Customer service performance of electricity retail suppliers€¦ · 2 NSW Retail Electricity Market 4 2.1 Structure of NSW retail market 4 ... in NSW, and of customers’ satisfaction

Customer service performance of electricity retail suppliers 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2013

Electricity — Information Paper December 2013

© Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal of New South Wales 2013

This work is copyright. The Copyright Act 1968 permits fair dealing for study, research, news reporting, criticism and review. Selected passages, tables or diagrams may be reproduced for such purposes provided acknowledgement of the source is included.

The Tribunal members for this review are:

Dr Peter J Boxall AO, Chairman

Mr Simon Draper, Part Time Member

Dr Paul Paterson, Part Time Member

Inquiries regarding this document should be directed to a staff member:

Fiona Towers (02) 9290 8420

Nicole Ikenberg (02) 9113 7732

Edward Jenkins (02) 9113 7774

Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal of New South Wales PO Box Q290, QVB Post Office NSW 1230 Level 8, 1 Market Street, Sydney NSW 2000

T (02) 9290 8400 F (02) 9290 2061

www.ipart.nsw.gov.au

Contents

1 Executive Summary 1

1.1 Overview of IPART’s findings for 2012/13 1

1.2 What does the rest of the paper cover? 4

2 NSW Retail Electricity Market 4

2.1 Structure of NSW retail market 4

2.2 Changes in the retail electricity market 6

2.3 Changes in the regulatory framework for energy retail suppliers 6

3 Disconnections for non-payment of bills 7

3.1 Disconnections of small residential retail customers 8

3.2 Disconnections of non-residential small retail customers 10

4 Use of alternative payment methods 10

5 Security deposits held 12

6 Call centre responsiveness 13

6.1 Calls that were abandoned or dropped out before being answered by a human operator 13

6.2 Calls answered by a human operator within 30 seconds 15

7 Customer Complaints 15

Appendices 19

A Retailer customer service performance 2008/09 to 2012/13 21

B Notes and Definitions 30

Customer service performance of electricity retail suppliers IPART 1

1 Executive Summary

Each year the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal of NSW (IPART) publishes information papers reporting on the performance of the energy distribution and retail businesses that serve small retail customers in NSW. Our aim is to ensure that all stakeholders, including customers, have ready access to this information.

This paper focuses on electricity retail suppliers’ customer service performance over the past reporting year, 2012/13.

This is our final report on the customer service performance of electricity retail suppliers. As from 1 July 2013, responsibility for licencing, compliance and enforcement activities in respect of electricity retail suppliers has been transferred to the Australian Energy Regulator.

Under the regulatory regime in effect during 2012/13, all electricity retail suppliers licensed to operate in NSW report annually on their performance against a series of customer service indicators.1 These include reporting:

Customers who were disconnected for non-payment of bills.

Customers using alternative payment methods.

Security deposits held by retail suppliers.

Call centre performance.

Customer complaints to the retailer.

We monitor and assess the retail suppliers’ performance against these indicators, and compare this with their performance in previous years. This analysis provides an indication of the affordability and accessibility of electricity services in NSW, and of customers’ satisfaction with the quality of this service.

1.1 Overview of IPART’s findings for 2012/13

Electricity retail suppliers’ overall performance against the customer service indicators during 2012/13 was mixed, with:

an industry-wide increase in the rate of disconnections

most retail suppliers increasing the percentage of customers on payment plans in NSW

an industry-wide decline in call centre responsiveness

a significant increase in the per-customer rate of complaints

1 The reporting obligation is a Ministerially imposed licence condition (clause 7) and the

performance indicators which retailers report against are set by the Minister.

2 IPART Customer service performance of electricity retail suppliers

retail suppliers no longer collecting security deposits and a significant decline in the number held.

1.1.1 Disconnection for non-payment of bills

The number of residential customers disconnected for non-payment of bills increased by 7% from 23,207 in 2011/12 to 24,888 in 2012/13. This represents a disconnection rate of 0.83 customers per 100 residential small retail customers disconnected during 2012/13, as compared with 0.80 customers per 100 in 2011/12.

23% of disconnected residential customers were on payment plans, 26% were receiving pensioners’ rebates, and 8% had their supply disconnected more than once at the same address during the year. 49% subsequently had their supply reconnected in the same name at the same address.

Table 1.1 compares disconnection rates during 2010/11 and 2011/12 for residential retail customers in Victoria and South Australia.

Table 1.1 Disconnection rates as a percentage of total residential retail customers

2010/11 2011/12

New South Wales 0.64% 0.80%

Victoria 0.77% 1.02%

South Australia 1.01% 1.35%

For non-residential customers, disconnections for non-payment of bills increased by 41% in 2012/13. This represents a disconnection rate of 0.9 non-residential customers per 100 in 2012/13, as compared with 0.6 customers per 100 in 2011/12.

