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Code of Conduct

This code is intended to state publicly how we will act in the conduct of our business.  We value our customer relationships highly and will endeavour to do everything possible to ensure that our customers are delighted with the services that we provide.

4Com’s Mission Statement is, “To be a company that becomes a benchmark for all competitors by providing total satisfaction to our customers and building an environment in which people are encouraged to grow, participate and share in the rewards.”

About 4Com

4Com specialises in providing, installing and maintaining digital telephone systems in addition to discounted line rentals and call rates to customers. With its headquarters in Bournemouth, the company employs nearly 500 staff in sales, marketing, technical and administrative roles.

Established in 1999 with the aim of improving the communications services of the UK’s SME market, 4Com has grown considerably and consistently since then, having installed over 15,900 business phone systems across the UK, with this number continuing to increase.

After many successful years of partnerships with Siemens and Samsung Communications, 4Com became an accredited premium reseller for HiHi, an innovative cloud-based VoIP system, which helps to revolutionise the way businesses in the UK communicate.

About this code

This Code of Conduct has been written in response to General Condition C4 (GC C4) of Ofcom’s General Conditions of Entitlement and is the relevant condition for complaints handling and dispute resolution as set out in section 52 of the Communications Act 2003.

Under GC C4.2 communications providers must have and comply with procedures that conform to the Ofcom Approved Complaints Code when handling complaints made by domestic and small business customers. A copy of the Ofcom Approved Complaints Code is set out in the annex to GC C4.

Under General Condition C4.3, providers are obliged to be a member of, and comply with, an approved alternative dispute resolution (‘ADR’) scheme.

The processes described in this document are in constant review to ensure best practice by 4Com’s employees, thereby ensuring corporate responsibility, quality assurance and satisfaction amongst our developing customer base.

Our Services

  • Supply of telephone equipment including telephone systems, handsets and mobile telephones.
  • Installation and maintenance of telephone equipment and systems.
  • On site and remote technical support.
  • Line rental and provision of access to communications networks for the routing of the telephone calls.
  • Supply of non-geographic telephone numbers.
  • Broadband services.
  • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) solutions.
  • Provision of computer software and hardware for managing telephone communications systems such as Voice Recording, On-Hold Marketing, Call Management systems and Voicemail systems.
  • Provision and set up of Computer Telephony Integration (CTI).

Pricing

Our equipment pricing is dependent on a variety of factors including:

  • Number of extensions
  • Period of lease
  • Quantity and nature of additional equipment
  • Whether installation, maintenance, line rental or call routing etc is included.

Cancellation of Services

Customers are entitled to cancel services in writing at any time. If this is prior to completion of the agreed contract period, early termination charges will apply, calculated in accordance with the terms set out in individual contracts. Detailed advice can be obtained on 0330 444 4444.

Equipment Warranty

All Siemens, Samsung and HiHi telephone equipment is supplied with a 12 month warranty. If this equipment is faulty, it will be replaced free of charge within the first twelve months following installation. Equipment supplied from other manufacturers will be sold with a warranty period equivalent to that offered by the manufacturer.

All customers are given the opportunity to sign a Support contract for their telephone equipment. This gives an extended warranty and covers all charges for faulty equipment replacement and engineering charges during the term of the contract.

Support and Repairs

Technical enquiries are logged upon receipt of a telephone call, email, or via our web site.  Depending on complexity they may be dealt with upon first contact or placed in a queue to be dealt with by call-back in order of priority.

The level of service offered and response times are constantly monitored to ensure that customers receive a prompt, efficient and professional response to all enquiries.  During office hours, we aim to consistently achieve an initial response to all technical problems within an hour of notification.

Access to Services

4Com predominantly relies on proactive telemarketing calls coupled with digital marketing to arrange appointments for sales representatives. The company has also experienced great success with a referral scheme whereby existing customers recommend associate businesses that would benefit from our services.

Customers can discover more information regarding the range of services available from 4Com, including our full list of terms and conditions, on our website www.4com.co.uk.

Complaint Handling Process

The 4Com Complaint Handling Process ensures that any complaints are rigorously examined and their validity established. Corrective actions can then be assigned as necessary to prevent similar instances from occurring and to provide a better service to the client.

The complaints procedure applies to any activities that are suggested by a customer to be of an unsatisfactory standard. Any complaint received from a customer concerning the actions taken by 4Com shall be entered into our database and, if it cannot be resolved at departmental level, will be escalated to a member of our Customer Services Team.

The Customer Services Team member will discuss the complaint with the customer and liaise with the head of the department concerned and fully investigate the claims made. Activity on the account may be suspended pending investigation and response to the complaint. The Customer Service team member and the head of the department concerned will investigate and implement corrective action as required.

