reserve the right to charge for any abortive work
or visit arising from faults over which we have
no control. Should an engineer need to visit your
premises we will agree this with you.
Reconnection
If
you are a previous Clear Connect customer and
wish to come back to Clear Connect please call
us on the above phone number and we will aim to
get you reconnected as soon as possible.
Pricing
We
will be pleased to provide you with our prices
on request. To obtain pricing information please
call us on the phone number above.
Billing
We
provide you with a monthly bill. Your first bill
will be issued approximately one month from the
time that your Clear Connect service begins and
then at the same time of the month in subsequent
months.
Payment
is usually by direct debit, but if you wish to
discuss alternative payment methods then please
contact us on the phone number above.
Itemised
Bills are provided free of charge and we normally
detail each item that costs more than 20 pence.
Disconnection for non-payment
Prompt
payment of bills helps us keep our costs down
so that we can continue to offer a highly competitive
service. Please call us as soon as possible if
you think you may have difficulty in paying your
bill. If there are special circumstances, we may
be able to agree special arrangements with you
to prevent disruption of your telephone service.
In
the event that a bill is not paid we will make
all reasonable attempts to resolve the matter
with you. However, if we are unable to get a satisfactory
explanation for the non-payment we may suspend
or disconnect your service in accordance with
our terms and conditions.
Billing
Queries
We
take billing accuracy very seriously. If you do
not understand or disagree with part of your bill,
please call us on the number quoted on your bill.
You
are liable for the costs of any calls that you
make over our network. If you query the charge
for dialled calls, we will re-check the bill.
If we find a mistake you will be credited accordingly.
Difficulties
in Making or receiving calls
If
you have difficulty in making a call you should
try re-dialling. If you still have difficulty
please call us on:
0870
990 9939.
If
BT provides your telephone line and you cannot
make or receive calls then it is likely that there
is a fault on either the BT network or your phone.
Please contact BT on one of the following numbers.
BT
residential customers call 0800 800 151 or visit
www.bt.com
BT
Business customers call 0800 800 154 or visit
www.bt.com
If
you are not satisfied with Clear Connect’s
service
We
are committed to providing you with the best value
telecommunications service in the UK. We understand
that faults can occur, and when they do, we want
to correct them quickly. We provide a comprehensive
complaint handling process to solve your problem
as soon as possible.
When
you call us, a customer service adviser will note
the details of the problem and will agree a course
of action with you. Due to the complex nature
of some queries, these may take a little longer
to resolve.
If
you are not happy with the response you receive
you may ask for the matter to be referred to a
senior manager for further investigation.
In
the rare event we are unable to resolve your problem
we will write to you informing you of the position.
This is sometimes called the 'deadlock' letter.
When you receive this letter and your annual bill
is less than £5000, you have the right to
refer your case to the Ombudsman. The contact
details can be found at in section 11 of this
code. The Ombudsman will want to ensure that you
have followed this process through before contacting
them. If this is not evident the Ombudsman is
likely to refer the matter back to Clear Connect
for resolution.
Clear
Connect is happy to work with other independent
bodies, such as ICSTIS, Citizens Advice Bureaux,
Consumer Advice Centres and Trading Standards
Departments.
Dispute
Resolution
Clear
Connect is a member of the Telecommunications
Ombudsman scheme, which provides a free, independent,
service to help sort out complaints when customers
and telecoms companies can't agree. It is run
by the Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman,
Otelo for short. Otelo's job is to investigate
complaints fairly, listen to both sides of the
story and look at the facts. If the Ombudsman
decides your complaint was justified Clear Connect
will honour this decision and put things right
for you. To find out how the service works and
what it covers, please ask for a copy of Otelo's
complaints booklet 'Two sides to every story'
by phoning 0845 050 1614. The scheme provides
a straightforward alternative to legal action.
If you receive the deadlock letter as described
above, you must decide within 6 months if you
wish to refer the issue to the Ombudsman.
An
application to the Ombudsman does not relieve
you from any obligation you may have to pay any
amounts not in dispute.
The
Ombudsman can provide you with further details
and you will also find information on Otelo's
website. Contact details are shown in Section
11 of this Code.
8.
Your rights and obligations
Number
Portability
Clear
Connect is able to offer number portability. This
means that if you move your service from BT or
other operator to Clear Connect you are allowed
to keep your existing phone number. This means
that you do not need to notify your contacts of
a number change. It normally takes between 4 and
7 days to transfer a number. This facility may
not be available in your area. If you would like
more information please call our customer service
advisers on 08450 99 22 22.
Data
protection
We
may collect personal information about you from
a number of sources. These may include:
-
The
customer agreement, i.e. the agreement that
you sign when you take a service from Clear
Connect. This may include your name, address,
other contact details and banking details.
-
If you contact us with an enquiry
-
From
direct marketing organisations
-
From
other publicly available sources such as the
electoral role.