1.1.2 Use of alternative payment methods

3.2% of residential customers used their electricity retail suppliers’ instalment plan to pay their bills in 2012/13, which is consistent with the average over the previous 5 years (3.4%). The proportion using Centrelink’s Centrepay decreased to 2.7% in 2012/13, from 3.0% in 2011/12. This is lower than the 5-year average of 3.1%.


1.1.3 Call centre responsiveness

Electricity retail suppliers reported mixed performance against the indicators of call centre responsiveness. As a result, the overall call abandonment rate increased from 5.1% in 2011/12 to 6.3% in 2012/13. Additionally, the overall percentage of calls answered by a human operator within 30 seconds declined from 69% in 2011/12 to 64% in 2012/13.

1.1.4 Customer complaints

The percentage of customers who complained to their electricity retail supplier about retail supply matters increased from 1.6% in 2011/12 to 2.8% in 2012/13. The majority of these complaints related to billing (49% of all complaints in 2012/13) and then 39% to ‘other’ complaints (ie, customer service, and procedural and policy issues). There was a 96% increase in complaints about ‘other matters’ during 2012/13. The rest of the complaints were due to marketing matters (11%).

There was also an increase in the percentage of calls to retailers’ customer service centres that were abandoned before being answered by an operator in NSW.

While there are a number of influences on the increases in the number of customer complaints including improvements to complaints handling and reporting systems, as well as external factors (ie. electricity price increases), IPART considers that most retail suppliers could benefit from improved customer service practices.

1.1.5 Security Deposits

As of 30 June 2013, EnergyAustralia advised that it will no longer be requesting security deposits from customers in NSW and is in the process of returning all existing security deposits to residential and non-residential customers.

No other electricity retail suppliers held security deposits as at 30 June 2013.


1.2 What does the rest of the paper cover?

The rest of this paper discusses our findings and analysis of electricity retail suppliers’ performance against the customer services indicators in more detail:

Section 2 outlines the structure of the NSW electricity retail market

Section 3 discusses our findings on disconnections for non-payment of bills

Section 4 focuses on the use of alternative payment methods

Section 5 discusses security deposits held by retail suppliers

Section 6 focuses on call centre responsiveness

Section 7 discusses customer complaints.

It is important to note the following when considering the data presented below:

Retail suppliers with small market shares have generally not been included in the figures. Due to the small size of their customer base, their reported statistics could be misleading. However, data for these retail suppliers can be found in Appendix A, which lists all reported data.

Where retail suppliers reported zero, or near zero for a customer service indicator, they have been omitted from the figures to simplify the presentation.

The information presented in the figures and tables of this report is data that has been reported to IPART by the electricity retail suppliers in NSW, which has been subject to IPART analysis.

2 NSW Retail Electricity Market

2.1 Structure of NSW retail market

As at 30 June 2013, the dominant retail suppliers in NSW retail electricity market were Origin Energy and EnergyAustralia, holding around 40% and 32% of the residential retail market respectively. They are followed by AGL Sales with 21% of the market. Smaller retail suppliers became more active in the NSW residential retail market in 2012/13, making up the remaining 7% of the residential retail market. This is an increase from 5% in 2011/12.

Similarly, NSW non-residential retail market is also in the large part supplied by Origin Energy and EnergyAustralia, which hold market shares of 40% and 34% respectively. AGL Sales and Powerdirect (a subsidiary of AGL) hold 24%. Smaller retail suppliers hold 3% of the non-residential retail market. This is an increase from 1% in 2011/12.


Figures 2.1 and 2.2 show the individual retail suppliers’ share of the residential and non-residential small retail customers in NSW. (See Appendix A for the full list of customer numbers.)

Figure 2.1 NSW residential customer numbers by retailer as at 30 June 2013

Note: Figure 2.1 adds up to 99%. The remaining 1% of the residential market in NSW is supplied by: Momentum Energy, Sanctuary Energy, Diamond Energy, GoEnergy, QEnergy, Powerdirect and Click Energy.

Figure 2.2 NSW non-residential customer numbers by retailer as at 30 June 2013

Note: Figure 2.2 does not include: ActewAGL, Powerdirect, Australian Power & Gas, Lumo Energy, Red Energy, Sanctuary Energy, Simply Energy, QEnergy and Click Energy. These retailers supplied 1% of the NSW non-residential market.


2.2 Changes in the retail electricity market

During 2012/13, 5 retail suppliers who were not previously supplying small retail customers entered the NSW small retail electricity market and as at 30 June 2013 together they supply 0.1% of the market. The share of the small retail electricity market supplied by new entrant retail suppliers2 increased to 5% from 4% in 2011/12.

