Our commitment
We are committed to listening to our customers’ comments and complaints regarding our services and facilities with the aim of resolving any issues as well as improving the quality of our service.
We will show this commitment by ensuring our complaints process is:
- Easy to access and understand, clear and simple to use
- Responsive to the reasonable needs of complainants
- Prompt and keeping people informed of progress, especially when investigations take longer than expected
- Fair, with an opportunity for a full and impartial investigation
- Proportionate to the matters complained about
- Informative, by using lessons learnt from complaints to improve services and by reviewing the results of such changes.
- Reviewed by the Managing Director on an annual basis
When we respond to complaints, customers can expect us to:
- Take their concerns seriously
- Identify the staff member responsible for dealing with the complaint at each stage of the procedure
- Be factually correct
- Deal with their complaint promptly
- Avoid jargon
- Answer all their points of concern
- Provide reasons for the decision reached on a complaint
- Explain the next steps available if the customer is still dissatisfied
Our complaints process will be:
- Frank, open and impartial, avoiding any bias in favour of any party
- Thorough, finding out the relevant facts, taking views from people involved on both sides of the complaint and verifying explanations where possible
- Equitable, treating people in similar circumstances in similar ways
- Non-discriminatory, those who make a complaint can be assured that they will not be subjected to discrimination or retaliation as a result of complaining
Who does this policy apply to?
The policy applies to all those we serve or have dealings with.
What is a complaint?
We define a complaint as an expression of dissatisfaction with our service, no matter how expressed and whether justified or not, that requires a response or further action on the part of our company.
How can our customers comment or complain?
We welcome views on our service and will respond to comments and complaints. Complaints should be made in writing and backed by all supporting documentation and sent to info@au-ltd.co.uk
Our aim is to resolve a complaint as soon as we are aware of them, and this means that the member of staff who first deals with a complaint is responsible for resolving the problem personally, if it is within their area of responsibility, ensuring that the General Manager is kept fully informed for monitoring and recording purposes. If the complaint is passed to another member of staff, then that member of staff accepts responsibility for the investigation and conclusion of the complaint.
Should the customer not feel the complaint is resolved then the complaint will be passed to the General Manager for investigation.
If a complaint remains unresolved after 8 weeks or has reached deadlock, then the customer has a right to use Ombudsman Services
Ombudsman Services are impartial and free to use – follow this link
Ombudsman Services can be contacted as follow:
Post: Ombudsman Services:
Energy, P.O. Box 966,
Warrington, WA4 9DF
Phone: 0330 440 1624
Email: enquiry@ombudsman-services.org
Receiving a complaint
After raising a complaint, you should allow 2 weeks for the complaint to be investigated.
For more difficult complaints that may require input from multiple people and/or companies then this may be extended to 8 weeks. You will be kept informed periodically throughout any investigation and in all cases of the outcome. The complaint response will explain how to take matters forward if the complainant is dissatisfied.
Confidentiality
We respect the need for confidentiality when a complaint is made, both for the complainant and for members of staff who have a complaint made against them. We aim to investigate complaints with sensitivity, preserve confidentiality, and to share information only when it is a necessary part of the investigation. When storing and sharing customer data, we will act at all times in accordance with our Data Protection policy.
Staff training
Receiving and responding to comments and complaints about our service is an integral part of providing great service. We will train our staff in our complaints procedures and ensure they understand the value of comments and complaints, so that they can carry out their roles and responsibilities with confidence.
Policy for dealing with unreasonably persistent enquiries
Our staff will treat people in a courteous, fair and proportionate manner and we expect similar courtesy and reasonable behaviour in return. Very occasionally, we will refuse to respond to a complaint. This will only happen if the person making the complaint is insulting or abusive towards our staff or if they refuse to accept that their complaint has been dealt with despite a thorough investigation on our part. We will only do this where it is absolutely necessary, and we will write to the person concerned to explain why we believe this to be the case.
