CDTel Agent Training Manual 2024 PDF

CDTel Agent Training Manual 2024 EDITION – BY TL Adams  Page |1 CDTEL AGENT TRAINING MANUAL INTRODUCTION TO THE TELECOM INDUSTRY The Telecom Industry in Canada: An Overview You don’t need t...

CDTel Agent Training Manual 2024 EDITION – BY TL Adams  Page |1 CDTEL AGENT TRAINING MANUAL INTRODUCTION TO THE TELECOM INDUSTRY The Telecom Industry in Canada: An Overview You don’t need to be a telecom expert to successfully sell long distance or provide customer service. However, understanding how the industry is structured is essential. In this module, we’ll cover the basics: Local Service Providers Local Telco’s Long Distance Carriers Service Bundles Home phone Features Dial-Around Long Distance Calling Cards Toll-Free Numbers What is a Local Service Provider (LSP)? A Local Service Provider supplies: Dial tone (and thus access to the wire line network) Home phone number Additional services such as call-waiting, call answer, call display Unlimited calls within your local calling area (i.e.: 514 to 514) for a basic monthly fee Your LSP might also be your long-distance provider, but not necessarily. Your LSP depends on where you live.  Page |2 Who are the Local Service Providers (LSP) in Canada? Just a few short years ago… Where you lived determined who provided your local telephone service. Consumers had no choice. The provincial Telco’s had a monopoly on local telephone services. Today… 91% of Canadians have local landline telephone services (“residential phone”). AND 73% of these Canadians still buy their local services (landline) from their local Telco (provincial Telco); Cables companies now have 27% of local residential lines; 6 out of 10 Canadians remain with their local service provider for Long Distance (LD). This means that there are still 60% of customers on traditional LD plans to whom we can market our service. BUT Consumers can now choose their local service provider from a mix of: Provincial and Regional LSP competitors offering cable, VoIP or traditional landline options The major provincial and regional Local Service Providers: Alliant Landline Bell Landline or VoIP Provincial LSP’s MTS Landline SaskTel Landline Telus Landline Cogeco Cable Eastlink Cable Shaw Cable Regional LSP’s Videotron Cable Rogers Cable Primus Landline or VoIP  Page |3 What is a Long Distance Carrier? Your long distance carrier allows wire line calls outside your local calling area: Within Canada/USA by dialing 1+ Overseas by dialing 011+ country code + Their services are sold in a variety of ways: A standard per-minute charge A monthly long distance plan Calling cards They can be stand-alone or as part of a bundle with other services. Your long distance carrier may also be your LSP, but not necessarily! Some popular Canadian long distance service providers: Aliant Bell Canada Provincial Long Distance MTS Service Providers SaskTel Telus Rogers Primus National Long Distance Yak Service Providers Sears Connect ComparAction Selectcom Unless you choose to do business with another company, your Local Service Provider (LSP) will be your long distance service provider. The number of Canadians choosing to buy their long distance services from a company other than their LSP continues to rise steadily.  Page |4 What are service Bundles? A service bundle is a special offer which gives a subscriber two or more services at a discount. The services that can be included in a bundle are: Local Home Phone Long Distance Internet Mobile Television Just because a customer has Local Home Phone Service in a bundle it does not actually mean their Long Distance Service is also included in the bundle. What are Home Phone Features? Home phone features are other functions that the home phone can do; they are provided by the Local Service Provider and will not be affected if they switch Long Distance Providers. They are usually offered with the phone line (separately or in bundles) for an additional fee and include: Specialized software or database applications like: o call forwarding o call waiting o caller identification o speed dialling o three-way calling Call management services like: o automatic call-back o call blocking o call display o call return o call screen Tele-messaging services like: o call answer o extending call answer o voice mail o voice menus  Page |5 What are Dial-Arounds? A way of by-passing the LD service provider on a call-by-call basis; By dialling an access number which will allow accessing another service provider’s network (a different one than your active one) before dialling the destination number. Two types of dial-around exist: 1 “Non Calling Card” (i.e. Distributel, 10-10 Yak) Under "101 calling" (also known as casual calling), the seven-digit access number begins with 101 Your long distance usage often gets billed directly on your residential phone bill 2 “Calling Card” (see below) What are Calling Cards? Calling cards are a form of dial-around. There are 2 kinds of calling cards: 1. Post paid They are usually provided by a long distance provider to its subscribers. They allow making a call from a destination away from their home phone and get charged to their home phone. 2. Prepaid Usually purchased, charges are deducted for long distance calls used on the card until the card value has been depleted. Two most common reasons for using these cards: o As a means of dialling around your current long distance provider for your home phone: popular for overseas calls o As a way of making long distance calls away from home  Page |6 What are Toll-Free Numbers? Toll-free numbers allow people to make long distance calls that would otherwise cost them money to place. They are free to them because the receiving party pays the long distance charges for the call. In other words: Someone places a call for free, but the one answering the call pays for the call. *Works similar to collect calls where the receiving party pays for the call. Customers who request a toll-free number pay per minute of usage for calls received on that number. The majority of toll-free numbers are set-up by companies. Personal toll-free lines are gaining popularity: ❖ Ideal for a small home office ❖ Great way to keep in touch with kids at college, grandkids in other cities Customers requesting a toll free number are responsible for all calls received on that number even if someone calls this number by error (the same way that phone owners are responsible to pay for all LD calls made from their home phone).  Page |7 INTRODUCTION TO CDTEL CDTel is a telecommunications company that was established in 2003. CDTel is a company within the CanadaDirect Group that specializes in affinity marketing. CDTel is currently the largest reseller of long distance in Canada. CDTel currently offers long distance using the following three brands: ComparAction cono 24 Talk & Save cono 23 Talk & Save (Sears Connect) cono 34 To offer customers the best value we often partner up with Affinity organizations. Our partners include: CARP CAA In the past some of our partners included: Sears RBC ScotiaBank Desjardins We also have additional products such as Home Phone Service (VoIP), Medimap and Identity Theft Protection.  Page |8 GENERAL INFORMATION Payment Methods Customers can only pay their bill using any of the three payment methods: Pre-Authorized Credit Card o Visa or MasterCard Credit Card o Visa Debit Pre-Authorized Bank Debit o Checking Account Invoice o Invoice includes payment by check/cheque (Alberta Financial branch is not accepted) o paying their invoice at the Bank o Online Banking o Money Order o Onetime payment(OTP) o Through our Payment website ▪ Care site; myaccount.comparaction.ca (cono 24) myaccount.talkandsave.ca (cono 23) account.talkandsave.ca (cono 34) Banks where customer can pay at are: The National Bank of Canada The Royal Bank of Canada The Bank of Montreal Caisse Populaire Desjardins HSBC The Bank of Nova Scotia TD Canada Trust CIBC Laurentienne Bank Credit Union Tangerine TelPay / Central1 / CaissePopulaire Note: We currently do not accept MasterCard Debit cards. Unfortunately, there is no way for us to identify if a rejected card is a “debit card” If a customer calls about a rejected payment and the credit card on file is correct, please ask if the card is also a debit card. A credit/debit card can easily be identified as  Page |9 both credit card symbol (Visa or MasterCard) and the Interact symbol are on the card. If you identify that the card is a MasterCard debit card, please ask for an alternate method of payment. Network & Paper Fee Network Fee This is a fee associated to long distance service that the Provincial Telecom, Rogers & Primus all charge. This is imposed to cover the cost of providing the service to the consumer, maintenance, additional research and other indirect costs associated with providing the service. Paper Fee Most of the TelCos charge cost on the paper invoice sent to its consumers. To avoid this, most customers have switched to online billing. NOTE: Late Fee is applicable to ComparAction and Talk & Save ONLY Rate is at 1.67% Item Comparaction Talk & Save Talk & Save 34 Network Fee - May vary due to - May vary - $1.45, all plans the Rate & depending on the - Can be waived Compare plan - Charged program - Applicable to regardless of - No Usage no Fee most base plans usage - Cannot be - No usage, No waived fee(base plans) - Service/Dormant - May be waived Fee $1.99 for for retention dormant account purposes for at least a year. - Service /Dormant $2.95 for dormant accounts for 3 months.