Introduction to our company and services
Established in 1998, Gateway Telecom is a UK independent provider of high quality telecoms business solutions, offering outstanding value to help reduce telecoms expenses without compromising on performance. We have many years of experience in providing organizations across the UK with quality, affordable telephony solutions.
Purpose of this Code of Practice
The Code informs you about our products, services, and customer care policies. We have prepared it in line with guidance published by Oftel (the regulator, which is now Ofcom) on 15 August 2003.
How to contact us
Please contact our Customer Service Team
By phone: 0845 456 1092 - Business hours customer care line including bank holidays (If all lines are busy, please leave a message, we aim to respond within 1 hour.
By e-mail: enquiries@gatewaytelecom.co.uk
By fax: 0870 200 300 9
By post: Gateway Telecom , Branston Court, Branston Street, Birmingham B18 6BA
Our commitment to you
Working with our customers and Channel Partners alike, we strive to create straight forward answers to every request we’re given. To do this we rigidly commit ourselves to making promises that we can keep, thereby guaranteeing the highest quality of service. We Promise to make every reasonable effort to ensure that our services satisfy your requirements. We work to all relevant laws and regulations.
Our products and services
» Landline calls using BT and alternative Tier One Networks
» CPS-Carrier Pre-Selection – Reduced call charges
» ISDN-digital telephone lines and standard PSTN lines
» Broadband access
» Internet start-up packages with pop3 e-mail
» Mobile phones and data services
» Non-geographic services (0800, 0845 and 0870 Numbers)
For more details on any of our products and services, or to place an order immediately, please contact our Customer Service Team on 0845 456 1092.
Marketing
We work to the principles within the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing, which may be found on the website, www.cap.org.uk.
Terms and Conditions
When you subscribe to a service from Gateway Telecom, we will send you our Standard Terms and Conditions and ask you to sign a contract. You may also download our standard terms and conditions from our website. If you have any questions, please phone our Customer Service Team on
0845 456 1092.
We may carry out a credit check as part of our assessment procedures.
The minimum contract term for our services is 24 months unless stated otherwise on your customer agreement form. We aim to provide services within 24 hours for Non Geographic Numbers and 5 working days for IVR (Interactive Voice Response) services from the time of your original request, subject to the availability and installation of any equipment and, where appropriate, lines to your premises. If we need to carry out a survey of your premises or lay additional cabling we will advise you of the revised timescales as soon as we can.
Cancellation
If you decide to cancel your order or agreement before we have provided the services, you may do so without charge within 7 days after your order is placed. After 7 days we will charge you an administration fee equivalent to one month’s rental of the appropriate product. Should you wish to terminate your contract within the minimum term of the agreement, we will make a charge – please refer to our terms and conditions for details. After the minimum term you can cancel any service by writing to us at our address above giving us 1 month’s written notice.
Faults and repairs
Please call our 24 hour Fault Line on 0845 456 1092 if you experience a fault with any of our services. We aim to have this investigated and in some cases (depending on the nature of the fault) repaired within 1 working day.
Compensation and refund policy
Our policy with regard to compensation is to review each case on its merits. As for refunds, if a customer has overpaid within the terms of their contract then this will be refunded.
Price lists
Our pricing structure is available from our Customer Service Team on 0845 456 1092. We will write to you in advance if we change the pricing structure on your products and services.
Billing
We will bill you monthly although should you wish to be billed at quarterly intervals, please state this on your customer agreement form. Our payment terms are by direct debit and this is a fundamental term of your contract with us. We can provide itemized bills on request as part of our service to you. If you have difficulty paying your bill, please contact us on 0845 456 1092 at the earliest opportunity. We will do all we can to help our small business customers to manage their bills and avoid disconnection.
If you are moving home or office
Please call our Customer Service Team on 0845 456 1092 no later than 28 days before your move date. We will amend your account and billing requirements as necessary.
Number porting (if applicable)
Gateway Telecom recognizes that keeping your existing telephone numbers may be important to you. If you move we will endeavor to offer you the same telephone number to minimize disruption. We will work with you to ensure that the services are switched over at a convenient and appropriate time.
For more information, please call our Customer Service Team on 0845 456 1092.
Complaints
We take customer complaints very seriously and we aim to resolve them quickly and efficiently. If you have a complaint about any part of our service, please contact our Customer Service Team on 0845 456 1092 or alternatively by email at enquiries@gatewaytelecom.co.uk. We will try to resolve your complaint quickly and efficiently, and to keep you informed at all times.