In addition to marketing by new entrants, many of the retail suppliers continued conducting large marketing campaigns in 2012/13. This caused a 61% increase in the number of direct marketing contacts to small retail customers during 2012/13 as compared to 2011/12. This increase in activity may partly explain the increase in the number of customer complaints about marketing.

Energy prices have increased for the several years leading to 2012/13. This has led to an increase in media coverage, and greater public awareness of energy market issues and the competitive retail market. This may contribute to explaining the increase in the number of customer complaints.

2.3 Changes in the regulatory framework for energy retail suppliers

Historically the states and territories have been responsible for regulating retail energy licences. However, now that the National Energy Customer Framework (NECF) has been established the various state-based retail regimes are being transferred to a single national framework. Once a jurisdiction adopts the National Energy Retail Law and National Energy Retail Rules, the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) becomes responsible for licensing, compliance and enforcement activities.

This package of legislation was adopted in NSW in April 2013, enabling the commencement of NECF in NSW and the transfer of IPART’s licensing, compliance and enforcement activities in respect of energy retail suppliers to the AER on 1 July 2013. At the same time, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) and NSW Fair Trading continued to be responsible under the Australian Consumer Law for consumer protection matters.3

2 We define ‘new entrant retailer suppliers’ as retailer suppliers which entered the NSW small

retail electricity market from 2006/07 onwards. 3 Prior to 1 July 2013 IPART was also responsible for monitoring retailer compliance with

provisions under the Marketing Code of Conduct. Broadly speaking the Code provided for analogous consumer protection provisions regarding engaging in misleading, deceptive or unconscionable conduct when marketing.


3 Disconnections for non-payment of bills

Disconnections can be an indicator of affordability of electricity services. An increase in disconnections could be a reflection on the number of customers experiencing hardship. In addition to generally applicable requirements regarding disconnection, a number of measures relate to customer hardship charters, including requiring that retail suppliers:

Develop and implement a customer hardship charter to assist small retail customers experiencing financial difficulty to better manage their electricity bills on an ongoing basis.4

Not discontinue supply to a small retail customer experiencing financial difficulty for failure to make payment unless in the previous 12 months the supplier has twice offered the small retail customer assistance under a payment plan operated by the supplier.5

When implementing their customer hardship charter, waive any fee for late payment of a bill by a hardship customer.6

In addition, customer supply contracts must prohibit retail suppliers from disconnecting a customer for non-payment if the outstanding bill is less than $300 and the customer has agreed to pay the amount.7

Customers who are having difficulty paying their utility bills should contact their retailer. A customer experiencing financial difficulty is able to access their retailer’s hardship program which provides a number of services including flexible payment options, advice on available government concession programs, and how to access financial counselling services.

Retail suppliers can also refer hardship customers to the Energy Accounts Payable Assistance scheme (EAPA). The EAPA operates to provide short term relief to people experiencing financial stress, to ensure they remain connected to essential energy services.8

Table 3.1 shows the number of residential customers disconnected for non-payment of bills increased by 7% from 2011/12 to 2012/13. As a percentage of total residential customers in NSW, the rate of residential disconnections of 0.83% is higher than the 5-year average of 0.69%.

4 Clause 13AA(1), Electricity Supply (General) Regulation 2001 (ESGR 2001). Any reference to

legislation is to legislation that was in force immediately prior to 1 July 2013. 5 Clause 13A(3)(a)(ii), ESGR 2001. 6 Clause 13AA(4)(a), ESGR 2001 7 Schedule 1, Clause 7(2), ESGR 2001. 8 For further information see http://www.energy.nsw.gov.au/customers/help


Table 3.1 Total residential and non-residential disconnections for non-payment of electricity bills in NSW

2008/09 2009/10a 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13

Residential 18,168 15,835 18,561 23,207 24,888

As a % of residential customers 0.64 0.55 0.64 0.80 0.83

Non-residential 1,703 1,676 2,050 1,929 2,717

As a % of non-residential customers 0.54 0.53 0.65 0.61 0.85

a This is an adjusted figure. Electricity retail suppliers reported 15,595 disconnections in 2009/10. However, this figure did not include any disconnections by Jackgreen (International) Pty Limited. Our adjusted figure includes an estimate of Jackgreen’s residential disconnections.

Relevant to the statistics presented in the following sections, we note that the reported statistics of retail suppliers with smaller market shares can appear disproportionately larger when the actual number of customers affected is low. This can in part be due to their small customer base.

3.1 Disconnections of small residential retail customers

Figure 3.1 presents the disconnection rate by retailer. In 2012/13 the industry wide rate of disconnections increased due to a mixed performance of retail suppliers.