(Customers  P a g e | 10 under retention plans with monthly fees are not affected) Paper Fee - After Jan 2015, not charged - Before Jan 2015, charged - Can be waived if customers complain Late Fee 1.67% 1.67% N/A Bill Suppression In any given month that the amount due is less than $10, we do not generate the invoice and we do not send it to the customer both through online billing and regular mail. The customer also has no ability to view it using their myaccount (CARE site). However, on its 3rd month, regardless if the amount due is still less than $10, we generate and send out the invoice to the customer. This is what we call Bill Suppression. Exceptions: For those accounts where we applied the service charge like in ComparAction (CoNo 24) and Talk&Save (Cono23), we send out the invoice regardless of the amount.  P a g e | 11 Online Statement As of November 2007, customers have the option to receive their statement online. Here are reasons why customers should take this option: FREE, SIMPLE & CONVENIENT – No more shuffling through paperwork Receive e-mail notifications and stay on top of their billing Access their account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week View their current invoices/statement along with previous months View their active services Signing up is simple; all you need are your account number and email address Note that when a customer chooses the online statement option, they will receive their first statement by both regular mail and by e-mail. CARE Sites: ComparAction - myaccount.comparaction.ca Talk & Save - myaccount.talkandsave.ca Talk & Save 34 - account.talkandsave.ca  P a g e | 12 INTRODUCTION TO COMPARACTION ComparAction is a long distance savings program, which uses a “Rate and Compare” concept in order to offer its partners and their members’ substantial savings on long distance. CDTel offers this innovative long distance solution to thousands of Canadian consumers through partnerships developed with organizations such as CARP, CAA, and Sears. ComparAction is a 3rd-party long distance savings program that uses the rate and compare concept in which we compare 3 cheapest/best plan in the market, and you are guaranteed to be charged the cheapest amongst the plans compared. ComparAction is often referred to as CoNo 24. Plug and Play Customers can replace one of the three plans we compare with the plan they currently have as long as it is with one of the three companies in our rate and compare program: Provincial Telecom, Rogers and Primus. The Provincial Telecom plan can be replaced by the ComparAction Everywhere plan which is an unlimited plan. Please refer to your sales aid to know the specific details for each plan, to determine which plan would best benefit the customer.  P a g e | 13 ComparAction Programs There are six ComparAction programs that have been developed over the years. Business Unit Program Characterisics BU1 Generic ComparAction Plan offered to anyone BU2 CARP ComparAction Plan offered to CARP Members only BU3 CAA ComparAction Plan offered to CAA members of the three affiliated clubs in Ontario BU4 BU4 ComparAction Plan that used to be offered to Scotia bank VISA credit card customers BU5 Talk & Save This was used originally for customers who wanted Talk & Save but did not want to pay with RBC credit card BU6 Sears Connect Plans offered to Sears customers ComparAction ComparAction Main Characteristics Most of ComparAction programs are fairly similar except the partner discount that the customer may receive. We compare three plans, and the customer pays the lowest of the three plans. If no calls are placed in any given month there is no charge – No usage, no fee (with exceptions below) There are no contracts or cancellation fees. The first month is pro-rated but the last month is not pro-rated. Customers may change only one of the plans in the comparison Network fees may apply depending on the plan that wins in the comparison Depending on the program the customer receives an additional discount or benefit  P a g e | 14 EXCEPTIONS on Monthly Service Charge: ❖ On September 2017, we have tested around 1,000 customers who have been active for 12 months and have no usage for the same period an additional charge of $1.99 monthly service fee. This charge is only applicable to months with no usage and cannot be waived. ComparAction Base Plans ComparAction is a Rate and Compare service which compares the client’s long distance usage each month against 3 plans. ComparAction compares a plan from the customer’s provincial telecom, one from Rogers and one from Primus. Province Provincial Plan Rogers Primus AB Telus - Your Way @ 5 Rogers - Anytime Primus - Five BC Telus - Your Way @ 5 International Anytime MB MTS - First Rate Day or Night NB Aliant - Simply Canada 1200 NL Aliant - Simply Canada 1200 NS Aliant - Simply Canada 1200 ON Bell - First Rate PEI Aliant - Simply Canada 1200 QC Bell - First Rate SK Sasktel Real Plus Extra For detailed info on each plan, refer to the sales aid. The base plans differ for BU5 – Talk & Save and BU6 – Sears Connect ComparAction.  P a g e | 15 Here is a list of the available plans: Plug and Play Provincial Plans Province Provincial Plan NB Aliant Canada Simply 300 NL Aliant Simply Canada 1200 NS Aliant Simply Canada 3000 PEI Bell - Block of time: a lot Bell - Block of time: a lot + better (Int’l) Bell - Block of time: Anytime Bell - Block of time: Anytime + better (Int’l) Bell - Canada Block of time Bell - Canada Block of time + better (Int’l) Bell - First Rate Bell - First Rate 1200 (18,95$) Bell - First Rate 24 ON Bell - First Rate 250 QC Bell - First Rate Freedom Bell - First Rate Overseas Bell - Per minute 10 cents Bell - Per minute 10 cents + better (Int’l) Bell - Per minute 5 cents Bell - Per minute 5 cents + better (Int’l) Bell - Per minute 7 cents Bell - Per minute 7 cents + better (Int’l) Bell - Unlimited Canada + US Bell - Unlimited Cda + US + better (Int’l) MTS - First Rate 24/7 MB MTS- First Rate Day or night Sasktel - Anytime NA Unlimited SK Sasktel - Real Plus Extra AB Telus - Call Canada 1000 BC Telus - Call North America 1000 Telus - North America 300 Telus - Your way 950 Telus - Your Way @ 5 ALL Provinces ComparAction / Talk & Save Everywhere  P a g e | 16 Plug and Play Rogers Plans Rogers - 7¢ NA Anytime / Low Rate NA Rogers - 9 Cent North America Anytime Rogers - Anytime International Rogers - Day & Night North America Rogers - Evenings and Weekends 1200 Rogers - Evenings and Weekends 800 Rogers - North America 2500 Rogers - Platinum Plan Rogers - Smart Plan ALL Provinces Rogers - Talk Asia / Optimal Asia Rogers - Total North America Rogers - Worldwide Rogers - Worldwide Plus / Optimal Global Rogers Talk International Asia Pacific Plug and Play Primus Plans Primus - 7 Cent 7 Days Primus - Anytime Anywhere Primus - Anytime Asia Primus - Dime Anytime Primus - DimeTime Max Primus - Five Anytime Primus - Primus Everywhere ALL Provinces Primus - Talk America Primus - Your Country Primus Truly unlimited Canada Primus Truly unlimited North America  P a g e | 17 COMPARACTION BUSINESS UNITS Benefits of each business units that was given before Business Units Features BU1 – Generic 10% discount off of their bill BU2 – CARP 5% discount off their bill The equivalent of 5% of their bill will be forwarded to CARP in order to participate in the funding of their organization Upon enrolment, they receive a free CARP magazine (Zoomer) enrollment/renewal for one year. A value of $29.95! Upon enrollment they are offered a membership into the Savers Guide program if they provide their email and agree to receive their invoices by email BU3 – CAA 10% back in CAA dollars of the pre-tax amount of their bill. They can use these CAA dollars to renew their membership at the end of the year CAA Dollars are CAA’s membership rewards program. CAA Dollars are equivalent in value to real dollars where one CAA dollar is equal to one Canadian dollar BU4 – BU4 There is no additional discount. ComparAction BU5 – Talk & There is no additional discount. Save BU6 – Sears earn 5X the Sears Club points in the addition to the 1X point already Connect given by Sears ComparAction Additional Info: BU3 – CAA ComparAction CAA Dollars: What Are They Used For? Renew their CAA Membership and/or upgrade their Membership to CAA Plus. Buy merchandise at CAA Travel Stores, or a vacation with CAA Travel. A typical CAA ComparAction Member may accumulate 24 CAA Dollars over the course of one year with ComparAction. CAA dollars will not be granted retroactively  P a g e | 18 CAA dollars will be granted only on receipt of payment for an invoice Note: On the summary page of their statement, customers can see the total CAA $ they have accumulated while with ComparAction. The line says: “Total CAA $ Earned While with ComparAction”. BU4 – BU4 ComparAction BU4 is a “Rate and Compare” program that used to be offered exclusively to ScotiaBank VISA credit card holders. We are no longer partners with ScotiaBank. BU5 – Talk & Save The Talk & Save program was a long distance savings program developed solely for Royal Bank credit cardholders. This program is the result of an exciting agreement between CDTel and the prestigious Royal Bank that began on March 1, 2004. In the beginning this program was only