Customer Care
Client Information
- What you need to do
- How we respond to queries and calls
- What to do in an emergency
- When you're in touch with the Contact Centre
- Initial Visit
- When bringing the service to you, at your home, we will
- Pendants
- The care of your Lifeline Unit
- Testing your Lifeline Unit
- Faults
- Power Supply
- Account information
- Keyholders
- Change of information
- Going away
- Extra Services
What you need to do
- ensure your Lifeline telephone unit is plugged into the telephone socket and electrical point at all times.
- test your unit regularly - at least once a month - by pressing your pendant and coming through to the Contact Centre. This not only checks that your Lifeline is working correctly but ensures that you are used to all of the noises your unit makes and are confident about how it will operate in the event of an emergency.
How we respond to queries and calls
- we answer calls within six rings, give our first names and greet you in a clear and friendly manner
- we are happy to deal with any query you may have and respond to all enquiries quickly and efficiently
- we acknowledge letters and e-mails within three working days of receipt and reply in full within a further ten working days
What to do in an emergency
- if an emergency situation occurs -- for instance, feeling unwell or falling down -- press the button on the pendant you wear or on your Lifeline telephone
- you will be connected to the Lifeline Contact Centre and the Operators will know who you are. Stay calm and explain the problem as carefully as possible. In this way we get the correct help to you more quickly
- if you need urgent assistance - please try to call out 'HELP'. Remember, we will know who the call has come from even if you cannot hear us
- if you can smell burning or suspect a fire, call out 'FIRE' and leave the property if possible
- WHATEVER HAPPENS WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU
When you're in touch with the Contact Centre
When you make an alarm call, you will be talking to one of the operators in the Contact Centre who will have your details on a computer screen in front of them. They are there to listen, to help, offer advice and reassurance, or they may call for appropriate assistance.
If you are asking the operators to call a doctor for you, please give them all of your symptoms so that we can pass them on to the surgery.
The operators are in the Contact Centre to take your calls 24 hours a day every day of the year.
Initial Visit
The Customer Visiting Officer will visit you when you first come onto the service to discuss what equipment is most suitable for your needs and to make sure that you are completely confident in its use.
When bringing the service to you, at your home, we will
- never call on you without first making an appointment (except when responding to an emergency call from you)
- always carry an identity card and show it to you without being asked
- make appointments which are timely and convenient for you, and make every effort to keep them
- contact you at regular intervals if you have not activated your Lifeline telephone for a period of time in order to test that it is operational
- maintain your Lifeline Unit and replace it if the need arises
two hours of the fault being reported
Pendants
- at night, take your pendant off and leave it by your bed - so that it is within easy reach in the event of a problem during the night
- unless you have the 'Amie' type pendant, they are not waterproof so please don't put it in water or wear it in the bath or shower, but keep it close at hand
- Important: the pendant is not a microphone - you cannot speak into it. It is a trigger which activates the Lifeline Unit. Take your pendant off when going out and put it back 'on' as soon as you come home.
- everybody can occasionally press their pendant by mistake. Please do not worry when this happens, just let the operators know that it pleased to hear from you.
The care of your Lifeline Unit
- your Lifeline will work for many years if looked after and kept clean
- the telephone has an internal battery which will operate for some 30 hours if there is a power cut, so you will still be connected to Lifeline in the event of an emergency
- please do not use liquids to clean your Lifeline Unit. A damp cloth, or polish on a duster will keep your unit in good order
- the units are fairly robust but may be damaged if dropped and may not work properly as a result. Please note: it is important to ensure that your Lifeline Un it is covered under your Home Contents insurance policy as a charge will be made if the unit and/or pendant are lost or damaged beyond repair
- IF YOU ARE IN ANY DOUBT WHETHER YOUR LIFELINE IS WORKING PROPERLY: CONTACT WEL ON 01323 644422
- Your Lifeline Unit has a microphone and speaker. If you are in the same room as the unit, or close by, the Operator will be able to hear you quite clearly. You should be able to hear them speaking to you without being next to the telephone. If you are unable to hear us, we will still know who the call has come from, so we will be able to get help to you
Testing your Lifeline Unit
It is important to test your pendant at least once a month. The best time to test is in the afternoon or on Sunday when we are generally quieter. Simply press your pendant and tell the Operator that you are testing your Lifeline.
Faults
If your Lifeline develops a fault, please call the Contact Centre as soon as possible on 01323 644422 and let the Operator know the details of the problem. You may need to use another telephone or ask a friend or neighbour to contact us on your behalf.
We can do a series of tests, including checking your line with your telecom provider, but if we cannot resolve the problem, one of our Customer Visiting Officers will come out and change your Lifeline for you.
The Lifeline works on a telephone line. If there is a fault on the actual line, your unit will not work properly until the fault is repaired.
Power Supply
It is important that your Lifeline is plugged into an electric socket and telephone point at all times. The red emergency button on the unit will glow if there is power getting to the unit.
In the event of a power failure your Lifeline will continue to work. There is a rechargeable battery inside the unit that takes over and supplies power for up to 30 hours. If the power cut lasts for more than one hour, the Lifeline Unit will automatically dial the Contact Centre and the Operator will check that you do not need any assistance. Obviously, we will try not to disturb you during the night.
Account information
You will receive an annual invoice for the Lifeline charges which can be paid by the following methods:
- monthly by direct debit
- one annual payment by direct debit, cheque or cash
- two six-monthly payments due 1st April and 1st October by direct debit, cheque or cash
- accounts can be paid by a third party, i.e. relative or solicitor
- a one-off installation charge is payable with your first account
Keyholders
We will ask you to supply the names, addresses and telephone numbers of at least two trusted friends or neighbours who live close by and are willing to be keyholders. If a problem occurs, one of the keyholders will be asked by us to go to your home and admit the doctor or emergency services. Alternatively, if we receive a call from your Lifeline Unit but receive no reply when we call, we may ask a keyholder to pop round and check that you are all right. We do NOT ask them to give first aid or lift you if you have fallen.
Change of information
Please inform the Contact Centre as soon as possible if circumstances change:
- new doctor
- different keyholders
- address of next of kin
- telephone number
- medical information
Going away
If you are going away or into hospital, please let us know the dates. This is for your security. When you come home, please press your pendant and let us know that you have returned by testing your unit. There is no need to unplug both the electric and telephone sockets.
Extra Services
Keysafes: can be fitted to the outside of a property to securely store a key. The details of location and the code to access the key will be held at the Contact Centre.
In the event of an emergency, should your keyholders be unavailable, the code and location of the keysafe may be issued to an authorised person in order to give them immediate access and provide assistance. A keysafe reduces time necessary to get in and avoids a forced entry by the emergency services.