CHG406 | Defining and recording a complaint: Recognising Complaints

To help you make informed decisions on defining and recognising complaints, always consider if it is otherwise clear from the customer’s contact with us that they are unhappy with the way we have handled their affairs and they have contacted us about this matter previously.

Similarly, if the issue was not “resolved at initial contact” and requires further consideration. It should be a complaint.

These indicate that the issue should be treated as a complaint and we will follow our complaints process (See CHG315). Complaints we record this way are those that meet our definition and provide the basis of our reporting.

You must use your judgement: some customers resent being told that they are making a complaint when that was not their intention. Don’t be afraid to define an issue as a complaint. Complaints data can give you early warning that something is not going as smoothly as expected. It offers the opportunity to fix things before they escalate and become a major problem.