being offered to Royal Bank credit cardholders. However in November 2015, the partnership with RBC ended and this program is no longer offered exclusively to RBC credit card holders. The Talk & Save business unit was originally developed under ComparAction to allow some customers who wanted to continue with the Talk & Save program but did not want to pay using their RBC credit card. Unlike Talk & Save (CoNo23), this business unit still uses the comparison model to offer savings to the customers. Talk & Save (BU5) Base Plans Talk & Save (BU5) Base Plans Province Provincial Plan Rogers Primus AB Telus - Call Canada 1000 BC Telus - Call Canada 1000 MB MTS- First Rate Day or Night NB Aliant Simply Canada 1200 NL Aliant Simply Canada 1200 NS Aliant Simply Canada 1200 Rogers - Evenings Primus - Five ON Bell - Canada Block of time and Weekends Anytime 1200 PEI Aliant Simply Canada 1200  P a g e | 19 QC Bell - Canada Block of time SK Sasktel - Real Plus Extra Any of these plans can be changed by any of the Plug and Play plans mentioned earlier BU6 – Sears Connect ComparAction Benefit to Sears Club Members They earn 5X the Sears Club points in the addition to the 1X point already given by Sears The points are only sent to Sears once an invoice has been paid They must have a Sears Loyalty number on file Sears points will not be granted retroactively Sears points will be granted only when we have received payment for an invoice Upon enrollment they are offered a membership into the Savers Guide program if they provide their email and agree to receive their invoices by email. Sears Connect ComparAction Base Plans Sears Connect ComparAction Base Plans Province Provincial Plan Rogers Primus AB Telus - North America 300 BC Telus - North America 300 MB MTS - First Rate 24/7 NB Aliant Canada Simply 300 NL Aliant Canada Simply 300 NS Aliant Canada Simply 300 Rogers Talk Primus - Five International Asia Anytime ON Bell - Unlimited Canada + Pacific US PEI Aliant Canada Simply 300 QC Bell - Unlimited Canada + US SK Sasktel - Anytime NA Unlimited Any of these plans can be changed by any of the Plug and Play plans mentioned earlier  P a g e | 20 INTRODUCTION TO TALK AND SAVE The Talk & Save® program was a long distance savings program developed solely for Royal Bank credit cardholders. This program is the result of an exciting agreement between CDTel and the prestigious Royal Bank that began on March 1, 2004. In the beginning this program was only being offered to Royal Bank credit cardholders. However in November 2015, the partnership with RBC ended and this program is no longer offered exclusively to RBC credit card holders. Talk & Save is often referred to as CoNo 23 Benefits: Talk & Save offers customers the opportunity to get great rates on their long distance calls. This in turn allows customers to save money. The benefits for the customers are: A large selection of plans Competitive low per minute rates Great overseas rates No time-of-day restrictions, offering the cardholders extreme ease of use and flexibility in their calling patterns. If there is no usage there are no charges, except for dormant accounts. There are no contracts or cancellation fees The first month is pro-rated but the last month is not pro-rated Talk & Save Business Units Talk and Save has 2 business units: Talk and Save ComparAction - CARP Talk & Save Base Plans 3.9¢/minute Plan This plan is recommended for customers who mainly call in Canada and the U.S., and make few overseas calls. It is best for an average use of less than 350 minutes per month. 5.9¢/minute Plan This plan is recommended for customers who make a few calls to Canada  P a g e | 21 and the U.S. (less than 100 minutes) and non-frequent overseas calls, OR customers who don’t want to pay a monthly plan fee. 6¢/minute Plan (customers can no longer enroll on that plan) Prior to 2004, RBC managed the Talk & Save program through Sprint (now Rogers). At that time all customers were on the 7.9¢ plan. When RBC decided to change their supplier, they had to seek customers’ consent in order to transfer their account with CDTel. The RBC did so, offering customers a rate of 6¢ per minute with lower rates to some overseas destinations. Many customers accepted that offer and that became the 6¢ grandfathered base. 7.9¢/minute Plan (customers can no longer enroll on that plan) This is the first and only plan that was featured when RBC launched the Talk & Save program prior to 2004. At the time, that rate was extremely competitive plus it had no monthly fees with a billing by the second feature. Since then, a $2.95 monthly network fee was added. Global Plan This plan is recommended for customers who mainly dial overseas destinations while paying a decent rate for their limited calls within Canada and the U.S. Talk 1,000 Plan This plan is recommended for customers who make more than 350 minutes of long distance in Canada and the U.S. on average, with low overseas usage, OR for customers who want the peace of mind of paying the same amount each month. *All calls are billed by the minute (except for the 5.9¢, 6¢ and 7.9¢ plans which are billed by the second) and a monthly network charge of $3.95 ($2.95 for 6¢ and 7.9¢ plans) applies only in months with usage. Comparaction-CARP Base Plans Comparaction-CARP Unlimited Plan ($18.90) This plan comes with a FREE CARP membership, Zoomers magazine subscription for 1 year and the 50% off on the first 2 months. No usage, No fee Unlimited $9.95 Plan This plan comes with a FREE CARP membership and Zoomers magazine subscription for 1 year. Charged every month regardless of usage  P a g e | 22 For more specific details see the attached Plan details document.  P a g e | 23 Talk & Save Retention Plans Talk & Save Canada & US Unlimited Unlimited Canada & US calls $15.95 plan fee and $2.95 network fee Talk & Save Canada & US 1000 1,000 minutes included for Canada & US, after 3¢/per minute $10.95 plan fee and $2.95 network fee Talk & Save Canada & US 200 200 minutes included for Canada & US, after 3¢/per minute $2.95 plan fee and $0.95 network fee Talk & Save Canada & US $0.03 3¢/per minute for calls to Canada & US No plan fee and $0.95 network fee Talk & Save Canada & US Unlimited-PLUS INTERNATIONAL Unlimited Canada & US calls $15.95 plan fee and $2.95 network fee Better international rates Talk & Save Canada & US 1000-PLUS INTERNATIONAL 1,000 minutes included for Canada & US, after 3¢/per minute $10.95 plan fee and $2.95 network fee Better international rates Talk & Save Canada & US 200-PLUS INTERNATIONAL 200 minutes included for Canada & US, after 3¢/per minute $2.95 plan fee and $0.95 network fee Better international rates Talk & Save Canada & US $0.03-PLUS INTERNATIONAL 3¢/per minute for calls to Canada & US No plan fee and $0.95 network fee Better international rates  P a g e | 24 Plans Minutes Plan Network Toll Free Fee Fee Per min Talk & Save Unlimited $15.95 $2.95 $0.03 Canada & US Unlimited Talk & Save 1,000 minutes $10.95 $2.95 Included Canada & US (US & Canada) $0.03 1000 $0.03/minute after over 1000 mins Talk & Save 200 minutes $2.95 $0.95 Included Canada & US (US & Canada) $0.03 200 $0.03/minute after over 200 mins Talk & Save 3¢/per minute for calls NA $0.95 $0.03 Canada & US (US & Canada) $0.03 Notes on Retention Plans: International Plans have the same inclusions. If a customer has a retention plan, the plan fee & network fee is charged regardless of usage. There is a network fee, but it can be waived except for Talk & Save Canada & US $0.03 Plan. Domestic usage includes Canada and the United States. Calls to the Yukon, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories are not included. Calls to the United States do not include US Virgin Islands, US Hawaii and US Alaska. Rates provided in international tables. The first month is prorated but instead of the proration starting from the date of the first call, it will be prorated from the start date of the “pic”. Use same international rate table that is currently being used for calling card long distance  P a g e | 25 INTRODUCTION TO TALK AND SAVE 34 Talk and Save 34 was previously called Sears Connect. Sears Connect has been offering residential services for almost 25 years! It was developed by Sears to bring exclusive benefits to their loyal customers. In January 2015, CDTel acquired the Sears Connect base. While now most new customers are being sold the Sears Connect ComparAction service we are still maintaining the original Sears Connect base. Sears Connect is often referred to as CoNo 34. Sears Connect was rebranded to Talk & Save 34 last February 18, 2021 Sears Connect Main Characteristics All plans are standalone Low or no-fee plans Plans with block of minutes or free 60 minutes free There are no contracts or cancellation fees The first month is pro-rated but the last month is not pro-rated Sears Connect Base Plans Below are the base plans that can be offered to customers Rate Plan Name Monthly Domestic Rates International Rates Fee (within Canada & to US) Connect $0.99 No FREE Minutes Schedule of ‘Connect Canada & US $0.08/minute Standard (These rates apply to International’ Rates calls within Canada applies and to US, including both Landline and Mobile termination) Connect $3.00 $0.05/minute Schedule of ‘Connect Canada & US 60 Minutes are FREE Standard Plus 12 each month International’ Rates (These rates apply to applies calls within Canada and to