Reflect - May 2023

A range of important protections are in place in Victoria for energy and water consumers who are victim-survivors of family violence – implemented in 2018 for water and 2020 for energy. The protections mean energy and water providers have certain important responsibilities in the areas of account security, training, debt collection and other elements of their business to assist consumers affected by family violence. Alongside these protections, it is vitally important that consumers are protected by and benefit from safely designed systems, business practices and approaches when they interact with energy and water providers.

At EWOV, our ongoing analysis of our unique consumer insights has noted that there are important opportunities for energy and water providers to improve how some systems and practices support victim-survivors at this important time. To facilitate continuous improvement, we are monitoring further insights, engaging with providers and other market stewards to improve outcomes in a range of ways, including in:

• Payment assistance: ensuring victim-survivors have access to financial and family violence supports they are entitled to, particularly when they are experiencing payment difficulty. Ensuring safely designed and delivered supports in this area can also improve outcomes overall and reduce the incidence and recurrence of debt accumulation and disconnection.
• Customer service: ensuring system and service design, delivery and training supports victim-survivors to easily contact their provider, and ensuring there are no unreasonable barriers that prevent access to both provider and other supports.
• Privacy and account security: particular care needs to be taken in the provider’s system and service design and delivery to ensure confidential and personal information is kept safe, and the systems for capturing and sharing information are safely designed.
• Complaints case handling: providing professional and independent interpreting services for CALD consumers, utilising the No Wrong Door approach, increasing awareness of family violence rules and entitlements through training, and protecting against compassion fatigue.

By improving business practices, and safely designing and delivering systems, providers play an important role in ensuring consumers are protected and also benefit from both the spirit and the letter of Victoria’s important family violence protections.

Delays in consumers receiving bills and the issuing of backbills are causing concern for a number of consumers, who are already facing affordability constraints. There are important opportunities for providers to ensure IT system updates do not adversely affect billing calculations and related consumer communications.

We are aware of some instances where IT updates unintentionally affected billing practices and communications for approximately 9,000 consumers across a number of providers.

Implementing new billing systems is a complex task and one that providers must encounter as part of business to deliver overall improvements, however, the potential financial impact on consumers is high at times of economic instability. It is important to also consider the impact of related customer service issues that can arise when upgrades have unintended consequences. Our case data suggests that, when consumers are unable to reach their provider or reach a solution after a few attempts, they contact EWOV to file a complaint because they believe their issue is not being responded to.

Billing delays can also have impacts on consumers’ ability to track their usage and make adjustments to reduce usage, as well as consider if they are on their provider’s best offer. These issues can have financial impacts on the consumer and affect the competitiveness of the market.