This Policy is designed to provide guidance as to the manner in which complaints towards MAST and its employees are received and handled.
Complaints Handling Policy
Introduction
Objective of the Complaints Handling Policy
MAST seeks to maintain its reputation for delivering high quality professional services. MAST is also committed to maintaining its transparency and responsiveness to the needs and concerns of our clients and the public.
This Policy is designed to provide guidance to the manner in which complaints towards MAST and its employees are received and handled.
The objective of this Policy is to minimise damage to MAST’s reputation and reduce the risk of litigation by resolving complaints from customers or prospects in a timely, efficient, effective, consistent and professional manner.
Any person or organisation (the complainant) who is dissatisfied or concerned with a product or procedure provided by MAST, or the performance, behaviour and conduct of MAST staff for any reason, may contact MAST to complain. A complaint may be oral or written. At times, complaints can be by way of negative feedback, which may not require a resolution or formal follow-up. While this type of feedback is valuable, the Policy does not apply to feedback of this nature.
Guiding principles of effective complaints handling
Accessibility
MAST Complaints Handling Policy is readily accessible to all employees via TKO and clients via the MAST website. The Policy is easy to understand and includes details on making and resolving complaints.
Responsiveness
Receipt of each complaint is acknowledged to the complainant within 7 working days and will be handled in an efficient and effective manner. Complainants will be handled courteously and kept informed on the progress of their complaint throughout the complaint handling process. Complainants must be referred to MAST’s Complaints Handling Policy.
Objectivity
Each complaint is addressed in an equitable, objective and unbiased manner throughout the complaints handling process.
Confidentiality
Personally identifiable information concerning the complainant is actively protected from disclosure unless the complainant expressly consents to its disclosure.
Completeness
All available information/evidence has been collected from both sides.
Customer-focused
All MAST employees, including the CEO, General Managers and Board members, are committed to efficient and fair resolution of complaints. MAST will actively solicit feedback from our clients on a regular basis and acknowledge a client’s right to complain.
Accountability
All MAST employees accept responsibility for effective complaints handling. The CEO will ensure that, where appropriate, issues raised in the complaints handling process are reflected in employee performance evaluation.
Sensitivity
Each case is to be considered on its merits, paying due care to individual differences and needs.
Person responsible
The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for the application of this Policy, and to review this Policy on a regular basis to ensure that it continues to comply with industry laws, regulations, guidelines and best practices. The Chief Executive Officer is also responsible to communicate this Policy to all employees, senior managers and Board members of MAST.
Recording complaints
All complaints made, whether verbal or written, will be recorded at the time the complaint is made, or as soon as possible afterwards and customers will receive an acknowledgement letter of receipt of their complaint within 7 working days. The complaint should be recorded by the staff member who took the details and emailed to the appropriate General Manager and the email will also be required to be recorded in Content Manager (CM). The record should show:
- Date of complaint;
- Complainant’s name;
- Nature of the complaint and the circumstances;
- Name of the person who is the subject of the complaint; and
- The date and conclusions of the decision rendered in connection with the complaint.
The CM record must be retained for a period of seven years following the resolution date.
Customers’ personal details or details of their complaint will not be divulged to third parties unless MAST has their written consent.
Recorded complaints will also be monitored for any ongoing trends by management and efforts made to resolve any ongoing issues.
Responding to complaints
All people making a complaint will be treated with courtesy and complaints are to be handled in a timely, effective, fair and consistent manner.
Where possible, complaints will be resolved at the first point of contact. If the complaint cannot be resolved immediately the customer will be given an appropriate timeframe and MAST will strive to resolve all complaints within 4 weeks.
Informing customers of progress
Customers will be regularly kept informed of the progress of their complaint, especially if there are any delays or changes due to circumstances beyond MAST’s control.
Customers will be informed of any changes to our products or procedures as a result of their complaint.
Where appropriate, customers who have had a complaint resolved will be contacted at a later date to see if they are happy with how their complaint was handled.
Escalation of complaints
If a complaint cannot be resolved by the usual complaint process (through the General Manager of the relevant area), the customer can request an internal review.
The internal review is to be conducted by the CEO and the customer informed of an amended timeframe for resolution.
On commencement of the internal review the complainant must be given the opportunity to provide further information.
Once the CEO has reviewed all the information provided, the CEO must advise the complainant of the final decision with supporting reasons.
If MAST cannot resolve the complaint to the customer’s satisfaction, they are to be informed how and where they can take further action eg the Ombudsman, Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading or through the Integrity Commission.