Customer service charter

This charter outlines what you can expect from our customer service and how you, as a member of the public, can help us to deliver professional, reliable and consistent customer service.

Our commitment to you

We recognise that the customer service we provide you is integral to your needs and may impact upon your ability to achieve outcomes. We are committed to providing you with the service needed to meet these obligations in a responsive and professional manner to a high standard.

Our customer service

Our department provides a consistent, whole of department approach to customer service support, with the aim of providing a service you can expect.

Our customer service principles

We have a set of overarching principles that underpin the delivery of our customer service to you. In providing this service we will:

  • Be responsive: we will respond promptly to your enquiries through our phone and web service. We aim to respond to phone enquiries, emails and mail correspondence within 5 working days. We will provide accurate and up to date information, when you need it.
  • Be accountable: we will be open and accountable and regularly measure our performance and seek customer feedback. As well as performance metrics to measure our performance against, we have developed Service Offers that include service level standards we are committed to achieving.

To further support this approach, our service commitments have been reflected in our individual performance framework to ensure an ongoing focus on delivering a high quality service.

  • Be consultative: we will foster a coordinated and integrated approach to the delivery of our service.

We aim to tailor our response to your needs. We aim to provide linkages and referral to other government information relevant to your needs.

  • Strive for continuous improvement: we will strive to continuously improve the service we provide to you. We will be innovative in designing new and progressive ways of doing things, be it the way we interact with you or developing new processes, to better support you.
  • Communicate: we will ensure that there is easily accessible information on the service we provide to you and how we provide it, and ensure information, resources and services are accessible to all.

Our staff

Our customer service is delivered by skilled, motivated, professional and courteous staff. In providing this service to you, we will ensure that our staff:

  • deliver quality service with courtesy and minimum delay;
  • are well supported and trained;
  • have the capability to understand your issues because of their extensive experience;
  • have up to date knowledge on policy, procedures and processes; and
  • are committed to understanding your needs and the broader departmental context and environment that we operate in to assist you;
  • treat you with dignity and respect; and
  • ensure that we protect any confidential information you may provide.

Customer service standards

We aim to provide a consistent and reliable service. Across the department, we are committed to:

  • providing accurate and helpful information
  • answering phone calls and emails as soon as possible during normal office hours (9:00am to 5:00pm - AEST)
  • if we are unable to answer your query immediately or it is best handled by a different service area, we will take your contact details and ensure that your enquiry or complaint is acknowledged within five business days, and aim to provide a final response within 20 business days
  • some enquiries may be more complex than others. In these cases we will notify you if there is a delay in delivering on our service commitment.

How you can help us

Recognising and understanding that that the provision of customer service support is a two way process, we appreciate your assistance in helping us provide you with a high standard of service by:

  • providing us with timely and accurate information that is necessary for us to provide support and advice;
  • recognising and understanding your responsibilities and accountabilities;
  • working with us to solve problems;
  • having a realistic expectation of the service offered; and
  • treating our staff with courtesy and respect.

Tell us how we are doing

We value your feedback. It provides us with information that helps us to refine and improve our service.

If we’ve exceeded your expectations

It is important to know what works well. By telling us when you have received excellent customer service and what we got right, it helps us to recognise the efforts of our people and to ensure we replicate best practice across the department.

If we don't meet your expectations

We are committed to ensuring all complaints received are taken seriously and handled efficiently, fairly and confidentially. If the service received does not meet expectations, we ask that you tell us as soon as possible through our customer complaint process.

Complaints can be made either verbally or in writing.

All written complaints should be logged via the online complaints form or by email to feedbackandcomplaints@industry.gov.au.

We will aim to resolve all complaints as soon as possible, however depending upon the nature of the complaint response times may vary. All complaints will be handled in a confidential manner and you will be provided with updates during the investigation of your complaint.