Figure 3.1 Disconnections as a percentage of residential customer base for non-payment of bills in NSW – by retail supplier

Note: Although supplying residential small retail customers since 2009/10, Lumo Energy reported no disconnections until the 2012/13 period.


Retail suppliers are required to provide additional statistics on disconnections affecting residential small retail customers to identify the number of these customers that:

were on payment plans prior to disconnection

received pensioner rebates

were disconnected at the same address on more than one occasion in the same year.

Table 3.2 shows the total number of residential small retail customers in these categories for the last 5 compliance years.

Table 3.2 Categories of residential small retail customers prior to disconnection

Type of Customer 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13

Number of residential small retail customers on payment plans prior to disconnection

5,363 4,554 6,901 8,688 5,728

Number of residential small retail customers receiving low income energy rebate prior to disconnection

2,659 2,245 3,429 5,064 6,421

Number of residential small retail customers disconnected more than once at same address

1,442 1,229 1,495 1,943 1,955

Note: Residential small retail customers may be in more than one of the categories detailed in Table 3.2.


3.2 Disconnections of non-residential small retail customers

Figure 3.2 shows the non-residential disconnection rate in 2012/13 has increased to 0.9% from 0.6% in 2011/12. This is higher than the 5-year average of 0.6%.

Figure 3.2 Percentage of non-residential small retail customers disconnected for non-payment of bills in NSW – by retail supplier

Note 1: Qenergy’s electricity retail supply licence was granted during 2012/13 and is the first period in which Qenergy has supplied non-residential small retail customers.

Note 2: Lumo Energy and Momentum Energy have been supplying non-residential small retail customers since 2009/10 and 2008/09 respectively. 2012/13 is the first year in which either retailer has reported disconnecting a non-residential small retail customer.

4 Use of alternative payment methods

Payment plans9 make it possible for customers who are experiencing financial difficulties to make payments by instalments, in advance or arrears, taking into account their consumption needs and capacity to pay.10 They enable customers to continue to receive supply by managing their energy bills better while at the same time assisting retail suppliers in reducing their disconnection rate.

In 2012/13, 95,886 residential customers were managing their electricity accounts using payment plans in NSW. This represents 3.2% of all NSW residential small retail customers and is consistent with the 5-year average of 3.4%.

9 ‘Payment plan’ is an arrangement between a retailer and a customer for the customer to pay

arrears and to continue usage on their account according to an agreed payment schedule and capacity to pay.

10 Clause 13A(2), ESGR.


Figure 4.1 shows that most retail suppliers increased the percentage of payment plan use on a per customer basis in NSW.

Figure 4.1 Percentage of NSW residential small retail customers using payment plans as at 30 June 2013 – by retail supplier

Centrepay is a free service that allows Centrelink clients to pay for essential living expenses such as electricity, gas, water and rent through a direct debit bill payment facility before their residual Centrelink payments are deposited into their bank account. This payment method assists Centrelink customers to manage and budget for their bills and thus avoid disconnection

Figure 4.2 shows that overall, the number of Centrelink’s Centrepay users in NSW decreased by 8% in 2012/13. As a percentage of the NSW residential small retail customer base, the use of Centrelink’s Centrepay has decreased to 2.7% in 2012/13 from 3.0% in 2011/12. This is consistent with the 5-year average of 3.1%.


Figure 4.2 Percentage of NSW residential small retail customers using Centrelink’s Centrepay – by retail supplier

5 Security deposits held

IPART’s current retail pricing determination sets the maximum amount for security deposits for small retail customers that are supplied under standard form customer supply contracts.11

As of 30 June 2013, the only electricity retailer in NSW to hold security deposits was EnergyAustralia. Only 0.3% of its residential small retail customer base and 0.5% of its non-residential small retail customer base had security deposits held by EnergyAustralia as at 30 June 2013.

During 2012/13 EnergyAustralia reported a 92% decrease in the number of residential and a 91% decrease in the number of non-residential customer’s security deposits that it held.

EnergyAustralia also reported that as part of its migration of customers to a new billing system it will no longer request security deposits from customers in NSW. As part of this process it has instructed Ausgrid, on behalf of EnergyAustralia to return all existing security deposits to residential and non-residential small retail customers.

Origin reported that during 2012/13 all security deposits including those held for customers who were previously Integral Energy or Country Energy customers were refunded or credited back to those customers.

11 IPART, NSW electricity regulated retail tariffs and charges 2013 to 2016, June 2013, Determination

No. 5, 2013, p 27.