US, including both Landline and Mobile termination)  P a g e | 26 Initial 500 Minutes are Schedule of ‘Connect Connect $10.00 FREE every month Standard Canada & US $0.05/minute for International’ Rates 500 additional minutes applies (These rates apply to calls within Canada and to US, including both Landline and Mobile termination) Connect $15.00 Initial 1000 Minutes are Schedule of ‘Connect Canada & US FREE every month Standard 1000 $0.05/minute for International’ Rates additional minutes applies (These rates apply to calls within Canada and to US, including both Landline and Mobile termination) Connect $0.99 No FREE Minutes Schedule of ‘Connect Canada & US $0.07/minute Standard Loyalty (These rates apply to International’ Rates calls within Canada applies and to US, including both Landline and Mobile termination) RETENTION OFFER ONLY Connect Loyalty No Fee No FREE Minutes ‘EasyTalk’ schedule of $0.08/minute International Rates Only used for customers who are moved from Telcare to Omnicare and who previously had Easy Talk Loyalty. Limited 12 Month Connect $6.00 BONUS - initial 30 International No FREE Minutes Minutes to any of the $0.05/minute designated plan (These rates apply to countries are FREE calls within Canada each month for the and to US, including first 12 Months only both Landline and  P a g e | 27 Mobile termination) Rates for Additional International Minutes (to the designated countries or any other country) will vary by country Schedule of ‘Connect Preferred International’ Rates applies. Sears Connect Grandfathered Plans Below are the grandfathered plans for Sears Connect These plans can be offered to customers but you should start first by offering one or more of the base plans. Monthly Rate Plan Name Monthly Fee Rate Plan Name Fee EasyTalk No Fee EasyTalk Global 200 $14.99 EasyTalk 100 $5.99 EasyTalk Global 400 $22.99 EasyTalk 1000 $14.99 EasyTalk International $4.99 EasyTalk 200 $8.99 EasyTalk More $25.99 EasyTalk 2000 $21.99 EasyTalk Plus $3.00 EasyTalk 400 $10.99 EasyTalk Plus - 12 $3.00 EasyTalk 500 (old) $15.99 EasyTalk Unlimited $25.99 EasyTalk 500 $9.99 EasyTalk Unlimited PPP $15.99 EasyTalk Asia $4.99 EasyTalk Unlimited Provincial $7.95 - Quebec EasyTalk Call $2.50 EasyTalk Loyalty No Fee EasyTalk Caribbean $4.99 Sears Phone Plan No Fee EasyTalk Europe $4.99 For more detailed info on all the plans including the list of countries included in each plan, please consult the CoNo 34 Plans document.  P a g e | 28 PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Main Product: Long Distance Calls CDTel as previously discussed is one of the largest resellers of long distance lines in Canada and our 3 brands offer competitive rates. All 3 brands offer rate plans within North America that includes international long distance calls. What is Long Distance Calls? Long distance calls are calls made outside of your local calling area. This includes calls within Canada, US and other countries. Note: ❖ It is possible to have the same area code but will be considered as long distance. ❖ Only the LSP can determine which number is long distance. ❖ We only provide the outgoing long distance calls, incoming call issues – refer to LSP Add on Services: Toll-Free Numbers Personal Toll Free numbers make it easy for family and friends to reach you any time of day from virtually anywhere in Canada and the US for FREE. It can be an inexpensive way to make a collect call. We provide clients with a maximum of two toll free numbers. They can ring at their home, cell phone, cottage, or a friend’s phone number. Customers can then share these numbers with friends and family. When they call, the customer pays the lowest long distance cost per minute for all incoming toll-free calls, as calculated through the ComparAction Rate and Compare program. There is a monthly service fee of $2.95, which only applies if you receive toll-free calls that month.  P a g e | 29 Toll Free Explanation “The toll free number is our way of letting you make an inexpensive collect call. You, or someone you give the number to, calls the toll free number. Your home phone rings as usual. You pay for the call, not the person dialing.” Changing conversion number for the toll free number will take 10-15BD NOTE: Only customers under cono 24 and 23 had this service but it is no longer offered. If a customer has an unlimited plan as part of the Comparison, they are not eligible for a toll-free number. Summary of Service Availability Services ComparAction Talk & Save Sears Connect Toll Free Numbers Y Y N  P a g e | 30 PROCEDURES Below are all the procedures that an agent must follow when dealing with a customer. GENERAL CALL PROTOCOL Introduction “Thank you for calling … my name is. How can I assist you today?” ALLOW THE CUSTOMER TO EXPLAIN THE REASON FOR CALL. Re-assure customer for assistance ✓ Acknowledge/empathize ✓ Perfect, I will be able to assist with that.” Validate Customer Info!!! ✓ Can I start by having your phone number please? (Never ask for account number) ✓ May I have your name please? (If customer has not provided their name) ✓ For security purposes, may I please have your address with postal code? ✓ Parapharase Speaking with the account holder - Proceed with the call. Paraphrase Not the account holder - Ask if the account holder is available. If available, ask to speak with the account holder. Once the caller passes the phone to the account holder, Introduce yourself again. Hi, this is …. From Comparaction, is it ok to speak with ‘caller’ on your behalf? The account holder will give you the permission to proceed. If not available, ask if the caller has the power of attorney or if he handles the finances of the account holder. If yes, proceed with the call and add the caller’s name to the account.  P a g e | 31 If no, Inform the caller that we cannot proceed if the caller is not authorized or handles the finances/has the power of attorney. “ Unfortunately, we will not be able to proceed with this call because we will need an authorized person or someone that handles the finances in order to proceed. Please give us a call back once the cx is available”. If the cx has passed - Ask if the caller is the executor of the cx’s estate. If yes, proceed. If no, advise to have the executor of the estate call us back. Note: It is important that no information on the account is provided or changed unless the account holder has provided authorization. At times other people such as spouse, children are added on the account*. Finding solution Place customer on hold to verify account details in ACME ✓ Always ask permission to place on hold ✓ Allow a maximum of 2 minutes for the hold time ✓ When necessary, go back to the customer and ask for more time Develop solution for customer’s request(s) a) Return to customer with solution or instructions based on request b) “Thank you for holding Mr. /Mrs. X, here is what I have found/done for you.” Mandatory to verify before letting customer go 1. Verify if the customer has an outstanding on the account and try to settle it. 2. Verify customer method of payment (MOP) and if on invoice, propose the convenience of credit card or pre-authorized payment via bank account. 3. If customer has a credit card on file and the date has expired or will expire in the next 2 months, ask customer for new credit card info. 4. Verify the method of billing and propose online billing if currently on regular mail. !!!Always finish call with a courtesy close!!!  P a g e | 32 Dead Air Spiel Confirm if the customer is still on the other line. If you hear only silence after 3 attempts of “Hello”, please say the spiel below: “I’m sorry but I can’t hear you on my end and you may hear me. Please call us back again so we can assist you again.” Closing Spiel “Thank you for calling and have a great day.” Enrolling New Customer/Customer Reactivation You may receive a call from a customer who wishes to enroll into one of the programs. Most of these calls will be past customers who are wishing to re-enroll in the service. Here are the procedures to follow when enrolling new customers: Always open a new account; never re-activate customer’s old account Enter all the necessary info into CRM In Top Level Information: ✓ Add Billing Telephone Number ✓ Select business unit (CARP, CAA or COMP) ✓ Customer’s first and last name ✓ Street number, City, Province and Postal Code ✓ Contact number in ‘’Phone’’ In Options: ✓ Select the rate program offered if other than the Incumbent Plan ✓ Select the Delivery Method Note: Always offer Online as the Delivery method For CoNo 34, rate program is in products and services when you add the LD line In Sales Information: ✓ Select the sales source  P a g e | 33 In Self-Care*: ✓ Enable the CARE Status ✓ Input the login name and password ✓ Input the email address (spell it back to the customer to confirm) *Always enable the care site if the customer agreed to have Online as the delivery method, otherwise – Skip Self-care. Note: By default the login name is the customers email address and the password is their home phone number. In Quick Notes: ✓ Add the customer’s old account or other account number if there is any Click on ‘’Add New Customer Record’’ ✓ Propose pre-authorized payment options (Pre-authorized Credit card or Pre-authorized bank debit) – This must be asked only after you have successfully created an account. In Banking & PAP: ✓ Select the payment method ✓ For PAP-Bank Debit, you need to input the bank details on the field provided (Branch#, Institution ID, Bank Account #) ✓ For PAP-CC, click on Update Card Information then Credit Card Update. We only need the card number, name on the card and expiry month and year ✓ For Invoice no other information is needed Note: Always offer PAP first before offering other payment methods Order the long distance line – IMPORTANT TO NEVER FORGET In Products & Services ✓ Click ‘’Add New’’ ✓ Add telephone number ✓ Select provider in ‘’Current LD Provider’’ ✓ Select provider in ‘’Local Service Provider’’ ✓ Select the LOA Type – Always Letter of Authorization ✓ Read back information for LSP and number you are adding and once confirmed, ✓ Click ‘’Save’’ ✓ Add quick notes with account number on both the inactive account (the new account #) and the new account (the old account #).  