3.3 Customer Relations and Services

PSC is committed to ensuring the delivery of the highest quality and comprehensive services to its customers. The Company consistently listens to customer feedback and suggestions and seeks to improve the content and quality of customer service through various measures, aiming to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.

3.3.1 Customer Service

To provide its customers with the best services, PSC offers a customer service hotline and tollfree phone lines for customers to reach out to us. We also have the Customer Service Center that handles phone calls, email responses, text-based customer service, and a message board, offering various communication channels for customers. In 2023, to provide enhanced services for disadvantaged groups, a new dedicated senior hotline was introduced, through which senior customers can use voice prompts to directly talk to a specialist. The Customer Service Center also handles customer complaints through dedicated personnel and a hotline. A complaint tracking system is in place, and in 2023, new standards for senior customers were introduced, with system reminders to prioritize the handling of these complaints, ensuring fair customer treatment for all.

Furthermore, the Company's customer service hours have been extended to 8:00 PM, allowing customers to contact service staff after work for immediate resolution of system-related inquiries and assistance with online account opening procedures. This thoughtful service approach has received widespread praise. In 2023, the total number of incoming customer service calls was 55,822, with 51,311 answered, resulting in a connection rate of 91.92%. The breakdown of inquiry categories and their respective proportions were as follows: consultation services (39.42%), system troubleshooting (31.46%), trading assistance (CA certificates, passwords) (29.00%), and customer complaints (0.12%).

According to the ratio of customer consultation items in recent years, it can be seen that the PSC service quality is excellent in the industry. Our customer service personnel are stable and skilled and their professional skills can also be reflected in the service quality. In recent years, the adoption of TeamViewer to serve clients remotely has allowed us to accurately judge and solve their relevant issues in real time; as such, the customer stickiness has continued to increase. In the future, we will focus on the adoption of automated assistance systems to improve the existing service process and quality, thereby allowing customer service personnel to enhance their professional skills and better cater to customer needs when addressing customer inquiries.

TeamViewer

TeamViewer is a system software to support remote operations, different platforms, and online collaboration. In response to the government's policy of Finance 3.0, we have vigorously promoted the electronic order placing service, with the electronic trading amount accounting for 77% of the Company's total transaction amount in 2023. More than half of clients place orders electronically. During the trading process, clients who are not good at using electronic products tend to have many problems using the service. After the customer service personnel answer a call, they fail to solve the problem as they cannot see what really happened or clients cannot describe their issue clearly.

With TeamViewer, when a client has a problem, the customer service personnel can directly control their computer remotely to quickly solve core the computer problem directly without a need for communication. In addition to TeamViewer, we use Anydesk to assist clients remotely. In 2023, we assisted a total of 2,498 clients remotely in troubleshooting problems, such as system or software failures, through different remote programs, while guiding them to the system through simultaneous connections, to achieve clear and smooth communication.

Intelligent Customer Service and Online Service with Real Customer Service Representatives

To align with the evolving landscape of technology, customers can now utilize their mobile devices through various channels such as the Company's official website, Facebook page, LINE official account, and the E-Investment app to access text-based customer service, which can seamlessly connect them to real customer service representatives for inquiries.

In response to customer needs, the Company designed the interface of text-based customer service with user-friendliness in mind for customers of all age groups. Customers can communicate with customer service representatives using features like stickers or screenshots, enabling communication scenarios that were not possible through traditional phone-based interactions. In the future, the Company is committed to integrating digital technology with customer service to offer more diverse and customer-centric service models.

Customer Service Satisfaction Survey

and continuously make progress. The Company regularly conducts customer satisfaction surveys, covering areas such as trading certificates, password unlocking, system operations, order placement, and account issues. Customers are encouraged to provide feedback and suggestions based on their actual experience and needs, enabling the Company to address shortcomings and incorporate customer opinions in a timely manner for consistent service quality improvement. Since May 2023, the satisfaction survey has been conducted through a systembased approach. After a customer’s call with a customer service representative, the feedback is transferred to the satisfaction survey system for rating, based on customer willingness. The feedback collected from customers is used as a reference for future service enhancements. In this year’s survey, a total of 1,927 customer satisfaction responses were collected, with an average satisfaction score of 99.25, reflecting the Company’s friendly and considerate customer service that meets actual customer needs.

 

Over-the-Counter Customer Satisfaction Survey

After customers use the e-service platform for basic information updates over the counter, the Company will send a satisfaction survey link via email on the next business day upon completion of the update. This survey aims to gather feedback and improve the service quality of over-thecounter personnel.

 

Mystery Client Phone Etiquette Testing

To maintain the service quality of our personnel, the responsible unit sends personnel to randomly perform phone etiquette tests on the front-line service personnel of each branch and the head office from time to time. The test report is submitted to the top-level manager of the responsible unit, and the test results are discussed on a case-by-case basis in the national managerial meeting. We commend employees with excellent performance and conduct an internal review of units with lower scores to maintain service quality.。

3.3.2 Listening to Customer Feedback

 

Goodwill Interviews with Customers

In compliance with the competent authority’s policies, we proactively engaged in goodwill interviews with our customers in 2023, to learn about their needs and carry out in-depth investigations on brokerage trading. We made a total of 1,804 phone calls to prevent and reduce our sales personnel’s non-compliance behaviors. We also reminded investors of matters to be noted during these calls. Through goodwill interviews, the Company learns about customers’ suggestions for securities specialists or the Company, or services to be further optimized. While promoting the competent authority’s policies, we also learn about customers’ needs so that we can continuously seek improvement.

