Call and screen recording - information and access 111-17081500

Call recording information is available via the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) message on inbound calls. Staff do not need to repeat this.

The message is:

'Calls to and from the agency may be recorded monitored or listened to for quality and coaching purposes. '

If a caller does not hear the above message or a third party enters the conversation, use the following script to inform the caller about call recording:

'Before we proceed with this call, I need to inform you that this call may be recorded or listened to for quality and coaching purposes.'

Minor variations that do not change the intent of the messaging are acceptable.

When the call is answered, the Service Officer must tell the customer or third party:

• their name
• that they are calling from Services Australia
• that the call will be recorded using the following script:
  'Before we proceed with this call, I need to inform you that this call may be recorded or listened to for quality and coaching purposes'.
  Minor variations that do not change the intent of the messaging are acceptable

Staff must read the call recording script before collecting or discussing any personal details. This includes when establishing proof of record ownership (PoRO).

This includes any of the following situations:

• if a third party joins the call
• when using the Assisted Outbound Call (AOC) function
• if a person who is not the intended customer answers the phone

If the Service Officer is not sure if it is the customer or intended third party, they should not say which Program they are calling from. The greeting remains as Services Australia. See more details at:

• Calling a customer or returning a customer’s call
• Privacy concerns when calling customers, returning calls or leaving messages on answering machines

If using the Cisco handset:

• the agent line must be the active line. The active line displays as a blue circle with a white handset on the screen of the Cisco handset. Note: if the agent line is not active, select the black button on the Cisco handset (on the left of the screen)
• use the agent line to make outbound calls using the handset. Note: when using the handset, Services Australia Workspace shows that the call is not recording

If using Services Australia Workspace:

• staff must use the Team Communicator function
• dial *0 at the start of the number being dialled. Note: Services Australia Workspace shows the call is not recording

When transferring work-related calls to a staff member's direct extension number, staff must use a *8 prefix to ensure the call is recorded. To use a *8 prefix for direct extension transfers:

• select either ‘instant call transfer’ or ‘start a consultation’ in Services Australia Workspace (softphone)
• use the PC keyboard to key *8, followed by the 6 digit extension number

Staff cannot stop a call recording.

Is an online option available for the caller to complete their enquiry?

• Yes. Tell the customer, 'Call recording helps the agency improve its quality of service to callers and cannot be stopped. If you do not wish to proceed with the call, you will need to complete your enquiry via online or digital services such as myGov'
• No. Tell the customer, 'Call recording helps the agency improve its quality of service to callers and cannot be stopped. The agency has strict access and storage processes in place to ensure your information is stored securely'

If the caller:

• does not end the call, staff should proceed with the call
• asks to speak to a manager, staff should:
• explain that the call is still recording
• warm transfer the call to a Team Leader
• record complaints about the issue based on their programmes approach
• requests to terminate the call but the officer needs to speak with them to make a decision and/or provide information, send a contact letter using pre-approved texts

Document the details of the customer interaction.

Customers can verbally ask for a copy of their interaction with the agency. This may include call and/or screen recordings.

If a customer requests screen recordings, explain that:

• only screens captured directly from the customer’s record are available for release. These are unlikely to add value to their request
• screens are captured on a random sample of calls. There is no guarantee that there will be a screen recording available

A customer:

• may include a representative with express or implied authority
• cannot request access to call recordings of a person they do not have express or implied authority for. Privacy and secrecy prevent this release. If the customer needs a formal response, help them to make a formal Freedom of Information (FOI) request

Can the call recording be provided through administrative release (Informal Release of Information)?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, help the customer make a formal FOI request. Procedure ends here

Call recording started in:

• major Centrelink Smart Centres on 21 August 2017
• Multicultural and Tailored Services from 16 October 2017
• Customer Compliance from 16 October 2017
• Medicare Public and Compensation Recovery sites on 4 December 2017
• Payment Assurance Operations from 17 December 2018

Screen recording started in:

• Service Delivery partner sites in March 2019
• other sites across the agency from 25 November 2019

Full site rollout details are available on the Verint Support Hub. See Resources page for a link to the hub.

Is the requested recording after the relevant date?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, tell the customer that this call was not recorded and the request cannot be fulfilled

Complete the Administrative Access (informal release of information) Call Recording Request (Centrelink and Medicare).

Do this while the customer is on the phone and discuss the form.

Tell the customer:

• their request may take up to 30 days to process
• they will get a letter with a password to access the CD first
• they will get the CD approximately 2-3 days after the letter
• call and screen recording will be separate files on the CD

Record details on a DOC.

For more information, see Customer requests access to their personal information.

Centrelink and Medicare staff can submit written requests to their Team Leader to review their own calls for learning and development. The Team Leader will locate the recording/s and both parties can review them in a coaching session.

Call recordings can be accessed to help resolve complaints and respond to feedback.

Leadership and support staff can request direct access to Verint to locate and access call recordings.

For further details on using call recordings for complaints, see:

• Managing complaints and feedback
• Level 2 complaints (CLK)(MED)

If there is insufficient information documented on a customer’s record, a call recording may affect the outcome of the review.

An Authorised Review Officer may request their Assistant Director to request a copy of a call recording.

Child Support Service Officers can submit written requests to their Team Leader to review their own calls for learning and development.