P a g e | 34 ✓ Give the customer the generic recap NOTES: As soon as the customer status is Inactive a new account must be created, there are no exceptions to this rule. Cancelled or Inactive accounts must not be re-activated as it causes issues for reporting and does not comply with PCI regulations if customers do not confirm all information used on the account in the recording. Activating Additional Long Distance Line In Products & Services 1. Click ‘’Add New’’ 2. Add telephone number 3. Select provider in ‘’Current LD Provider’’ 4. Select provider in ‘’Local Service Provider’’ 5. Select the LOA 6. Read back information for LSP and number you are adding and once confirmed, 7. Click ‘’Save’’ Note: Customers who have an unlimited plan are only allowed to enroll ONE number. If they wish to have other numbers on an unlimited plan, a new account will need to be created for each phone number they wish to enroll.  P a g e | 35 Cancellations All calls received for cancellation should be transferred to a Retention agent except. 1. Inactive account 2. Already cancelled landline. 3. If a desub ticket was already created Tier 1 Agent Procedures 1. Before a Tier 1 agent transfers a call to retention, they must create a Journal Note and select the journal category Transferred. 2. In the interaction Desktop tool, agent can right click on the active call and select Properties. 3. On the upper part of the window, select Transfer. A pop-up window will show and you should select the workgroup Inbound Ret then hit transfer. Cancellations Procedures On the instances mentioned above, you need to provide the cancellation procedures (Tier 2) to a customer as follows: 1. You must inform customer about any outstanding balance (OB) and confirm how it will be paid if not on a pre-authorized payment already. a) Inform cx that the account cannot be cancelled unless the ob is cleared. b) Onetime payment (OTP) must be offered before offering other payment methods. c) If the cx prefers to pay at the bank, advice them to call back 2-3bds after the payment clears with the reference number of the payment. 2. You must inform customer about possible final billing based on the bill cycle and that they will be charged for service up until the date that the service is taken over by another provider. 3. Offer a retention plans that will best suit the customer’s usage. 4. If the cx insists to cancel, give the cancellation procedure which is to tell them that they must call the technical department of their LSP or whichever  P a g e | 36 provider they wish to switch to and ask them to take over the long distance. It is important to note that we are not certain of when exactly the Lsp will take over. So for the waiting period, we can offer to switch them to a retention plan based on the current cono they are on. 5. Customer can call back in 5-10 business days after their LSP has informed them that they have already taken back the Long Distance line to confirm that their account with CDTel is now inactive. ** If customer should refuse to follow the process of asking an alternate provider to take over the long-distance and is requesting that the service be stopped, the customer MUST be informed that we can stop the long distance calls from going through our line. However, that would mean that they would not be able to make long distance calls up until another provider activates a long distance service for them. If the cx does not want any service interruption, then follow cancellation steps 4 and 5. If the cx is ok with the interruption, a desub request should be created. Tier 2 Agent Procedures 1. Greet the customer “Hi, my name is AGENTNAME. You have reached the cancellation department. How can I help you today?” 2. Ask for the phone number 3. Ascertain the reason the customer is calling to cancel. 4. Let the customer know you have understood their concerns and that you will be able to help them. 5. Make sure they fully understand the long distance program benefits and how it pertains to their usage (Show value). 6. Address OB. a. Offer otp before other payment options. If cx promises to pay at the bank or online, advise them to call back in 2-3bds with a reference number after the payment is cleared. b. Offer some credit if cx is refusing to pay or hesitant. c. If the cx still refuses to pay, the account must be blocked and a refusal ticket must be created. 7. Offer retention plans. (This must only be done if the cx processes the payment on the call)  P a g e | 37 What are you able to offer them in order to retain them? a. Waive network fees (if applicable) b. New long distance plan/Retention plan c. VoIP home phone service d. Credit (up to a credit of $25 is allowed without supervisor authorization) 8. Present a Solution a. Clearly explain to the client what you are offering them b. Demonstrate how this will resolve their concern c. Make the client feel like you are doing something special for them 9. If customer still wishes to cancel provide the cancellations procedure and offer Leaf Home Phone (if cx has High-speed internet) 10. Create a note in the customer’s account choosing the journal category Cancelled or Transferred if transferred to Leaf Home Phone Switching Customer to CoNo 23 (Retention) 1. DO NOT cancel the account in CoNo 24 or 34. 2. If the customer has other products such Toll-Free line, you cancel the products in the old account. 3. Make sure to put a Quick Note in the new account with the old account number and any important information such as i.e. A quick note saying someone else has access to the account. 4. Add a note to the old account saying it has been transferred to CoNo 23 and add the account number in CoNo 23 using the journal category Saved. 5. Add note to new account with the old account number as well as any other pertinent info and choose the journal category Retained Customer. 6. Choose the appropriate source code, which states if it was a retained sale from CoNo 24 or 34. 7. If a customer states they never received their CARP Membership and Magazine a. Open a ticket with the Due Assigned user Affinity Membership ticket in their old account 8. Do not write off last bill in CoNo 24 or 34, the monthly fees of the last bill will be prorated if the new account becomes active 20 days or less into the billing cycle a. Create a ticket with the Due Assigned User PRORATE in their old account. b. If customer wants to know how much the last bill will be, tell customer you are not sure as it depends when account becomes active as well if they actually make any calls. 9. If you are retaining a client in CoNo 23 with a new plan, simply change  P a g e | 38 the rate plan. a. Create a note stating the changes and choose the journal category Saved Enrollment Dispute (CARP-CoNo 23 & 24) These are customers who signed up with us but doesn’t remember or misunderstood our offer. Here are the steps to follow: ✓ Explain to the customer how we sign them up o We called them and offered a FREE membership for CARP and Zoomer magazine for a year, they will get those two for Free if they will agree to switch their long distance lines to ComparAction. ✓ Provide the approximate date of the sales call by checking the start date of the account o Go to Products and Services o Click on the “+” beside the Long distance line o Look for the “Start Date” ✓ Provide proof that we have the long distance line o Go to Account History o Open an invoice o Provide call details Notes: ❖ We cannot take over the long distance lines without their authorization ❖ We always ask if it is their home phone we called them on during the sales call ❖ We also verify if the person we spoke with can make changes on the home phone For Enrolment Dispute, we need to take note of the following steps based on the scenarios: ✓ Customer insisted on not remembering any call regarding ComparAction/CARP ▪ Transfer to Retention ✓ Customer hangs up before they can be transferred to retention If customer is refusing to pay ▪ File a ticket to Due Assigned User Refusal  P a g e | 39 ▪ File a ticket to Due Assigned User Tech Issues to block If customer is disputing enrollment ▪ File a ticket to Due Assigned User supervisor ▪ File a ticket to Due Assigned User Tech Tech Issues to block If customer is neither refusing or disputing ▪ Create a normal note ✓ Customer is calling back regarding an enrollment dispute that has already been sent as a supervisor ticket therefore awaiting a follow up. ▪ Transfer to Retention ▪ Try to deescalate and reiterate the cancellation procedure. ▪ Check Journal notes for instructions as to how to proceed with the account should be on file. ▪ If no instruction are yet found on the account or still disputing enrollment, the agent must simply inform the customer that the investigation is still ongoing and will be contacted once completed within 3-5 business days. ✓ Customer is calling back regarding an enrollment dispute for which the supervisor ticket has already been closed. ▪ If account is still Active or Blocked, transfer to retention. ▪ Tier 2 or Inactive account , the agent must review the account for instructions on how to handle the account however if the customer still insists on speaking with the investigation team, another supervisor (Due Assigned User Supervisor) ticket would be required ✓ Customer remembered and wanted to cancel no reason/too expensive ▪ Transfer to Retention ✓ Customer remembers and wants to cancel and will pay for the OB ▪ Transfer to Retention ✓ Customer remembered and wants to cancel but refuse to pay ▪ Transfer to Retention NOTE: 1. Please make sure that there are no existing tickets opened. 