6 Call centre responsiveness

All electricity retail suppliers’ customer supply contracts must provide for (as a guaranteed customer service standard) a telephone service that operates during business hours and is accessible for not more than the price of a local telephone call.12 This telephone service must be able to receive notice of, and give information about, customers’ bills and connections arranged by the retailer.

It should be noted that for some retail suppliers, call centres operate across both electricity and gas retail supply businesses. These retail suppliers have provided statistics on a combined electricity and gas basis. Individual energy type statistics cannot be provided due to limitations in their call centre reporting systems.

The retail suppliers affected by this issue have consistently reported their call centre statistics in this way, enabling IPART to make an accurate historical comparison about their performance.

Where calls are made to retail suppliers’ call centres to make a complaint and/or an enquiry, and where the calls are initially answered by an automated interactive voice response (IVR) system, retail suppliers are required to make provision for the caller to be transferred to a human operator. Where this is the case, data is collected on the number of calls answered within 30 seconds of the caller selecting the option to be transferred to a human operator.

6.1 Calls that were abandoned or dropped out before being answered by a human operator

Figure 6.1 shows about 6% of service calls made to retail suppliers’ call centres were abandoned or dropped out before being answered by a human operator. This is a small increase from 5% in 2011/12. Powerdirect and EnergyAustralia both had increases in their rate of call abandonment during 2012/13.

EnergyAustralia reported that its increase in the rate of call abandonment was a direct result of its implementation of a new customer care and billing system during 2012/13. Due to system latency and unexpected billing defects, the average call handling time increased which resulted in higher call volumes, longer call wait times and higher abandonment rates.

Powerdirect reported that it implemented a new telephony system during 2012/13. Migration to this system caused issues which adversely affected service performance. Powerdirect also reported that this was further exacerbated by an increase in its traditional customer base and staffing issues during 2012/13.

12 Established under Schedule 2, Part 2, clause 10(2) of the ESGR 2001.


Figure 6.1 Percentage of calls that were abandoned or dropped out before being answered by a human operator – by retail supplier

Note: Click Energy and Qenergy were both granted their electricity retail supplier licence during 2012/13 and this is the first period these retail suppliers have supplied small retail customers in NSW.


6.2 Calls answered by a human operator within 30 seconds

Figure 6.2 shows the percentage of calls that were answered by a human operator within 30 seconds. In 2012/13, 64% of calls to NSW retail suppliers’ call centres were answered by a human operator within 30 seconds, compared with 69% in 2011/12. This rate is consistent with the 5-year average of 65%.

Figure 6.2 Percentage of calls answered by a human operator within 30 seconds – by retail supplier

Note: Click Energy and Qenergy were both granted their electricity retail supplier licence during 2012/13 and this is the first period these retail suppliers have supplied small retail customers in NSW.

7 Customer Complaints

This performance measure is defined as the number of customers who have contacted their retailer to express dissatisfaction with some aspect of the service and seek a resolution. The indicator includes customer complaints to the retail suppliers about retailer supply matters and failure to observe procedures.


Table 7.1 shows the total number of customer complaints to retail suppliers about electricity retail supply matters in NSW.

Table 7.1 Number of small retail customer complaints about retail supply matters in NSW

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13

Number of complaints related to marketing

2,527 3,082 4,787 7,193 10,268

Number of complaints related to billing

6,296 10,248 17,980 25,482 45,156

Number of complaints about other matters

4,237 9,015 10,610 18,417 36,158

Total number of complaints 13,060 22,345 33,377 51,092 91,582

Total complaints as a percentage of customers

0.4% 0.7% 1.0% 1.6% 2.8

During 2012/13, the number of customer complaints about retail supply matters continued to increase. When expressed as a percentage of the total number of small retail customers in NSW it has risen to 2.8%, compared with 1.6% in 2011/12. Overall complaints to retail suppliers have risen by 79% since last year.

Billing continues to be the dominant concern for small retail customers, contributing to 49% of the total complaints reported to retail suppliers. The number of complaints about ‘other matters’ has also increased during 2012/13 (96%). Increased market awareness of energy price rises have contributed to the industry-wide increase in complaints. A number of retail suppliers have provided some context for the increase in complaints.

AGL reported that it deployed a project re-categorising complaints based on its customer lifecycle. Due to this initiative, AGL has reported that complaints are more accurately identified when customers call AGL’s contact centres. This has led to an increase in the number of recorded complaints by AGL. AGL also expects that the next phase of this initiative (being carried out in November 2013) will lead to further increases in the level of complaints.

APG reported that it updated its complaints handling system during 2012/13 which resulted in additional complaints being reported via its call centre than were previously being reported.

Dodo reported that when it adjusted its prices during 2012/13 following the network price increase, its level of complaints increased.


