COMPLAINTS HANDLING PROCEDURE
THE AGENCY BIRMINGHAM PRIDES ITSELF ON PUTTING ITS CUSTOMERS NEEDS FIRST. THE COMPANY RECOGNISES THE VALUE OF COMPLAINTS AS AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR MONITORING AND RESPONDING TO CLIENT, EMPLOYEE AND VISITOR EXPECTATIONS. IN ORDER TO ASSIST THE COMPANY TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY, ALL FORMS OF COMPLAINT NEED TO BE DOCUMENTED AND ASSESSED AS PART OF AN ONGOING PROCEDURE.
AIMS OF THE POLICY
TO RECOGNISE, PROMOTE AND PROTECT THE CUSTOMER, EMPLOYEES AND VISITORS RIGHTS TO COMPLAIN
TO ENSURE AN ASSESSABLE AND WELL-PUBLISHED COMPLAINT PROCEDURE IS IN PLACE
RECOGNISE THE NEED TO BE FAIR TO BOTH THE COMPLAINANT AND THE PERSON/S COMPLAINED ABOUT
PROVIDE A MECHANISM FOR RESPONDING TO COMPLAINTS IN A TIMELY, COURTEOUS AND OBJECTIVE MANNER
DETERMINE AND IMPLEMENT REMEDIES
RECORD, ASSESS AND REVIEW COMPLAINTS ON A REGULAR BASIS TO ENSURE RESPONSIBLE AND ONGOING COMMITMENT TO SERVICE IMPROVEMENT.
PROCEDURE
1. COMPLAINTS MAY BE MADE IN WRITING, BY EMAIL OR BY TELEPHONE, OR IN ANY OTHER FORM IN RESPECT OF A CLAIMS MANAGEMENT SERVICE THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED AND THAT IS REGULATED UNDER THE COMPENSATION ACT 2006.
2. THE AGENCY BIRMINGHAM RESERVE THE RIGHT TO DECLINE TO CONSIDER A COMPLAINT THAT IS MADE MORE THAN 6 MONTHS AFTER YOU BECAME AWARE OF THE CAUSE OF THE COMPLAINT. THERE MAY BE INSTANCES WHERE THE AGENCY BIRMINGHAM WILL WAIVE THIS REQUIREMENT AT OUR DISCRETION. WE WILL CONFIRM TO YOU IN WRITING IF A COMPLAINT HAS BEEN MADE OUTSIDE OF THE TIME LIMIT THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO CONSIDER.
3. WE WILL SEND YOU A WRITTEN OR ELECTRONIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF A COMPLAINT WITHIN THREE WORKING DAYS OF RECEIPT. THIS WILL CLEARLY IDENTIFY THE PERSON WHO WILL BE HANDLING YOUR COMPLAINT FOR THE BUSINESS. WHEREVER POSSIBLE, THAT PERSON WILL NOT HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE MATTER WHICH IS THE SUBJECT OF THE COMPLAINT, AND WILL ALSO HAVE AUTHORITY TO SETTLE THE COMPLAINT.
4. WITHIN FOUR WEEKS OF RECEIVING YOUR COMPLAINT, WE WILL SEND YOU EITHER
a. A FINAL RESPONSE WHICH ADEQUATELY ADDRESSES THE COMPLAINT; OR
b. A HOLDING RESPONSE, WHICH WILL EXPLAIN WHY WE ARE NOT YET IN A POSITION TO RESOLVE THE COMPLAINT AND ALSO INDICATES WHEN WE INTEND TO CONTACT YOU FURTHER.
5. WITHIN EIGHT WEEKS OF RECEIVING A COMPLAINT, WE WILL SEND YOU EITHER
a. A FINAL RESPONSE WHICH ADEQUATELY ADDRESSES THE COMPLAINT; OR
b. A RESPONSE WHICH
i. EXPLAINS WHY WE ARE STILL NOT IN A POSITION TO MAKE A FINAL RESPONSE, GIVING REASONS FOR THE FURTHER DELAY AND INDICATING WHEN WE EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A FINAL RESPONSE; AND
ii. INFORMS YOU THAT YOU MAY REFER THE HANDLING OF THE COMPLAINT TO THE CLAIMS MANAGEMENT REGULATOR IF YOU ARE DISSATISFIED WITH THE DELAY
6. WHERE WE DECIDE THAT REDRESS IS APPROPRIATE, WE WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH FAIR COMPENSATION FOR ANY ACTS OR OMISSIONS FOR WHICH WE ARE RESPONSIBLE AND WILL COMPLY WITH ANY OFFER OF REDRESS WHICH YOU ACCEPT. APPROPRIATE REDRESS WILL NOT ALWAYS INVOLVE FINANCIAL REDRESS.
7. IF YOU ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH OUR RESPONSE, OR IF A COMPLAINT IS NOT RESOLVED AFTER EIGHT WEEKS, YOU MAY REFER THE COMPLAINT TO:
CLAIMS MANAGEMENT REGULATOR
PO BOX 7825
BURTON UPON TRENT
STAFFORDSHIRE
DE14 9DP
INFO@CLAIMSREGULATION.GOV.UK
TEL: 0845 405 6858
8. THE REGULATOR CAN REVIEW THE HANDLING OF THE COMPLAINT AND CAN GIVE A DIRECTION ON FURTHER HANDLING OF THE COMPLAINT. HOWEVER, HE CANNOT DETERMINE A COMPLAINT OR AWARD COMPENSATION.
9. IF WE DO NOT HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN 14 DAYS OF RECEIVING OUR RESPONSE, WE WILL ASSUME THAT YOUR COMPLAINT HAS BEEN RESOLVED AND YOUR FILE WILL BE REFERRED BACK TO THE RELEVANT DEPARTMENT. IF YOU DO NOT FEEL THAT YOUR COMPLAINT HAS BEEN RESOLVED SATISFACTORILY THEN PLEASE WRITE A LETTER TO EXPLAIN WHY AND ASK FOR A FURTHER REVIEW.
IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT YOU EVER NEED TO MAKE A COMPLAINT, YOU CAN DO SO IN WRITING TO:
COMPLAINTS MANAGER
THE AGENCY BIRMINGHAM
654 HOLLY LANE
ERDIJGTON
BIRMINGHAM
B24 9PD
BY EMAIL TO: COMPLAINTS@THEAGENCY.GB.COM
BY TELEPHONE TO: 0121 384 3311