Complaints and Feedback Policy
Introduction
Gen Leads values the feedback received from all clients, families, and business stakeholders. Through robust policy and procedure development, Gen Leads intends to utilise all opportunities available to identify areas for improvement and share positive client and stakeholder feedback and experiences.
Purpose
The purpose of the Complaints and Feedback Policy and Procedure is to provide all clients, employees and stakeholders of Gen Leads the opportunity to make complaints and offer feedback to the Company. The Complaints and Feedback Policy and Procedure includes clear guidelines on the complaint making process and how the organisation will investigate and resolve complaints.
Scope
The Complaints and Feedback Policy includes all details for making complaints, the investigation and resolution process and the way the information will be shared and used by Gen Leads to both correct and improve services. Complaints are accepted from all clients and other stakeholders.
This policy does not include the internal complaints process where an employee may have a grievance with the organisation. This policy can be found in the Employee Code of Conduct.
Complaint
A statement made by a client, visitor or stakeholder of the organisation that something is unsatisfactory or unacceptable.
Complaint management
The process of managing the complaint when complaints are received to the organisation from a unsatisfied client.
Feedback
Information gathered from clients, visitors and stakeholders of the business that provides the organisation with information that may be used for growth and improvement.
Privacy Act 1988
Australian law which regulates the way personal information about individuals is handled including the collection, use, storage and disclosure of that information.
Policy Content
It is the policy of Gen Leads to have a clear and transparent complaints process in place for clients, employees and other stakeholders of the organisation. It is the responsibility of the Managing Director and all staff to ensure that the policy is followed and all complaints are dealt with in a respectful and fair manner.
The Managing Director will be responsible for the investigation, resolution and documentation of all complaints received by the organisation.
Gen Leads will ensure the following points are adhered to:
- Information about how to make a complaint is readily available to all clients, and stakeholders of the business.
- All Gen Leads employees will be trained in the complaint procedure through their initial induction into the organisation and in ongoing updates through staff meetings and professional development. Gen Leads will ensure that complaints policy and procedure training is a regular part of staff meetings.
- Any person wishing to make a complaint will be given the necessary information. All employees of the organisation will be able to provide the relevant information to the client on request.
- Complaints may be made, in writing.
- Complaints may be made anonymously and will treated in the same way as any other complaint.
- Any person wishing to make a complaint will be offered support and assistance to make the complaint. Gen Leads will ensure that an external person is available to assist the client in making the complaint if the person prefers.
- All people involved or impacted in any complaint will be kept informed as to the progress of the complaint investigation and the resolution process.
- Gen Leads will ensure that all people making a complaint are treated with fairness and respect. Information will be shared with them openly and no adverse action will be taken against any complainant.
- All complaints will be acknowledged when they are made.
- All complaints will be dealt with in a respectful and timely manner.
- All information contained within a complaint will be kept confidential and will only be disclosed if required by law or other appropriate circumstances, such as if required to resolve the complaint.
- Where a complainant wishes to escalate their complaint, Gen Leads will provide support and assistance to the complainant.
- Gen Leads will maintain all complaint records for a period of 7 years. Gen Leads will ensure that all complaint details are collated in order to demonstrate improvement and how the complaint data is used for the betterment of service delivery and the organisation as a whole. Where there is a repeated complaint issue, the organisation will investigate the best way to mitigate the complaint and resolve the issue.
- Feedback/Compliments
It is policy of Gen Leads to collect feedback from clients, and stakeholders of the business. This feedback can be obtained either verbally, via survey forms or in a written testimonial.
All feedback and compliments will be recorded. Feedback will be collated and used as a tool for improvement and growth as well as a way to positively reinforce practices and services.
Procedure
The following procedure will be followed when a complaint is made:
- Listen to the client completely and do not interrupt them. Everyone needs to be heard.
- Acknowledge the client concern by expressing your understanding of the problem. This helps the client understand that they have been heard correctly.
- Apologise sincerely for the client’s dissatisfaction and let them know that you want to help them receive a favourable outcome.
- Record the details of the complaint or provide the Complaint Form to the client to complete.
- The Managing Director will investigate the complaint and notify those involved or impacted of progress.
- The Complaint is resolved and information is shared with the complainant and those involved or impacted by the complaint.
- The complaint is recorded in the appropriate register and if appropriate, added to the agenda for the next staff meeting for discussion around further resolutions and improvements.
Policy Review Statement
This policy will be reviewed every 12 months as a part of the ongoing review and continuous improvement of all of the organisations policies and procedures. In the case where changes to legislation and regulations that may impact this policy, a review will be carried out within 30 days of the change to legislation, regulation or other legislative requirements.