Industry workshop on switching
11 October 2010
On behalf of the Panel, I recently addressed an Industry Workshop on switching. In my presentation, I suggested the following key principles which should guide decision-making in this area:
- Switching should be easy, simple and hassle-free
- There should be protection against slamming
- Customers should be well-informed on implications
- The processes should be quick and reliable
- Continuity of service should be assured
- The processes should promote retail competition
- The processes should work across sales channels
- The whole operation should be cost-efficient
I explained that, utilising these principles, the Panel generally favours gaining provider-processes for switching rather than losing-provider processes.
Understandably there were different views from the companies represented on the relative advantages of gaining provider-led and losing provider-led processes with BT concerned that the Panel should weigh the benefits to consumers of the ability of a company to offer bespoke offers to departing customers.
More generally, there was a view that the current Ofcom consultation on switching focuses too narrowly on GPL vs LPL processes instead of looking at wider migration issues.