Speaking in support of the government's legislation to de-regulate the electricity price in South East Queensland earlier this month, Coomera MP Michael Crandon detailed the "saga" he experienced with his energy retailer of choice, as he attempted to re-negotiate his electricity price.

Mr Crandon said he had identified a deal on the retailer's website which offered a 7 per cent discount, plus an additional 1 per cent if bills were paid on time, and after failing to find a way to take up that offer on the website, rang the call centre.

Mr Crandon said he went through three different people, including one he was told was a supervisor, who told him they were unable to offer him the website deal, as that was an online offer.

He said they also told him that call centre staff were unable to mention the website 7+1 offer, despite it being a better deal than the deal they could offer him over the phone.

"That is their practice. That is their process. They are not allowed to, in fact, go through that process of offering me the 7 per cent, 1 per cent deal. I said I was not happy and I would be wanting a copy of the [call centre recording] tapes and so forth. She said that will not happen. I said, 'I can assure you it will happen'." Mr Crandon told parliament on September 10.

"Immediately after that, having not been able to get my 7 per cent, 1 per cent deal by the way, I then contacted the government liaison person and said, 'I've had a very bad experience with Origin yet again'.

"I went through all of the issues with them. They said, 'Let us check it out and we will get back to you', and away they went. In amongst some missed calls and someone getting the flu they came back to me. I received an email from Tim O'Grady, general manager, public policy and government engagement.

"Let me read from the email— 'further to our conversation yesterday I would like to apologise again for your recent experience when signing up to a contract with us. When you indicated during your first call to us that you were experiencing difficulties in signing up to our eSaver online 7 per cent discount offer we should have moved you to this contract on that call. This would have saved you unnecessary subsequent conversations, calls and frustration. I understand that your new contracts with the higher eSaver discount started on 28 August'.

"That is because I made a fourth call to them and said, 'Look, this is where I want to go. This is the problem that I have had. Can you help me?' This final fourth person said, 'Yes, of course I can. I am more than happy to do that. Because you could not get online I am allowed to offer you the 7 per cent, 1 per cent deal. You don't have to go through this other process.' Anyway, she was good enough to help me and it was all done."

A spokesman for Origin Energy confirmed Mr Crandon's matter was resolved by the customer service centre.

"And he was placed on the energy plan he was seeking," he said.

"Given Mr Crandon also contacted our government relations team, he received a follow up email from Mr O'Grady [who is based in Sydney] explaining what had occurred."

Mr Crandon told Fairfax Media he was acting on behalf of his constituents when he contacted the company's government liaison officer.

"As I said in my return phone call to you, and as is clear in my speech to parliament, I did not ask, or expect, the government liaison people from Origin Energy to resolve my personal issue with Origin," he said in an email.

"... To be absolutely clear, having spoken to three people in Origin Energy customer service, I contacted the government liaison people to alert them to the fact that their customer service people were being less than honest in their dealings with customers, NOT to ask for their help.  In fact, I made a subsequent call to Origin customer service, again advised that I was having difficulty with the online connection, and was subsequently assisted in signing up for the 7 per cent plus 1 per cent offer.  In other words, I resolved the matter with Origin customer service myself."

Energy Minister Mark McArdle said Mr Crandon speaking "about his experience openly in the Queensland Parliament" would help "all electricity customers better understand these issues".

"His contact through the government liaison also helped alert Origin Energy to issues surrounding its customer engagement practices through its call centre," Mr McArdle said.

Opposition energy spokesman Curtis Pitt said it was "a shame" all Queenslanders "can't readily access government relations advisors" during their own negotiations with energy retailers.

"The fact is Mr Crandon says in his own words that the retailers aren't ready for this sort of responsibility and I agree with him," Mr Pitt said.

"The difference is I voted against electricity deregulation, as did the Labor team. Why didn't Mr Crandon?"

Mr Crandon told parliament he was putting energy retailers "on notice" regarding their dealings with customers and would continue to "test" them.

Tim O'Grady's email to Mr Crandon - Wednesday, September 3, 2014 10:52 AM

Michael,

Further to our conversation yesterday I would like to apologise again for your recent experience when signing up to a contract with us. When you indicated during the first call to us that you were experiencing difficulties in signing up to our E -saver online 7% discount offer we should have moved you to this contract on that call.  This would have saved you unnecessary subsequent conversations, calls and frustration.  I understand that your new contracts with the higher E-saver discounts started on 28 August.

To clarify our standard process, we make our best offers available to all customers when they call us for an offer.  This does not include the E-saver offer which is a bigger discount available through our lower cost on line channel only.  However if the customer is experiencing any difficulties in accessing the E-saver offer on line we then fulfil that offer on the phone as part of our standard process.  We are continually training our staff and updating scripts and processes to minimise the occurrences of unacceptable experiences such as yours.

As you noted in our conversation we have changed our practices at the end of fixed benefit periods and now write to customers highlighting that their discount is coming to an end and make their options clearer.  But I also note that we respond proactively to customers' needs.  For example we completely stopped charging termination fees for residential customers earlier this year, making it easier for customers to commit to contracts and if they wish move to another retailer. I would be happy to arrange for the head of our retail business to meet with you and expand on what we are doing to better service our customers.

Regarding your request for copies of the call recordings, our policy is not to make the recordings available as they may then be disclosed to third parties.  However we would be happy to give you the opportunity to listen to the recordings in our offices.

Please let me know if you would like to listen to the call recordings and potentially meet with the head of our retail business and I will arrange, at our Brisbane office if that is best for you.

regards

Tim O'Grady

General Manager Public Policy & Government Engagement