Introduction
In the present competitive scenario, excellence in customer service is the most important tool for sustained business growth. Customer complaints are part of the business life of any corporate entity. This is more so for service organizations where customer service and customer satisfaction should be the prime concern of any organization. We believe that providing prompt and efficient service is essential not only to attract new customers, but also to retain existing ones. This policy document aims at minimizing instances of customer complaints and grievances through proper service delivery and review mechanism and to ensure prompt redressal of customer complaints and grievances. The review mechanism should help in identifying shortcomings in service delivery. Our policy on grievance redressal follows the under noted principles:
- Customers be treated fairly at all times.
- Complaints raised by customers are dealt with courtesy and on time.
- Customers are fully informed of avenues to escalate their complaints/grievances within the organization and their rights to alternative remedy, if they are not fully satisfied with the response of the company to their complaints.
- The company will treat all complaints efficiently and fairly.
- The company employees must work in good faith and without prejudice to the interests of the customer.
Internal mechanism to handle Customer complaints/ grievances
Operations Manager is responsible for the resolution of complaints/grievances in respect of customer’s service. She would be responsible for ensuring closure of all complaints received by the delivery team. It is her foremost duty to see that the complaint should be resolved completely to the customer’s satisfaction and if the customer is not satisfied, then s/he should be provided with alternate avenues to escalate the issue. If the Operations manager feels that it is not possible at her level to solve the problem the matter would be escalated to appropriate higher authority as laid down in the internal guidelines. The company would have in place a system driven escalation process, if the complaint remains unresolved beyond the turn around time at any particular stage.
Complaint received should be analyzed from all possible angles. Specific turn around times would be set up for handling complaints and disposing them at all levels. Time frame for resolution of complaints would be documented for internal tracking and monitoring.
Communication of company’s stand on any issue to the customer is a vital requirement. Complaints received which would require some time for examination of issues involved should invariably be acknowledged promptly.
Interaction with customers
The company recognizes that customer’s expectation/requirement/grievances can be better appreciated through personal interaction with customers by company’s staff. Periodic customer interaction will give a message to the customers that the company cares for them and values their feed back/suggestions for improvement in customer service. Many of the complaints arise on account of lack of awareness among customers about the company’s services and such interactions will help the customers appreciate the services better. As for the company, the feedback from customers would be valuable input for revising its services to meet customer requirements. The company would also facilitate for providing customer feedback on the company’s website.
Sensitizing operating staff on handling complaints
Staff should be made aware of the complaints handling and properly trained for handling complaints. We are dealing with people and hence difference of opinion and areas of friction can arise. It would be the responsibility of the senior management to ensure that internal machinery for handling complaints / grievances operates smoothly and efficiently at all levels.