If we cannot settle a complaint to your satisfaction, you may ask for help from the Office of The Telecommunications Ombudsman (Otelo), of which we are members.
Please visit www.otelo.org.uk for further details. For more information on our complaints procedures, please ask us for a copy of our Code of Practice for Complaint Handling.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
If a dispute cannot be settled within 12 weeks, we will notify you that deadlock has been reached. If the dispute advances to this stage, Otelo should be contacted, who have authority to handle disputes and make final judgments. We will comply and follow all decisions made by Otelo as full and final.
Statement of corporate social responsibility
We take the problem of nuisance calls and malicious communications very seriously. We tackle it by working closely with the police and others in the communications industry. If you have been a victim of this activity, please call the Customer Service Team on 0845 456 1092 to report the incident, and for information on how to deal with this situation.
We encourage parents to register the mobile phone of their children, and take responsibility for all customer care enquiries.
Services for people with special needs
We are committed to helping all our customers to communicate easily. We offer the following additional services for customer who are older or who may have a disability, including:
» Priority access to the Customer Service Team
» Business and out of hours customer service line
» Priority fault repair and assistance
» Additional help and support if you have difficulty paying your bill
Copies of this Code are available in larger print and other formats on request.
Data protection
We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office to hold information necessary to supply services to our customer, in compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
Other
We regularly review our Code of Practice to ensure we are in full compliance with all industry regulations and guidelines, and to guarantee quality of service to all of our customers.
Useful addresses
Gateway Telecom :
Branston Court,
Branston Street,
Birmingham B18 6BA
Tel: 0845 456 1092
Fax: 0870 200 3009
The Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman:
Wilderspool Park,
Greenall’s Avenue,
Warrington, WA4 6HL.
Tel: 0845 050 1614.
Fax: 0845 050 1615
Ofcom:
Riverside House,
2A Southwark Bridge Road,
London SE1 9HA.
Tel: 020 7981 3000
Federation of Communication Services Limited (FCS):
Burnhill Business Centre,
Provident House,
Burrell Row,
Beckenham,
Kent BR3 1AT.
Tel: 020 8249 6363
Web: www.fcs.org.uk
Gateway Telecom Sales & Marketing Code of Practice
Introduction to our company and services
Established in 1998, Gateway Telecom is a UK independent provider of high quality telecoms business solutions, offering outstanding value to help reduce telecoms expenses without compromising on performance. We have many years of experience in providing organizations across the UK with quality, affordable telephony solutions.
Purpose of this Code of Practice
The Code sets out guidelines on the way we conduct ourselves with regards to all forms of sales and marketing activity, in accordance with OfCom requirements.
How to contact us
Please contact our Customer Service Team, of whom Mr Ansar Mahmood takes overall responsibility, by any of the following methods:
» By phone: 0845 456 1092 – Business hours customer care line
(If all lines are busy, please leave a message, we aim to respond within 1 hour).
» By e-mail: enquiries@gatewaytelecom.co.uk
» By fax: 0870 200 300 9
» By post: Gateway Telecom , Branston Court, Branston Street, Birmingham B18 6BA
Our commitment to you
We are committed to acting honestly, truthfully and lawfully at all times. We take active measures to ensure all staff, in particular sales staff, are fully aware of how they must behave, both in terms of the law as well as maintaining our own high levels of customer service. All sales and marketing literature is scrutinized to ensure accuracy and clarity for recipients.
We take full responsibility for the conduct and behavior of our sales staff and agents. They are supervised and managed by Mr Rob Nawaz who handles all complaints relating to sales staff.
Our products and services
» Landline calls using BT and alternative Tier One Networks
» CPS-Carrier Pre-Selection – Reduced call charges
» ISDN-digital telephone lines and standard PSTN lines
» Broadband access
» Internet start-up packages with pop3 e-mail
» Mobile phones and data services
» Non-geographic services (0800, 0845 and 0870 Numbers)
For more details on any of our products and services, or to place an order immediately, please contact our Customer Service Team on 0845 456 1092
Sales Staff Recruitment and Training
The recruitment of sales staff follows internal company procedures that identify those individuals who will conduct themselves in a professional, honest manner at all times. Candidates are required to submit their CV, attend interview and undergo regular training programs.
New employees are questioned and measured against a number of factors, including their experience, skills, attitude, appearance, qualifications, convictions and overall presentation. Proof of identification and references are required before employment can commence.
Telephone sales staff are routinely monitored to guarantee quality levels are maintained, whilst field staff are required to submit details of every appointment they attend, whilst also being accompanied on appointments at various times throughout the term of their employment.