2. Customers with active accounts wanting to be cancelled should be transferred.  P a g e | 40 Inbound Cancellations Here is the procedure to follow when customers call to cancel and the sale was recent. 1. You must search for the customer in ACME. There is usually 2-day backlog, however at times we catch up and there is only a 24 hour backlog. 2. To search for the customer in ACME, ask them for the number we called them offering them the sale. DO NOT take the number in Interaction Desktop as this is the number the customer is calling from which is not necessarily the number we called them. 3. If the customer is in ACME, follow the cancellation process 4. If you cannot find the customer in ACME please notify your supervisor and gather the information below ▪ Date the customer received the sales call ▪ Name of the customer (The one we offered the service) ▪ Number we called to offer the service ▪ Reason for cancelling Dormant Account (CoNo 24) We will be testing 1,000 ComparAction customers who have been active for 12 months and have had no invoice for at least 12 months. We are testing adding a $1.99 monthly service fee to the customer’s invoice in month’s where there is no usage. Here are the specifics of the test: 12 months Dormant ▪ The customer must be active for more than 12 months ▪ They must have had no invoice for at least 12 months ▪ The service fee will be applicable on all invoices going forward with no usage ▪ The service fee cannot be waived ▪ If there is a service fee the customer will not be eligible for Bill Suppression ▪ Once an account is Dormant, it will always be Dormant. 3 or 6 months Dormant ▪ The customer must be active for more than 3/6 months ▪ They must have had no invoice for at least 3/6 months ▪ The service fee will be applicable on all invoices going forward until  P a g e | 41 they use the service ▪ If the customer uses the service, the service fee will stop and the 3/6 months count will reset ▪ The service fee cannot be waived ▪ If there is a service fee the customer will not be eligible for Bill Suppression Dormant Account (CoNo 23) We will be charging customers a dormant fee of $2.95 after 3 months of no usage of the service. Note; Accounts on retention plans with monthly fees are not affected. Cancellation Procedure: ❖ transfer to Retention If Customer was Charged $2.95 Fee ❖ If the customer was charged the service fee and does not want to pay you can credit the charge directly in ACME, however the customer must be transferred to Retention. Switching to PAP and Online Billing Promotion We are offering $5 off of their next bill for customers who would switch over to PAP or Online billing. In order to be eligible for the promotion, the customer must switch to PAP and/or online billing. For the customer to enjoy the promotion you must first switch the customers MOP or Delivery Method to PAP or Online. Once you have switched either or both you need to follow the steps below. ✓ Go to ACCOUNT HISTORY in ACME ✓ Click on Add Transaction/Adjustment ✓ Type in the amount 5.00 on the Amount field (no need for the $ sign) ✓ Type in CR-MOP5 for switching to PAP and CR-ONLINE5 for switching to Online Billing ✓ If the customer agreed to switch both PAP and Online billing, we can only offer them $5 and agent must use CR-MOP5 when adding the promotion.  P a g e | 42 ✓ Type must always be CREDIT NOTE: ❖ Customers are only eligible once. If they switch back to regular mail or invoice and then call back in a few months wanting the promo, they are no longer eligible. If the customer already has online billing/PAP (or already received a promo in the past): Customer who are asking for Credit ❖ Check MOP and Delivery Method ❖ Explain to the customer that since the customer already has online billing/PAP, they are no longer eligible for the promotion. ❖ If the customer gets upset or demand to get the promo, you can give the customer the promotion.  P a g e | 43 Move, LSP Changes, Tel# Changes At times customer moves to a different address, change their LSP, and change their phone number or all of those together. Here is a table to guide us on what to do in each instance: LSP Telephone # Location Delay Action New Same - Active Same 5-10 BD Tech Issue Ticket New Same - Inactive Same 5-10 BD Add order (new account); confirm order New New Same 5-10 BD Add order; confirm order; verify old # , Tech issues de-sub old number; callback to verify Same Same New 5-10 BD Account update;(future dated move) include date of move Tech issue (if more than 10BD from date of move and no (+) or reconnected date) Already moved to new address; include date of move and update new address. New New - Active New 5-10 BD Tech Issues ; If cx already moved, update the address and add every other information to your tech. ticket.( future dated move) Add all information to your note; include date of move, new address, new number and LSP. (have tech de-sub old number and have tech PIC new #) Same New New 5-10 BD Tech Issues; include date of move; new # Same New Same 5-10 BD Tech issues; date of change; new #, de sub  P a g e | 44 old number For Toll-Free changes: ❖ Delay is 10-15 business days ❖ Send Tech Issues ticket for urgent request NOTES: ❖ In case of changing LSP, LD calls made prior to reactivating the service will be charged by the new LSP until the LD has been transferred to our service. ❖ In some cases, customer may not be able to make direct dial LD calls during the move, there’s a 24-48 hour delay in reestablishing the LD service. Send ticket to Connectivity Issues.  P a g e | 45 CONNECTIVITY ISSUE What is a connectivity Issue? A Connectivity issue is when a customer cannot make a call. In order to determine the procedure you must follow the chart below: Additional questions 1. Ask if customer used the proper dialing method 2. Ask if customer made changes to the Address, lsp or There is no need to provide the 1-700-555-4141 Technical Issues number. Also if they agreed to any plan with lsp.  P a g e | 46 Double Blling It could happen that some customers, who chose to enrol in one of our programs, claim they still get charged for long distance by their current local service provider. If this is the case, you must follow the following procedures: 1. Check status and Product & Services if account is still active. 2. Confirm that customer is being charged for fees (plan, network and/or administration fee) or/and for calls 3. Confirm if these fees etc. are for the same period of our billing cycle as well as the calls listed in the invoices. 4. Confirm if the customer used the proper dialing method and that the customer is NOT using a Dial-Around, Operator-assisted, collect call or calling card. If so, this is not double-billing. 5. Ask if there were changes with the LSP, number, or address. 6. If they are, ask customer to fax a copy of their invoice (if customer does not want to fax it, then can always mail it, e-mail is not an option) or ask for at least 3 call details (date, Time, number dialed and duration) showing on the LSP’s bill. 7. Assure customer we will take care of the issue (We will request a credit on the customer’s behalf) and open a ticket with the Dues Assigned User Technical Issues. Advice cx to call back in 2-3bds Note: For Aliant, we will contact them, but there are no guarantees they will respond; the customer must follow up with them if they have not seen any change on their invoice within the first 2 months. Blocking Long Distance Customers are usually blocked if we there are unpaid bills or are refusing to pay. For customers who are Active and refusing to pay, open a ticket with the Due Assigned User Technical Issue and Due Assigned User Refusal. At times customers request that we block their long distance. Here are the procedures to follow: ❖ Ask customer when they wish to block long distance (now or on a specific date). ❖ Open a ticket with the Due Assigned User Technical Issue and ensure to provide the date the customer wants to block their long distance. Blocking an account is immediate while unblocking takes 24-48hrs ** If on CoNo 34 (Sears Connect), note that plan fees and network fees will continue to be charged unless on a plan with no monthly fees and the network fee is waived.  