New Ofcom fairness first commitment attracts largest providers

Being treated fair is something most people people assume is the default but to try and help make it clearer to the customer facing staff and those setting policies affecting customers Ofcom has launched a new Fairness Commitment.

The key points for the scheme are:

• Customers get a fair deal, which is right for their needs
• Customers get the support they need when their circumstances make them vulnerable.
• Customers are supported to make well-informed decisions with clear information about their options before, during and at the end of their contract.
• Customers’ services work as promised, reliably over time. If things go wrong providers give a prompt response to fix problems and take appropriate actions to help their customers which may include providing compensation where relevant.
• Customers can sign up to, change and leave their services quickly and smoothly.
• Customers can be confident that fair treatment is a central part of their provider’s culture.

An awful lot of this is already covered by other codes and edicts issued by Ofcom so we don’t expect any big changes in how providers do business.

The firms committing to behaving fair are BT; EE; Giffgaff; O2; Plusnet; Post Office; Sky; TalkTalk; Tesco Mobile; Three; Virgin Media and Vodafone.

We presume our invite was lost in the post, as Ofcom and Which? are holding today on the 3rd June an event Fairness for Customers, which apparently brings together Ofcom, communications companies, government, consumer groups and charities.