Formal training program includes, but is not limited to, market analysis, product training, sales techniques, industry processes & timescales, competitor analysis, role and responsibilities, technical support and after-sales service.
Mis-selling
The problem of mis-selling is highlighted early in the training programme, making everyone aware of the problems it causes the company, customers and the industry as a whole. Clear reference is made to internal disciplinary procedures that would be enforced for reported cases of mis-selling.
Remuneration & Earnings
Our remuneration package for sales staff is targeted towards ongoing rewards from satisfied customers. Staff are offered various bonus incentives in relation to performance, thereby encouraging the highest levels of customer satisfaction.
Telephone Preference Service
When contacting potential customers we use a database that screens against the Telephone Preference Service List, respecting organizations’ wishes not to be contacted.
It is company policy to not send marketing communications via fax to customers unless requested. Emails are sent only to existing customers, who can unsubscribe at any time, should they wish to do so.
Marketing
All marketing material is produced by our Marketing Executive, Imran Khan. Material is proof-read in-house by a senior member of staff before publication, to eradicate any unintentional discrepancies that may occur. We work to the principles within the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing, which may be found on the website, www.cap.org.uk
Information is presented in clear basic English that is unambiguous, honest and truthful. Competitors or any other organisation are never referenced to in a negative way.
Marketing material is kept on file for a minimum of 12 months.
Industry standards
At all times we make all efforts to adhere to standard industry practices in relation to fixed-line services, as set out by OfCom. Further details can be found by referring to our main Consumer Code of Conduct, which can be found at www.gatewaytelecom.co.uk.
Auditing Procedures for order-taking
Strict guidelines are followed for every order processed through the company. Once a completed order form is sent to the office a quality check is carried out to confirm details are correct and the customer is happy to proceed with the agreement. This includes clarification that the customer is entering a 24-month agreement unless stated otherwise. All technical details are also confirmed before the order is processed to the next stage.
This quality check is executed in the form of a telephone call, and a welcome pack or letter is also sent as written confirmation of the order.
Sales representatives are also given clear instructions that they must explain all sections of the order form to ensure full understanding at all times.
Sales training covers the problems of mis-selling, slamming and any other dishonest or misleading behavior.
Order-taking processes are regularly monitored to identify and respond to potential problems, with remedial action undertaken as and when required.
Sales Process & Procedures
During sales training there is specific emphasis on standard sales procedures, including the information that must be presented to potential new customers that will ensure full understanding of any agreement they sign up to.
Staff are given a copy of our Consumer Code of Conduct, as well as this document, to guarantee complete understanding. Similarly, a thorough analysis of our standard Terms and Conditions is also undertaken. It is made clear that all sales staff are expected to explain the major details of the Terms and Conditions and guarantee customers are left with a full copy for their own records.
Customer Contact
As a business-to-business organization, sales staff only operate during normal working hours. They are provided with identification and sales literature that clearly indicates who they are and who they represent.
Upon making contact with customers all staff are instructed to introduce themselves in a polite, professional manner. If a customer is unavailable at that time at no point will the salesperson attempt to insist on seeing them, instead requesting a mutually agreeable re-scheduling.
Availability
All Terms and Conditions, the Consumer Code of Conduct and Sales and Marketing Code of Conduct is available to customers free of charge, upon request. Our Terms and Conditions and Consumer Code can also be found on our website, www.gatewaytelecom.co.uk.
Entering into a contract
All orders must be completed and signed by the customer, who receives a copy of their own. Any other paperwork that requires a customer signature is completed before an account is activated. Clients may cancel an order within 7 days of placing it, without charge. Numerous quality checks are carried out, including contacting the customer before the account is activated, to verify details and confirm the customer is happy to proceed.
Contract order forms are clear and legible with a full explanation given by the salesperson present.
Rights of cancellation are explained and are also present in the Terms and Conditions, as well as the length of the agreement the customer is signing into. Details of call charges are also entered before the customer signs.
Once completed, three copies of the contract exist; one for the customer, one for the salesperson and the other for our files. Customers are reminded that it is important for them to retain their copy for possible future reference.
Upon signing a contract customers are sent details confirming their order, dates that their services will be activated and that they can cancel their order without charge should they wish to do so (for 7 days from signing the contract).
Complaints
A formal complaints procedure exists for customers who experience difficulties. Details of this procedure can be found on our Consumer Code of Conduct at www.gatewaytelecom.co.uk.
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