EnergyAustralia reported that it had experienced several billing issues which contributed to the increase in the number of delayed bills for NSW customers. This led to an increase in customer dissatisfaction and has driven an increase in the number of customer complaints to EnergyAustralia. EnergyAustralia further reported that remedial actions are underway to resolve these issues and that it expects to see a reduction in the number of customer complaints in 2013/14.

Dodo Power and Gas, Lumo Energy and Momentum Energy all reported a greater than 60% increase in the number of small retail customers supplied during 2012/13. Such increases can contribute to increased complaint levels.

Figure 7.1 shows customer complaints received by individual retail suppliers as a percentage of their total number of small retail customers.

Figure 7.1 Customer complaints as a percentage of retail suppliers total small retail customers – by retail supplier

Note: Dodo’s per customer rate of complaints was 19.6% in 2011/12 and 36.4% in 2012/13. The scale for the table has been capped at 15% to ensure the other retailers’ data is presented in a meaningful manner.


This finding is broadly consistent with EWON complaints data. There was an increase of 51% in EWON retail complaints during 2012/13. Billing issues were responsible for 40% of total EWON complaints during 2012/13. The next largest categories were transfers, customer service and credit issues which were each responsible for 17% of issues reported to EWON in 2012/13. Marketing complaints were responsible for 5% of issues reported to EWON during 2012/13. The number of direct marketing contacts made in the NSW electricity market increased by 60% over the same period.

Figure 7.2 charts the categories of complaints lodged with EWON as reported by EWON. While we use EWON statistics as a comparison to assess complaints data provided by the retail suppliers, please note that EWON categorises customer complaints differently from the data reported by the electricity retail suppliers.

Figure 7.2 Categories of issues reported to EWON 2012/13

a The ‘other’ category represents issues categorised as general, land, provision and supply.

Note: Categories of issues reported to EWON data is the total figure reported for NSW energy industry (electricity, gas and distribution).

Data source: EWON quarterly reporting to IPART 2012/13.


Appendices



A Retailer customer service performance 2008/09 to 2012/13

In Tables A2 through to A18 retail suppliers who ceased operation prior to 2012/13 are not listed. However, their figures are included in the industry totals for the years in which they operated.

Table A.1 Small retail customer numbers in NSW as at 30 June 2013

Electricity Retail Suppliers Residential Non-Residential

ActewAGL Retail Ltd 25,282 878

AGL Sales Pty Ltd 633,913 54,390

Powerdirect Pty Ltd 7,992 20,750

Origin Energy Electricity Limited 1,203,502 125,887

EnergyAustralia 947,750 106,998

Australian Power and Gas Pty Ltd 74,009 1

Lumo Energy (NSW) Pty Ltd 37,551 263

Momentum Energy Pty Limited 2,053 5,175

Red Energy Pty Ltd 34,414 1,571

Dodo Power and Gas Pty Ltd 15,942 -

Sanctuary Energy Pty Ltd 4,858 57

Simply Energy Pty Ltd - 88

Diamond Energy 3 -

GoEnergy 2 -

Qenergy 346 1,749

Click Energy 1,398 3

TOTAL 2,989,015 317,810

Note: The following retail suppliers are not included in Table A.1 because they have no residential or non-residential small retail customers: Aurora Energy Pty Ltd, Delta Electricity, AGL Sales (Queensland Electricty), EnergyAustralia Yallourn , Actew Energy Ltd, Cogent Energy Pty Ltd, ERM Power Retail Pty Ltd, Infigen Energy Markets Pty Ltd, Tarong Energy Corporation, Essential Energy, Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy, Stanwell Corporation Ltd, Sun Retail Pty Ltd, and Progressive Green Pty Ltd.


Table A.2 Percentage of residential small retail customers disconnected

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13

ActewAGL Retail Ltd 0.64% 0.51% 0.31% 0.77% 0.11%

AGL Sales Pty Ltd 1.06% 0.57% 0.82% 1.38% 1.72%

Aurora Energy Pty Ltd 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Powerdirect Pty Ltd 0.01% 0.11% 0.32% 0.25% 0.64%

Origin Energy Electricity Limited 0.55% 0.49% 0.73% 0.71% 0.55%

EnergyAustralia 0.62% 0.61% 0.47% 0.56% 0.57%

Australian Power and Gas Pty Ltd 6.51% 1.39% 0.18% 1.16% 1.49%

Lumo Energy (NSW) Pty Ltd 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.45%

Momentum Energy Pty Limited 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.29%

Red Energy Pty Ltd 0.00% 0.00% 0.73% 1.77% 1.53%

Dodo Power and Gas Pty Ltd 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.02%

Sanctuary Energy Pty Ltd 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.03% 0.04%

