Watchdog informed of energy telemarketers’ hard-sell tactics

AGGRESSIVE telemarketers pester energy customers with as many as four phone calls an hour to pressure them into switching retailers.

Victoria’s energy ombudsman has reported householder concerns about underhanded sales techniques to the nation’s consumer watchdog.

Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria Cynthia Gebert said some agents working on behalf of some smaller electricity and gas retailers had resorted to rogue methods.

Distressed customers have complained of being badgered with excessive calls, and being tricked into changing retailers without proper consent.

Gripes have included being contacted four times an hour; mobile phone harassment after landline calls; and ig- nored ‘do not call’ requests.

Others have cited doorknockers giving misleading information, and trouble trying to cancel transfers within contract cooling-off periods.

“Our recent casework has highlighted several systemic issues related to energy marketing practices,” Ms Gebert said.

“The issues have arisen in both door-to-door and telephone sales, with customers complaining of misleading and high-pressure sales tactics and transfer of their account to a different energy retailer without their consent.”

Several sales agents have already been sacked or retrained as a result of investigations.

Ms Gebert has written to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission regarding concerns.

EWOV handled 576 trans- fer without consent cases last financial year — up 88 per cent on the previous year.

Marketing cases, which typically relate to misleading or pressure sales, climbed 10 per cent to 573.

News Corp recently revealed how door-to-door sales pests preying on elderly Victorians had been trained to look out for “roses, ramps and rails” at homes.

While the industry says un- scrupulous behaviour is limited, critics of doorknocking and telemarketing sales argue staff desperate to earn commissions can be tempted to stoop to dodgy tactics.

Energy giants Origin, EnergyAustralia and AGL abandoned door-to-door marketing five years ago.

The ACCC has previously taken legal action over unethical doorknockers, leading to millions of dollars in penalties.