 

Smooth Customer Complaint Communication Channel

In accordance with the Financial Consumer Protection Act, we formulated the Consumer Dispute Response Regulations of President Securities Corporation. Once we receive a complaint, the client complaint contact point will file a case to launch the process to communicate, coordinate, respond to, review, and close the case, while storing the data and following up on the case. The customer service center records the entire complaint handling process to protect clients’ rights and interests. In 2023, there were a total of 21 consumer dispute cases. Among them, seven cases were ruled inadmissible by the Financial Ombudsman Institution, and two cases were withdrawn by the customers. The remaining 12 valid cases were all handled in accordance with the regulations of the Financial Ombudsman Institution and were resolved within 30 days.

3.3.3 Treating Customers Fairly

 

Policy Formulation

PSC attaches great significance to the rights of financial consumers and the implementation of the treating customers fairly (TCF) principles. The Company has established a policy and strategies for fair customer treatment, accountability system implementation guidelines, and a responsible framework for fair customer treatment. The relevant rules and regulations are regularly updated and amended in accordance with changes in the industry and legal environment to ensure that the treating customers fairly principles remain at the core of the Company’s culture, making it a shared value system and code of conduct throughout the organization.

 

Responsible framework

PSC’s policy and strategy for fair customer treatment clearly state that the Board of Directors and the President is responsible for overseeing and promoting these efforts. A cross-departmental Fair Customer Treatment Team is in place, with the President serving as the convener. The team members include the heads or top executives of relevant departments. Task assignments are based on the Company's ten TCF principles, with the highest-ranking officers from the Compliance Division, Management Department, Brokerage Department, and Clearing Department responsible for the overall implementation and execution of the principles across the organization.

 

Responsibilities

The team members, comprising department heads or top executives from relevant units, are responsible for planning and implementing the TCF principles. They oversee potential areas within each department that may violate the principles and propose concrete solutions and response measures. These are reported and reviewed during the quarterly team meetings, where improvement plans are presented. The specific content of each principle is implemented in accordance with the Treating Customers Fairly Principles for the Securities and Futures Industry stipulated by financial service regulations, as well as industry-specific legal norms. Responsibility for each principle is assigned to the corresponding departments, based on relevant business regulations and internal policies. The highest-ranking officer in each department is responsible for managing and supervising compliance with these principles within their respective areas.

 

Promotion and Implementation

The Fair Customer Treatment Team holds quarterly team meetings chaired by the President. Each task group reports on the current status of their work and the effectiveness of their initiatives. The team presents a quarterly report of the implementation of TCF principles to the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors for discussion, ensuring proper oversight and effective execution of the principles. The Company also conducts an annual TCF principles self-assessment. Relevant departments evaluate their performance based on the assessment indicators of the ten principles. After the task groups review the content and scores, a second review is conducted by the Compliance Division and the Audit Office. The self-assessment results are then submitted to the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors for discussion.

 

Education and Training

To ensure the protection of financial consumers and adherence to the TCF principles, PSC conducts regular training courses on financial consumer protection and the TCF principles for all employees every year. Through the "Practice Sharing Newsletter" and the "Fair Customer Treatment Advocacy Section" on the intranet, the Company promotes the principles of fair customer treatment with a focus on experience sharing related to rectifying cases of violations of these principles. Through PSC’s digital learning platform, employees are provided with videos, articles, and quizzes to reinforce the awareness of common issues related to TCF principles, the implementation of considerate care for the elderly, and the Company’s financial-friendly service environment.

 

Implementation Result

Investment Fraud Prevention

In 2023, the Company held a series of anti-fraud activities and a lucky draw under the theme, Stay Away from the Crisis of Fraud. The focus was on avoiding financial fraud and refusing to be a victim. Through educational videos, the campaign promoted awareness of common fraud tactics and the “Five Don'ts” to Avoid Fraud: (1) Don’t answer calls from strangers, (2) Don’t click unknown links, (3) Don’t listen to unsolicited investment tips, (4) Don’t take random threats seriously, and (5) Don’t share personal information. These efforts are in alignment with the TCF principles and the Company’s duty of care to protect investors.

 

Employee Proposal Campaign

To effectively promote the TCF principles and integrate them into the organizational culture, the Company held an employee proposal campaign in 2023, encouraging employees to propose creative activities based on the TCF principles targeted at either customers or internal employees. A total of eight proposals were submitted, and after a thorough review, two were selected as final references for optimizing fair customer treatment practices in 2024, and the employees who submitted the proposals received a reward.

Elderly Customer Service

In addition to the Company’s "Guidelines for Financial Services for Elderly Customers" established to enhance services for senior clients, we conduct quarterly check-ins with elderly customers, especially those aged 65 and above, to verify their contact information, such as phone numbers or email addresses. If duplicated information is found, the Company conducts a due diligence visit to ensure the elderly customers’ well-being and reminds them to be aware of fraud risks. In 2023, a total of 586 visits were conducted, effectively preventing the improper use of senior customers' accounts by others. Moreover, a dedicated hotline for elderly customers is available, with trained specialists providing comprehensive services.

 

Friendly Financial Services Section

To implement financial digitization and provide a user-friendly online environment, PSC has established the PSC Financial Friendly Services Zone in accordance with the website accessibility guidelines of the National Communications Commission (NCC). This initiative aims to reduce difficulties that users may encounter when using online applications, making it more convenient for customers to access online services and thereby vitalizing financial services. In 2021, we introduced senior-friendly features, allowing users to adjust font sizes according to their needs, thereby improving readability. In addition, the section has consistently maintained the "Level A" certification for web accessibility standards from the National Communications Commission (NCC).

 

Creating A Barrier-Free Environment

To provide a convenient environment for elderly or disabled customers, in 2023, all branch account opening counters across Taiwan were equipped with tablets, reading glasses, and magnifying glasses as assistive tools for customer use. These measures were implemented to improve the readability of relevant documents and to create an accessible service environment.