Simply Energy Pty Ltd 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Diamond Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

GoEnergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Qenergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.87%

Click Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Industry 0.64% 0.55% 0.64% 0.80% 0.83%

Table A.3 Percentage non-residential small retail customers disconnected

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13


AGL Sales Pty Ltd 1.08% 0.69% 0.98% 0.94% 2.15%











Diamond Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

GoEnergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Qenergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.63%

Click Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Industry 0.54% 0.53% 0.65% 0.61% 0.85%


Table A.4 Customers on payment plans prior to disconnection as percentage of residential small retail customers disconnected

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13


AGL Sales Pty Ltd 35.33% 32.46% 45.51% 36.83% 20.26%











Diamond Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

GoEnergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Qenergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Click Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Industry 29.52% 28.76% 37.18% 37.44% 23.02%

Table A.5 Residential customers receiving the low income energy rebate prior to disconnection as a percentage of residential customer disconnections

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13


AGL Sales Pty Ltd 12.16% 7.17% 12.18% 14.60% 25.85%











Diamond Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

GoEnergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Qenergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Click Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Industry 14.64% 14.18% 18.47% 21.82% 25.80%


Table A.6 Percentage of residential customers disconnected that were disconnected more than once in the same year at the same address

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13


AGL Sales Pty Ltd 8.35% 3.58% 7.45% 10.02% 11.48%











Diamond Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

GoEnergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Qenergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Click Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Industry 7.94% 7.76% 8.05% 8.37% 7.86%

Table A.7 Percentage residential small retail customers disconnected whose supply was reconnected at the same address

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13


AGL Sales Pty Ltd 17.45% 21.76% 45.75% 51.90% 46.25%











Diamond Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

GoEnergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Qenergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 33.33%

Click Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Industry 45.72% 53.89% 61.41% 59.38% 48.96%


Table A.8 Percentage non-residential small retail customers disconnected and reconnected at the same address

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13


AGL Sales Pty Ltd 3.53% 10.22% 14.02% 27.73% 25.11%











Diamond Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

GoEnergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Qenergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 9.09%

Click Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Industry 31.53% 44.33% 37.32% 26.70% 36.00%

Table A.9 Percentage residential small retail customers using instalment plans

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13


AGL Sales Pty Ltd 0.23% 0.80% 0.64% 0.75% 0.69%











Diamond Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

GoEnergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Qenergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Click Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Industry 3.32% 3.73% 3.48% 3.48% 3.21%


Table A.10 Percentage residential small retail customers using Centrelink’s Centrepay

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13


AGL Sales Pty Ltd 1.06% 1.56% 1.43% 1.37% 1.74%











Diamond Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

GoEnergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Qenergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Click Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Industry 2.72% 3.11% 3.90% 3.04% 2.73%

Table A.11 Percentage residential small retail customer security deposits held as at 30 June

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13


AGL Sales Pty Ltd 0.12% 1.47% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%











Diamond Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

GoEnergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Qenergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Click Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Industry 4.23% 4.04% 3.31% 1.88% 0.10%


Table A.12 Percentage of residential small retail customer security deposits held for longer than 12 months

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13


AGL Sales Pty Ltd 0.00% 0.81% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%











Diamond Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

GoEnergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Qenergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Click Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Industry 2.08% 1.97% 1.97% 1.27% 0.08%

Table A.13 Percentage of non-residential small retail customer security deposits held as at June 30

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13


AGL Sales Pty Ltd 0.00% 1.03% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%











Diamond Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

GoEnergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Qenergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Click Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Industry 11.62% 10.60% 10.67% 6.69% 0.18%


Table A.14 Percentage non-residential small retail customer security deposits held longer than 24 months

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13


AGL Sales Pty Ltd 0.00% 0.07% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%











Diamond Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

GoEnergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Qenergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Click Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Industry 4.82% 4.15% 4.32% 2.99% 0.09%

Table A.15 Percentage of calls abandoned or dropped out

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13


AGL Sales Pty Ltd 5.33% 10.38% 10.56% 3.76% 3.16%











Diamond Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

GoEnergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Qenergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 1.46%

Click Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 4.24%

Industry 5.74% 6.15% 4.82% 5.12% 6.34%


Table A.16 Percentage of calls answered by a human operator within 30 seconds

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13


AGL Sales Pty Ltd 71.24% 55.39% 36.71% 70.32% 70.14%











Diamond Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

GoEnergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Qenergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 89.02%

Click Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 58.61%

Industry 67.34% 62.32% 63.70% 68.53% 63.75%

Table A.17 Percentage of complaints from small retail customers about retail supply matters

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13


AGL Sales Pty Ltd 1.10% 2.56% 2.96% 3.30% 5.72%











Diamond Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

GoEnergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Qenergy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.48%

Click Energy 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.36%

Industry 0.42% 0.70% 1.03% 1.58% 2.77%


B Notes and Definitions

B.1 Customers

Customer means the person in whose name an electricity account is held under one supply contract.

