25-4.073: Answering Time
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: This rule is amended to simplify, streamline, and clarify its provisions. Docket No. 080641-TP.
SUMMARY: The rule is amended to make it clear that the rule applies to residential service only, to change company answering time service standards, and to delete as unnecessary the provision concerning answering time studies.
SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS: The rule amendments benefit the Commission, companies, and customers by having a more simple, streamlined, and clarified rule, and companies administrative costs would likely decrease. However, the amendments could possibly have negative impacts on customers due to longer answering times with the ILEC resulting in more abandoned calls.
Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.
SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: 350.127(2) FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 364.01(4), 364.03, 364.386, 365.171 FS.
IF REQUESTED WITHIN 21 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE, A HEARING WILL BE SCHEDULED AND ANNOUNCED IN FAW.
Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this workshop/meeting is asked to advise the agency at least 48 hours before the workshop/meeting by contacting: Office of Commission Clerk, 2540 Shumard Oak Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0850, (850)413-6770. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800)955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800)955-8770 (Voice).
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Kathryn G.W. Cowdery, Office of General Counsel, 2540 Shumard Oak Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0850, (850)413-6216
THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:
25-4.073 Answering Time for Residential Service.
(1) Each telephone company utility shall provide equipment designed and engineered on the basis of realistic forecasts of growth, and shall make all reasonable efforts to provide adequate personnel so as to meet the following service standards criteria under normal operating conditions:
(a) At least 90 percent of all calls directed to repair services and 80 percent of all calls to business and repair offices for residential service shall be answered within 90 30 seconds after the last digit is dialed when no menu driven system is utilized.
(b) When a company utilizes a menu driven, automated, interactive answering system (referred to as the system or as an Integrated Voice Response Unit (IVRU)), at least 95 percent of the calls offered shall be answered within 30 15 seconds after the last digit is dialed. The initial recorded message presented by the system to the customer shall include the option of transferring to a live attendant within the first 6 30 seconds of the message.
(c) For subscribers who either select the option of transferring to a live assistant, or do not interact with the system for twenty seconds, the call shall be transferred by the system to a live attendant. At least 90 percent of the calls shall be answered by the live attendant prepared to give immediate assistance within 90 55 seconds of being transferred to the attendant.
(d) No change.
(2) Answering time studies using actual data or any statistically valid substitute for actual data shall be made to the extent and frequency necessary to determine compliance with this rule.
(2)(3) No change.
(3)(4) Each company shall report, pursuant to Rule 25-4.0185, F.A.C., Periodic Reports, the performance of the company with respect to answer time as outlined in Form PSC/CMP 28 (4/05), incorporated into Rule 25-4.0185, F.A.C., by reference and available from the Division of Competitive Markets and Enforcement.
(4) This rule shall apply to residential service only.
Specific Authority 350.127(2) FS. Law Implemented 364.01(4), 364.03, 364.386, 365.171 FS. HistoryNew 12-1-68, Amended 3-31-76, Formerly 25-4.73, Amended 11-24-92, 4-3-05,________.