The Team Leader will:

• locate the recording/s:
• send the call link directly to the Service Officer to review, or
• review the call recording with the staff member
• send the Voice Recording Access Advice to the NCMS - Call Recording team for audit purposes

Line Manager access advice to be sent for all call/screen recordings.

Service Officers 3 and above can submit written requests to Team Leaders to retrieve calls for Level 1 Complaints (non-staff behaviour). Complete the Voice Recording Access Advice. Send the generated email to Team Leader

Team Leader will:

• locate the call recording
• review the call recording:
• with the escalating Service officer in a coaching session, or
• document the outcome and provide to the escalating Service officer to finalise the complaint
• send the Voice Recording Access Advice to the NCMS - Call Recording team for audit

Line Manager access advice to be sent for all call/screen recordings.

Part 6A Objections Officers (APS6) can access call recordings to resolve appeals and complete the Voice Recording Access Advice:

• locate the call recording
• send the Voice Recording Access Advice to the NCMS - Call Recording team for audit purposes

Access advice to be sent for all call/screen recordings.

General Objections Officers (APS4/5) can request a call directly from leadership in their teams (SSO/TL). Leadership can retrieve the call and/or screen recording and complete the Voice Recording Access Advice.

• Objection Officers request the call and screen recording directly from their Leadership team member (Team Leader or SSO)
• Leadership:
• locate the call
• send the Voice Recording Access Advice to the NCMS - Call Recording team for audit purposes, and
• cc in the requesting General Objections Officer. Note: this must include the link to the call in Verint

Access advice to be sent for all call/screen recordings.

Access is for specific leadership and or Child Support administrative roles as required:

• locate the call recording
• send the Voice Recording Access Advice to the NCMS - Call Recording team for audit purposes

Access advice to be sent for all call/screen recordings.

When the call recording is required to be provided to external Review and Liaison Officers:

• locate the call recording
• send the Voice Recording Access Advice to the NCMS - Call Recording team with a link to the specific call added
• the Call Recording Administrator must download as a .wav file and send in format requested via appropriate e-mail classifications

Access advice to be sent for all call/screen recordings.

Administrative Access (Informal Release of information)

Customers can verbally ask for a copy of their interaction with the agency. This may include call and/or screen recordings.

If a customer requests screen recordings, explain:

• only screens captured directly from the customer’s record are available for release. These are unlikely to add value to their request
• screens are captured as a random sample of calls. There is no guarantee that there will be a screen recording available

A customer:

• may include a representative with express or implied authority
• cannot request access to call recordings of a person they do not have express or implied authority for. Privacy and secrecy prevent this release. If the customer needs a formal response, help them to make a formal Freedom of Information (FOI) request.

When a caller asks for a copy of the recording:

• discuss the reason for the request and determine if there is another way to help
• explain that requests do not have a review. When a technical issue prevents the release of the recording, the customer needs to lodge a formal FOI request
• the request can take up to 28 days to process. Large requests may need the customer to lodge a formal FOI request

The Service Officer:

• completes the 'Informal Release of Call Recording Request Macro'. Multiple calls can be requested on the one Macro/Form:
• select the ‘Create Email to Team Leader’ button and forward the submission to the Team Leader/APS6
• select the ‘Create document for Cuba’ button to create an ‘FOI Request’ intray
• paste the Word document in the intray. This will go to the Team Leader/APS6 and the due date is 28 days
• complete the Freedom of Information screen in Cuba and paste the Word document into the ‘Freedom of Information’ notepad

The Team Leader/APS6 listening to the call decides if the customer needs this request and will tell the Service Officer. The Service Officer will let the customer know and explain the application process.

Approved for release

The ASP6/Team Leader:

• completes the Informal Release of Information Call Recording Request macro. Include the link to the call in the e-mail generated. To get call links from Verint:
• select the email icon to receive the call link from Verint
• copy the link from the Verint email into the Macro email
• forwards this to the NCMS - Call Recording team via email

All requests must be made by day 21 of the 28 day process

The Call Recording team:

• sends the encrypted CD that has the calls
• send acknowledgment letters containing the encrypted CD password to the caller (after recording them in Cuba)
• email the Team Leader/APS6 to advise when this has occurred

The Service Officer updates Cuba and deletes the FOI intray.

Centrelink and Medicare call recording/s can be provided to:

• the Commonwealth Ombudsman, Police and Administrative Review Tribunal (ART):
• by copying the call and/or screen recordings onto an encrypted CD
• contact details are on the Resources page
• the Intelligence and Investigations Branch. Staff must follow branch procedures for using call recordings in investigations
• other external parties who have express or implied authority. Note: other external parties cannot access call recordings of a person they do not have express or implied authority for. Privacy and secrecy prevent this release. They can make a formal Freedom of Information (FOI) request

Child Support call recording/s can be provided to:

• the Commonwealth Ombudsman and police by copying the call and/or screen recordings onto an encrypted CD
• Freedom of Information (FOI) Requests:
• FOI Officers may need to provide copies of call recordings to callers as part of an FOI request
• the FOI Officer will contact a Child Support Single Point of Contact officer who will process the request with the Call Recording Administrator and create an encrypted CD for the caller

See Customer requests access to their personal information.

Recording of Child Support calls were in the NICE system until 31 October 2013. Migration into Verint means these calls are available.

Access to Verint is provided where there is a genuine business need:

• staff need approval before accessing call recordings
• email any queries about access to the NCMS - Call Recording team

Note: call recordings are only stored for 7 years.

See the Resources page for the User Guide.