P a g e | 47 Changing Plans At times customers request to change their plan. Here are the procedures to follow: 1. Ask customer when they would like to change their plan. 2. If customer wants to change their plan right away, you can go ahead and change the plan in ACME 3. Inform customers it will affect entire billing period: Sears Connect (CoNo 34) i. In ‘’Products & Services’’ ii. Select ‘’Long Distance Line’’ iii. Click ‘’Edit’’ beside the phone number you would like to change the plan for iv. From the ‘’Rate Program’’ tab, select the plan that you would like to apply v. Click ‘’Save’’ ComparAction and Talk & Save (CoNo 23 & 24) In Options, select the new rate under Rate Program. If customer wishes to change the plan on a future date open a ticket with the Due Assigned User Account Update and provide the date customer wishes the new plan to be effective. ** If a plan is changed within a cycle, the new plan will affect all long distance calls already made within that cycle. Billing Issue There are many issues that can fall under this category. Here are some of the most common. Account Updates Customers may call in to update information on their account such as name, address, plan etc. and you can modify the information in ACME. The following will require a ticket with the Due Assigned User Account Updates: 1. If a credit is needed that exceeds the amount that an agent is allowed to offer (more than $10)  P a g e | 48 2. If a customer was charged the wrong rate for the plan they have and a bill adjustment is needed 3. If customer is changing rate plan for a future date 4. If customer is moving to a new address on a future date 5. If customer made an error in payment (wrong account number) 6. If customer switches the MOP from PAP-Bank Debit to either invoice or PAP-CC 7. If cx insists that a payment was made, and it’s beyond 2-3bds. Ask the following if that is that case. a) Date payment was made b) Bank in which that payment was made c) How much was paid d) Reference number of the payment e) Advice to call the bank to check with them. Customer Disputing Charges Here are some situations on how to handle customer dispute (Tier 1): ❖ Customer insisting on not calling a specific number o Ask for the phone number in question and Google it/Canada411.ca. Inform the customer if you have the owner’s name o If no information or customer is still disputing, ask if someone else could have made the call o Ask if they have auto-dial feature o Inform that it might be a spam or telemarketer o Ask if they joined an online meeting recently like zoom o Explain to the customer that we only charge calls that were made through their home phone. o Advise to have the number blocked with LSP o Offer a one-time credit only on the call/s in question o If needed, created a tech ticket to have the back office investigate. ❖ Customer insist on not paying for the late charge o Explain that late charges are only applied for overdue amount o If customer insists on not receiving a bill, confirm that we have the right customer information ▪ Offer CARE site ▪ Tell customer if might be on the SPAM folder for Online Billing ▪ Offer to resend the invoices (Reprint Ticket)  P a g e | 49 o Offer a one-time credit only on the call/s in question Payment Method Updates Below is the procedure for changing a customer’s method of payment (MOP) in ACME. Click on Banking & PAP Information Choose the payment method the customer has requested, there are 3 options Switching to Invoice ❖ If customer is switching from PAP – Credit Card to Invoice, switch the payment method; do not erase the credit card info. ❖ If customer is switching from PAP – Bank to Invoice, send a ticket to billing stating the changes; choose the Due Assigned user ACCOUNT UPDATE. Do not erase the bank account info or change the method of payment, the billing department will handle this task. Switching to PAP –Bank Debit ❖ If customer is switching from PAP – Credit Card to PAP – Bank Debit, switch the payment method; do not erase the credit card info. Then enter the PAP Bank info, the only necessary info to enter is the Branch#, Institution ID and Bank Account #. ❖ If customer is switching from Invoice to PAP – Bank Debit, change the payment method. Then enter the PAP Bank info, the only necessary info to enter is the Branch#, Institution ID and Bank Account #. Switching to PAP – Credit Card ❖ If customer is switching from Invoice to PAP – Credit Card, switch the payment method. Then enter the credit card info, you must click on Update Card Information in order to save the information. ❖ If customer is switching from PAP – Bank Debit to PAP – Credit Card, change the payment method and send a ticket to billing stating the changes, choose the Due Assigned user ACCOUNT UPDATE. Then enter the credit card info, you must click on Update Card Information in order to save the information. *** You must always put a note on the customer’s account stating the changes  P a g e | 50 you made on the customer’s account. NEVER ENTER PAYMENT INFO IN THE NOTES. From To Ticket Notes Bank Debit Invoice Due Assigned user Do not erase the bank ACCOUNT UPDATE account info nor change the method of payment Bank Debit Credit Card Due Assigned user Do not change the ACCOUNT UPDATE payment method and update the CC payment info Credit Card Invoice None Do not erase the credit card info. Credit Card Bank Debit None Do not erase the credit card info and add the Bank Debit info Invoice Bank Debit None Update payment info Invoice Credit Card None Update payment info Here is a summary of when you should or shouldn’t open a ticket: a. Customer updates their credit card – Only create a ticket if the customer has an outstanding balance of $100 or more or customer is at the blocked status. For Block status and CC was updated, open a ticket Due Assigned User CC Update Blocked and for Active status with an OB over $100 and CC was updated, open a ticket Due Assigned User CC Update Not Blocked b. Customer updated their credit card in the last 10 days – The credit card will be processed automatically. Do not create a ticket to process the payment. c. Customer updated their credit card over 10 days ago – Only create a ticket if the customer still has an outstanding balance and there is no reject note on file. If there is a reject note on file, please let the customer know that the transaction was rejected and why (customer may need to contact their credit card company). d. Customer updated their PAP bank information – We cannot manually process these payments and they can only be processed once a month when we process their regular invoice. Do not create tickets under any circumstances for these updates.  P a g e | 51 Debit Cards Please note that we currently only accept VISA debit cards. ❖ Unfortunately there is no way for us to identify if a rejected card is a “debit card MasterCard”. ❖ If a customer calls about a rejected payment and the credit card on file is correct, please ask if the card is also a debit MasterCard. A credit/debit card can easily be identified as both the credit card symbol (MasterCard) and the Interac symbols are on the card. ❖ If you identify that the card is a MasterCard debit card, please ask customer for an alternate method of payment Manual Credit Card Processing At times customers inquire why we are not processing their payment on their credit card. We always process payments on credit cards; we actually try once a week, until there is no longer any outstanding balance. If the payment is not processed it is because we received a reject from the merchant (there will be a journal entry with the reject reason). Here is the process to follow: ❖ Confirm the credit card on file (including expiry date) ❖ Verify that the payment method is set to PAP-Credit Card ❖ If customer insists that the credit card info on file is good open a billing ticket ✓ Choose Due Assigned User: Manual CC. Processing ✓ Choose Journal Category: Manual CC. Processing  P a g e | 52 Entering a New Credit Card To add a new credit card or update a credit card you need to ask for the complete credit card number (16 digits in front of the card), Name on the card and Expiration month and year. When you entered a new credit card and it fails validation you must verify that you have the correct information by reading back the information you have and if it is correct and the customer doesn’t have a different credit card, you must ask for a different method of payment. Failed Validation Successful Validation Confirming Credit Card Information If a customer calls in (no matter the reason), and they have a credit card on file, you must verify if the card is expired or will expire in the next 2 months. If the card will expire within the next 2 months, you must inform the customer that the card on file will expire and ask if they have a new credit card. If they do not have a new card yet, let them know that they must call before the expiry date to provide the new card information. Here are the procedures to follow if the customer is Active or Blocked: 1. Help customer with the issue or question which prompted their call first. 2. Verify if a customer has a credit card on file, if yes ask customer to confirm the credit card on file.  P a g e | 53 3. Sample script “I noticed that your credit card on file is expired/will expire shortly, do you have a new credit card so we can update your account?” 4. Follow current procedures to end call with customer. 