Clear
Connect is registered under the Data Protection
Act and takes all reasonable steps to ensure that
there is no unauthorised access to your personal
data.
We may use the personal data that we have to promote
Clear Connect’s and our partner's products
and services but these details will not be passed
to any other organisations for marketing purposes.
In some circumstances we may supply information
to organisations such as the police where the
law permits us to do this.
We may record phone conversations in order to
provide training services or to provide evidence
of a transaction.
If you wish to know what personal information
Clear Connect holds on you, you can obtain this
by writing to us. Please write to the following
address.
Data
Protection Manager
Clear Connect Limited
Connect House
PO Box 143
Swansea
SA2 0WT
You
may wish to stop unsolicited telemarketing calls
from Clear Connect and other organisations. You
may do this by calling the Telephone Preference
Service (TPS). The contact details for the TPS
are given in section 11.
Terms
and Conditions
Clear
Connect provides terms and conditions which are
available on request from our customer service
advisers. Please call 08450 99 22 22.
Services
for disabled and elderly customers
If
you are older or may have a disability and wish
to discuss any special telecommunications requirements
you may have then please contact our customer
service centre at the above address and we will
try and accommodate your requirements where possible.
Phonebook
entry
If
you have a BT line then using Clear Connect’s
IDA services will not affect your phonebook entry.
In this case, you have a right to be included
in the BT phonebook and directory enquiries, free
of charge. You may also choose to be ex-directory.
Clear
Connect can arrange for your Clear Connect Non
Geographic Number (NGN) e.g. 0800 to be included
in the phonebook free of charge. Please contact
our customer service centre at the above address.
9.
Communication with customer
It
is our policy to maintain contact with our customers
on a regular basis. We may call you or write to
you from time to time to inform you of any new
services and to review your current telecommunications
requirements. We aim to keep this Code of Practice
up to date and you may obtain a copy from our
customer service centre or via our Website, clear-connect.com.
10.
Social Responsibility
Environmental
Policy
Clear
Connect is committed to the prevention of pollution.
We
maintain an environmental management system that
is appropriate to the nature, scale and environmental
impacts of our activities, products and services.
This system ensures that wherever possible:
-
all
waste is recycled, and where this is not practicable
due to either technical or cost constraints,
any waste is disposed of in an appropriate manner;
-
we
use energy efficient processing equipment and
tools;
-
company vehicles are selected and maintained
correctly so as to minimise pollutant emissions;
-
we schedule and combine activities in geographical
areas to ensure that the effect of transportation
of personnel and equipment on the environment
is minimised;
-
we recycle office stationery and use stationery
manufactured from recycled materials wherever
practicable;
-
we regularly review the environmental impacts
of the business, and constantly seek opportunities
for continual improvement and prevention of
pollution;
Protection
and support of vulnerable groups
Clear
Connect is predominately a supplier of telecommunications
service to small/medium business customers. We
understand that some of our customers may have
special needs and so require particular attention.
It is our policy to assist any customers who may
have difficulty using telephony services whether
they have a disability or are from other vulnerable
groups.
Malicious
Calls
We
understand that annoyance and distress that can
be caused by malicious calls and take this problem
very seriously. If you are receiving malicious
calls we would like to provide you with every
assistance to try to resolve the problem. This
may involve working with the police and other
network operators where appropriate. You should
be prepared to give evidence if the caller is
traced and brought to court. We may also recommend
that you change your phone number and ask for
this to be ex-directory if you continue to receive
such calls.
To
report any malicious calls to Clear Connect, please
contact our customer service centre at the contact
details given in section 3. If you have a BT line,
then we would recommend that you call their Nuisance
Call Advice line on 0800 661441.
11 Further Information
Office
of Communications (Ofcom)
Ofcom
Contact Centre
Riverside House
2a Southwark Bridge Road
London
SE1 9HA
Call
0845 456 3000
Fax 020 7981 3333
Email: contact@ofcom.org.uk
Website : www.ofcom.org.uk
The
Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards
of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS)
Fourth
Floor
Clove Building
4 Maguire Street
London SE1 2NQ
Call
020 7940 7474
http://www.icstis.org.uk/default.asp
Office
of the Telecommunications Ombudsman (OTELO)
Wilderspool
Park
Greenall's Avenue
Warrington
WA4 6HL
Call
: 0845 050 1614
Fax : 01925 430059
E-mail: enquiries@otelo.org.uk
Website: www.otelo.org.uk
Telephone
Preference Service
If
you do not wish to receive unsolicited telemarketing
calls, register on line at www.tpsonline.org.uk
or call 020 7766 4420.
Fax
Preference Service
If
you do not wish to receive unsolicited telemarketing
faxes, register on line at www.fpsonline.org.uk
or call 020 7766 4422.
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