commitment
staying ahead with
stakeholder relations
At TELUS, we believe that we will achieve best results when we work co-operatively with our stakeholders to share ideas, perspectives and solutions. We continually ask for input from stakeholders, listen and then act. By working together to develop solutions, we not only benefit from the knowledge and expertise of others, we also build a solid basis for long-term relationships that help our communities socially, economically and environmentally.
Our stakeholders include customers, governments, shareholders, team members, suppliers, industry advocacy groups and community partners. More information about our work with various stakeholder groups can be found in the public policy, economic, community, workplace and environment sections of this report.
Listening to customers – Achieving customer service excellence unites our team. In listening and responding to the needs of customers, we are seeking to better deliver what our customers need and expect. Our efforts in this area continue as a corporate priority in 2006.
Customer value measurement surveys – One of the ways TELUS measures customer service is through customer value measurement (CVM) surveys. CVM helps us quantify, in our customers’ terms, how we are doing, and helps us focus on the service priorities identified by our customers. This customer feedback will continue to be a key input into our strategies and priority setting in 2006 and beyond.
National data collection e-tool (e.C3) – In 2005, e.C3 continued to be the key feedback and complaint tracking tool for many TELUS business units and departments, including Consumer Solutions, Regulatory, TELUS Mobility Top Level Care and Small Business Solutions. This tool tracks the status of complaints and identifies top priority service fulfillment issues. The input from this process is essential in helping TELUS drive product, process and team performance changes to ensure a superior customer service experience.
Monitoring our progress for continuous improvement – We invite customers wishing to comment on our service to contact TELUS directly, or write to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), an independent agency of the Government of Canada responsible for the regulation of telecommunications companies. In 2005, the number of customer complaints to the CRTC increased only marginally from 2004, with 6,968 complaints in 2005 versus 6,887 in 2004. Keeping this number consistent is a noteworthy accomplishment given the challenges of managing through the labour disruption.
Access improvements – TELUS measures its service levels through two CRTC indicators – access to our business office and access to our repair office. These indicators measure our ability to answer 80 per cent of our calls within 20 seconds. Despite our best efforts and the commitment of TELUS team members to serve our customers, the labour disruption did have a temporary impact on service levels. The access to repair office target was achieved eight out of 12 months, and the access to business office target was achieved 11 out of 12 months.
Public consultations – As TELUS continues to further expand its networks and enhance wireless communications across the country, we dedicate significant time and attention to consulting members of communities where wireless installations or cell tower sites are planned. Last year, numerous public meetings were held across Canada where base station antennas are currently in development. In addition to receiving public input, TELUS remains in continuous contact with Industry Canada and various regulatory agencies on issues of wireless transmission safety. All TELUS wireless installations are certified to conform to Safety Code 6, a national industry standard developed by Health Canada governing the safe operation of wireless equipment.
Direct customer feedback – Several thousand wireless customers were surveyed in 2005 and asked to evaluate their service experience and identify areas for improvement. TELUS continued its “mystery shopping” program in 2005 with spontaneous visits to TELUS corporate stores and independent channel partners to experience retail shopping the same way customers do. The mystery shopping program generates key information that becomes an important element of new programs to enhance the customer experience.
Building strong communication with our team members – Effective communications and two-way dialogue within the TELUS team are essential to our growth strategy. We strive for communication that is comprehensive, clear and interactive. Our corporate communication channels, which include a regular letter from our chief executive officer, e-mail bulletins, a web portal and a bi-weekly video news program, have feedback mechanisms that enable and encourage team members to submit comments, suggestions and questions.
Additionally, our senior leadership team conducts regular communication sessions with team members. These forums are a blend of formal presentation and candid discussion of issues. They provide invaluable insight for improving customer service and making TELUS a workplace of choice.
The four-month labour disruption was a challenging time for all members of the TELUS team, and we made an extra effort during this time to ensure timely and comprehensive communications. Recognizing that team members on the picket line would not have access to our internal communication channels, we developed an external website and team member telephone hotline to help them keep informed about company developments.
Investor relations – Each year the TELUS Investor Relations team organizes a number of events to communicate with investors. In 2005, TELUS held five interactive conference calls and an annual shareholder meeting. Members of TELUS’ executive leadership team also participated in 14 external conference presentations and met with 228 investors in Canada, the United States and Europe.
TELUS Investor Relations conducts an annual perception study, through a third party, to obtain feedback on our investor relations and communication activities. The survey audience is our institutional shareholders, debt holders and telecommunications analysts. Survey respondents have the option of remaining anonymous. Survey results are analyzed with a focus on improving processes.
continuous improvement
TELUS solicits feedback from a number of different stakeholders. We use this feedback to drive continuous improvement in our corporate governance and, specifically, the tracking and reporting of our risks. TELUS has worked since 2001 with Stratos Inc., a Canadian-based sustainability consultancy, to review our corporate social responsibility report and benchmark it against other Canadian reports. This relationship has helped TELUS to improve both the type and quality of reported data. For information about Stratos, visit stratos-sts.com.