5. If the customers status is Active and the outstanding balance is more than $100 and you updated the credit card, please open a ticket with Due Assigned User: CC Update (Not Blocked) 6. If the customers status is Blocked and you updated the credit card, please open a ticket with Due Assigned User: CC Update (Blocked) Here are the procedures to follow if the customer is Inactive: 1. Help customer with the issue or question which prompted their call first. 2. Verify if a customer has a credit card on file and has an OB, if yes ask customer to confirm the credit card on file or provide a One Time Payment. If there will be a possible final bill, you can have the customer set it up as a PAP so as to take care of the current and final bill. 3. Sample script “I noticed that your credit card on file is expired, do you have a new credit card so we can update your account and take care of the outstanding balance?” 4. Follow current procedures to end call with customer Applying Credit Any Tier 1 agent is authorized to apply credit at maximum of $10 without the supervisor’s approval. This is discretionary and has to be done always with best judgment. NOTE: Please do not apply credits to customers who are not complaining nor asking for credits. Below are the following instances where an agent may apply credit. 1. Late fees charged on the account where the customer insisted that he didn’t receive any billing for the month in question. 2. When customers has been promised that her final bill will be written off and the balance is less than $10 3. When the customer refused to pay the outstanding balance on inactive account after paying the supposed final billing(less than $10). 4. Customer is cancelled and threatens to report us to BBB, government, or the affiliation and amount is less than $10. 5. For customers who are enrolling to pre-authorized payment or online Billing and mentions $5 credit. 6. If a customer was referred by one of our current customers, add a $5 to the customer’s account (the one who referred).  P a g e | 54 NOTE: You need to file an Account Update ticket when applying more than $10 credit and must not guarantee the customer of the write off. Here are the steps on how to apply credit: 1. Go to the Account History. 2. On the right most part, click Add Transaction/Adjustment. 3. On the pop-up screen, put the exact amount to be credited. (No need to put the dollar sign) 4. Under Memo, please indicate CR-AGENT. 5. The Type should be CREDIT. Native Tax To comply with Federal Law any native customers are tax exempt. Customers must provide proof of their tax exemption by providing a copy of their native status card. Here is the procedure to follow: ❖ Customer must fax or mail a copy of their native status card ❖ Open a ticket with the Due Assigned User “Native Tax” Reprints At times customers claim they have not received their invoices. If a customer wishes to see old invoices, here are the procedures to follow:  P a g e | 55 ✓ Offer customer the option of viewing their invoice online through the CARE site. ✓ If the CARE status is not enabled you must enable it and provide the customer with the login information o Username = customer’s email address o Password = phone number (without spaces nor dashes) ✓ If the CARE status is enabled remind the customers they can view their past invoices online ✓ If customer does not want to view their invoices online or have no access to a computer, you can offer one of the following options (in this order): o Offer to send invoices by email o Offer to send invoices by mail o In all cases, you must open a Reprint ticket, make sure to include how the customer wishes to receive their invoices, either by email or mail as well as which invoices are being requested. o For Email – Due Assigned User: Email Reprint. This takes 2-3bds. o For Regular Mail - Due Assigned User: Mail Reprint. This takes 2-3 weeks. Payment Reversal (Active and Inactive Accounts) At times customers may ask to have a payment that was made to be reversed and in most cases, it would be due to an overpayment. Preferably, we should always offer a credit that would be applied to the account and would be used towards future billing however if the customer should insist that money be returned to them, a Payment Reversal Ticket would be needed. Here’s the general procedure: 1. Ensure that we actually received the payment in question by checking the account history 2. Open a ticket with the Due Assigned User either CHQ Payment Reversal or CC Payment Reversal a. CC Payment Reversal – if the customer has a card on file where we can reverse the amount b. CHQ Payment Reversal – If there is no CC on file 3. Include information on how the payment was made, at which bank if it was a bank payment as well as the amount that needs to be reversed. There are 2 types of payment reversals and below are examples: ❖ A charge was put through a credit card used as the MOP for the  P a g e | 56 customer’s account and customer wants charge to be reversed. ✓ You must confirm that the card on file is valid and verify that the last 4 digits of the credit card match our records and that the expiry date and year are correct. ✓ Confirm the amount to be returned to customer ✓ Open a ticket to Due Assigned User CC Payment Reversal requesting for the amount to be reversed to the customer’s credit card on file. ✓ Inform the customer that the delay for reversal is between 3-5 business days. ❖ If a customer used any MOP apart from CC Pre-authorized payment (One-time payment by credit card, sent a cheque, paid online or at the bank or pre-authorized payment through bank debit) and wants the payment to be reversed, we would have to send the customer a cheque. ✓ You must confirm that the billing information on file is correct (Customer name and complete address must be verified/spelled out) ✓ Confirm the amount to be returned to customer ✓ Open a ticket to Due Assigned User CHQ Payment Reversal requesting to send the customer a cheque for the amount requested to be reversed ✓ Inform the customer that the delay for receiving the check is up to 30 days. We send cheques at the end of the month NOTE: The customer has an option to let the credit stay in the account and will be used for his future bills. Reactivating Cancelled Accounts If the customer calls to reactivate a cancelled account (either LD or Home Phone), a whole new account must be created. Cancelled or Inactive account must not be re-activated as it causes issues for reporting. Here are the procedures: 1. Create a new account. 2. Ask/Confirm all the account information and ask for the payment information because we cannot transfer the payment information from the old account. 3. Enter note in the customer’s account stating that the customer was previously a customer and add the old account number in the quick notes.  P a g e | 57 Customer Disputes Customer sometimes have disputes, most of these are enrollment disputes since we are actively selling on certain programs. They often forget how or when they were enrolled. If a customer is disputing enrollment, a ticket for the supervisor to look into the enrollment must be created provided the customer initiated and specifically requested to listen to the sales call or wants to speak with a supervisor. (Tier 2 process). Note: Regardless of customers request, agents must try to deescalate. Here are the procedures: 1. Open a ticket with Due Assigned User Supervisor 2. Explain to the customer that you will have a supervisor look into the issue and that they should receive a call in the next 3-5 business days. 3. If customer is not satisfied with that answer, you must see your supervisor on the floor Affinity Membership Issues Since we work directly with partners such as CARP, CAA and Sears, some customer call in to complain that they have not received their partner bonus such and the membership, or points. Here are the possible complaints about which require a ticket with Due Assigned User Affinity Membership to be opened: 1. Customer complains about CARP membership and Zoomer magazine a. Confirm their mailing address, making sure there is no suite/apartment numbers missing (update the address, if necessary) b. Confirm if they have not received: i. Their membership card/package and Zoomer magazine ii. Just their membership card/package iii. Just the Zoomer magazine 2. Customer complains about CAA dollars o Customer did not receive their CAA dollars o Customer has questions about CAA membership  P a g e | 58 Write Off and Pull This process is normally for Tier 2. Here are few instances when to use the ticket for Tier 1. 1. For customer who were previously promised to have their last bill to be written off 2. For Inactive Accounts with outstanding balance of more than $10 but less than $25 and customer is threatening to escalate 3. For Blocked or Inactive accounts, if the customer is willing to pay at least 50% of the outstanding balance and the remaining amount is more than $10 (if less than $10, you can directly apply credit) One-Time Payment In processing One-Time Payment, you need to follow the procedures below: 1. Click on the payment portal that the cx is on; Comparaction - comparaction.com/payment Talk&save cono 34 (sears) - talkandsave.ca/payment Talk&save cono 23 - parlezrabais.ca/payment 2. Enter customer’s account number and postal code 3. Enter the card number 4. Enter the name on the card 5. Select the expiry month 6. Enter the expiry year (YYYY) 7. Enter the CVV 8.