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## Customer experience 

In FY2012 we undertook a comprehensive review of our Customer Service Centre processes and operations. Improvements made during the year to the way we operate our call centres has resulted in much faster customer call response times and higher quality customer service. 

AGL measures customer satisfaction each quarter to gauge whether we are servicing customers to the standard we have committed to in our Customer Charter, and whether initiatives to improve customer service have been successful. 

During FY2012, AGL’s customer satisfaction score averaged 6.68 (up from 6.65 in FY2011), with a score of 6.88 in the fourth quarter of FY2012 (up from 6.67 in the corresponding quarter of FY2011). This is higher than both our major competitors. 

The customer satisfaction score results reflect responses to the question of how satisfied customers are with the service provided by their energy supplier on a scale of 0 to 10 (where 0 is not satisfied, 5 is neutral and 10 is extremely satisfied). 

1 As determined by a quarterly survey prepared by an independent third party provider. 

2 Powerdirect and ActewAGL are not included under the AGL brand for the customer satisfaction score. 

## Customers in hardship 

Energy prices have been increasing in recent years. This trend is set to continue, largely due to upgrades to existing infrastructure required to meet increasing energy demand at peak times. 

AGL aims to be responsive to our customers, especially those who may be experiencing (or be at risk of experiencing) financial hardship. Working closely with our community partners, we have continued to focus on energy efficiency advice and audits, as well as flexible payment arrangements, to assist vulnerable customers to manage their energy needs. 

AGL’s national hardship program, Staying Connected, is designed to support residential customers who are experiencing temporary or long-term financial hardship. 

At the end of the financial year 8,213 customers were on the Staying Connected program, a decrease of 5% compared to the preceding year. The average level of energy debt among those Staying Connected participants was $1,784, up 7.6% from $1,658 in FY2011. We were unable to meet our target of a 5% reduction of the average debt but will continue to investigate avenues to assist our customers in managing their energy needs. 