The management of complaints is monitored to ensure that all cases are handled within a suitable time period and that a satisfactory resolution with the client is reached. All actions taken in investigation and resolving customer complaints are recorded on the customer database. All correspondence is stored on file.

In the event that we are unable to resolve a complaint to our mutual satisfaction we actively refer the complaint to Ombudsman Services. Equally, if 8 weeks have passed since logging your complaint and there is yet to be a satisfactory resolve, an ADR letter will be issued by 4Com enabling you to log a case with the Ombudsman.

It’s important to note that in accordance with the Financial Conduct Authority’s Dispute Resolution Complaints Forwarding rules 1.7, complaints made to the funder of the Lease Agreement but which refer to the equipment or selling of the equipment will be referred to the supplier so that it may be dealt with in accordance with their internal complaint handling procedures.

If you do wish to raise a complaint with regards to the equipment or any aspect surrounding the sales process, please refer to 4Com’s complaints procedure.

Analysis of the complaints can identify if subsequent complaints relate to areas that should have been addressed by previous corrective actions. Instances where complaints still arise after corrective action has been implemented are reported to the Board of Directors.

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Procedure

If the complainant remains dissatisfied with our response we will encourage the complainant to contact the telecommunications dispute resolution organisation, Ombudsman Services, for an independent assessment and assistance with obtaining a satisfactory resolution of the matter.

Contact details for the Ombudsman Services are as follows.

Name: Communications Ombudsman
Website: www.commsombudsman.org
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0330 440 1614 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm, and Saturday, 9am to 1pm)
Post:
Communications Ombudsman
P.O. Box 730
Warrington, WA4 6WU

Compensations or Refunds

Where it is apparent that we have overcharged a customer in error we will issue an immediate refund upon customer request. The full extent of our liability for direct or indirect costs, loss of profit or goodwill is clearly set out in the contract documentation which is signed by every customer at point of sale. Customers should refer to their Order Form terms and conditions for further details.

In the event of a billing error, we will immediately investigate upon notification by our customer and if appropriate, will rectify the error on the next invoice. Full itemisation of call charges is available at an additional cost.

Annual Support contract charges are invoiced prior to each anniversary of contract commencement. Payment must be made prior to the annual renewal date in order to ensure service continuity.

Other invoices are despatched as and when other services are provided. Except by prior arrangement, these are payable upon completion of the work to which the charges relate. We endeavour to ensure that invoices provide a clear explanation of the nature of the charges and due date.

Customer Rights

We aim to ensure that the terms and conditions under which we trade are clearly communicated to our customers at point of sale. We always provide customers with a copy of all contractual documentation that they have signed at the time of sale.

We maintain a database of customer information. We comply with all aspects of the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018).  Customers may request a copy of the information that we hold about their business.

4Com often acts as an introducer to financial intermediaries in order to assist with their telephone equipment purchases. We are committed to ensuring that the companies with whom we work fully comply with the provisions of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 as well as maintaining our own Consumer Credit Licence.

Communication with Customers

We value regular communication with our customers and wish to receive feedback about the quality of our service as well as suggestions as to how we can improve our service or offer alternative products and services that our customers would value.

We are happy to receive feedback by telephone call, letter or via e‐mail. Appropriate contact details can be found on the “Contact” page of our website at www.4com.co.uk.

Rather than sit back and wait for our customers to contact us, we pro-actively seek to speak to our customers. We have a dedicated customer service team who regularly contact all of our customers to ensure that they are happy with the services that they are receiving and to see if there are any matters which they would wish to bring to our attention. We believe that this pro‐activity ensures that we have an improved understanding of our customers’ requirements and can constantly work to ensure that we are providing the service that they need.

When contacting new customers, 4Com is committed to fully complying with the TPS scheme, which allows companies and individuals to opt out of receiving unsolicited telephone calls. All telephone calls both inbound and outbound are recorded for quality monitoring and staff training.

4Com strives to be compliant with all regulatory requirements for its industry.  By training and monitoring our people, auditing and updating our policies and processes so that they reflect current regulations, we consistently ensure we are fully compliant.

Distribution of this Code

This code will be distributed internally within 4Com via the company intranet and within new staff training material.

The code will be made available to the public externally free of charge via our website www.4com.co.uk in text form or downloadable PDF file.

Contact Details

Company Name: 4Com Technologies Ltd

Registered Office:
4Com Technologies Ltd, One Lansdowne Plaza, 24 Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, BH1 3NE

Tel: 0330 444 4444
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.4com.co.uk

Customer Service Contact Number
Tel: 01202 592344
Email: [email protected]