Small retail customer means a customer whose electricity consumption in NSW is no more than 160 megawatt hours per annum.

Residential small retail customer means a small retail customer who uses their premises primarily for residential purposes.

Non-residential small retail customer means a small retail customer who uses their premises primarily for non-residential purposes.

The customer statistics collected here are used in conjunction with the other statistics in this schedule to derive operating measures (eg, percentages). The customer numbers are not published without the Licence Holder’s permission.

B.2 Telephone service for account inquiries

Only retail suppliers who supplied small retail customers during the period are asked to report on their telephone service for account inquiries.

The resulting measures that may be used in IPART’s performance report are:

Percentage of calls answered within 30 seconds.

Percentage of calls that dropped out or were abandoned by the caller.

These measures are based upon a guaranteed customer service standard established under clause 40 and Schedule 2, Part 2, clause 10(2) of the Electricity Supply (General) Regulation 2001. A supply contract between a retail supplier and a small retail customer must require a supplier to provide a telephone service that operates during business hours on which a person can be connected for not more than the price of a local telephone call and that can receive notice of, and give information concerning, customers’ bills and customer connection services arranged by the supplier. An automated answering service satisfies this requirement only if it makes provision for the transfer of calls to a human operator.


B.3 Supply discontinuance

Only retail suppliers who supplied small retail customers during the period are asked to report on supply discontinuances. Each instance that supply is discontinued for failing to pay an amount due to the licence holder must be reported, including discontinuing supply to vacant premises. For example, if a customer’s supply has been discontinued twice in the reporting year then 2 supply discontinuances must be reported.


Proportion of residential small retail customers whose supply was discontinued during the year for failing to pay an amount due.

Proportion of non-residential small retail customers whose supply was discontinued during the year for failing to pay an amount due.

Number and proportion of small retail customers whose supply was discontinued during the year at a prohibited time or on a prohibited day for failing to pay an amount due.

B.4 Supply re-continuance

Only retail suppliers who supplied small retail customers during the period are asked to report on supply re-continuances.


Proportion of residential small retail customers whose supply was re-continued in the same name after being discontinued during the year for failing to pay an amount due.

Proportion of non-residential small retail customers whose supply was re-continued in the same name after being discontinued for failing to pay an amount due.

B.5 Complaints

Only retail suppliers who supplied small retail customers during the period are asked to report on customer complaints.

Complaint means a written or verbal expression of dissatisfaction about an action, a proposed action, or a failure to act by a Licence Holder, its employees, agents or contractors. This includes failure by a Licence Holder to observe its published or agreed practices or procedures. It does not include a complaint made about the Licence Holder to any other body.


The complaint sub-categories (i.e., 'billing', ‘marketing’ and 'other matters') are to be reported using the Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON)’s methodology for allocating issues into categories.

Marketing has been added as a complaint sub-category from 2004/05. This data is collected to assist in monitoring the competitive retail market.

The following measures may be published by IPART are:

Proportion of residential small retail customers that complained about retail supply matters.

Proportion of non-residential small retail customers that complained about retail supply matters.

Percentage of complaints from residential small retail customers that were related to billing, marketing and other matters.

Percentage of complaints from non-residential small retail customers that were related to billing, marketing and other matters.

We will seek information from EWON on the number of small retail customers who took their complaint about a retailer’s service to EWON.

B.6 Security deposits

Only retail suppliers who supplied small retail customers during the period are asked to report on security deposits.


Percentage of residential small retail customers that lodged security deposits.

Percentage of non-residential small retail customers that lodged security deposits.

Average dollar value of security deposits held from residential small retail customers.

Average dollar value of security deposits held from non-residential small retail customers.

Number and percentage of security deposits held from residential and non-residential small retail customers that have been held for longer than 12 months and 24 months respectively.


B.7 Payment methods

Only retail suppliers who supplied small retail customers during the period are asked to report on payment methods.

Direct debits from a customer’s bank account are to include direct debits from any financial institution, including a customer’s credit card.


Percentage of residential small retail customers using direct debit arrangements to pay their bills.

Percentage of residential small retail customers paying off billing in arrears under an instalment payment plan.

Percentage of residential small retail customers using Centrelink’s Centrepay bill payment facility.

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Customer service performance of electricity retail suppliers€¦ · 2 NSW Retail Electricity Market 4 2.1 Structure of NSW retail market 4 ... in NSW, and of customers’ satisfaction