Customer feedback is important and we welcome and encourage our customer’s comments, compliments, and complaints.
We have the utmost confidence in our employees and our product, but if things do go wrong, then we need to have an effective system in place to handle complaints. By encouraging our customers to tell us when they are not satisfied, we have an opportunity to help them achieve an improved outcome and we can continually improve our processes.
1.0 Aims and Objectives
This Customer Complaint Policy aims to:
Provide a framework for Bloom Hearing Specialist employees to work with when handling Complaints from Customers
• Ensure consistency within the Bloom Hearing Specialist in handling and resolving Complaints from Customers and
• Support our commitment to provide quality products, services, and customer service.
The bloom Hearing Specialist defines the term complaint as an expression of dissatisfaction or grievance made to any employee within the group by a Customer or member of the public with any product, service or conduct of ours.
Our objective is to resolve the vast majority of inquiries and complaints during the customer’s first call/interaction. Our Hearing Care Coordinators have the training and authority to deal with most of the problems or inquiries, which customers may have “on the spot”. Senior Management will stand behind agreements reached with customers by our Hearing Care Coordinators.
It may not always be possible to resolve a complaint on the first call, for example, because records have to be reviewed or inquiries made. Our objective is that complaints that cannot be resolved during the first call will be resolved within time frames agreed with the customer.
We are committed to continuous improvement of our customer service delivery. We recognise the opportunity afforded us to improve when a customer or member of the general public lodges a complaint.
2.0 Lodgement of Complaints
All Bloom Hearing Specialist employees are charged with the responsibility to provide reasonable information and assistance to ensure that complaints are lodged effectively using our Customer Relationship system.
Providing customers with easy access and a point of contact to lodge a complaint is a fundamental element of our overall complaint policy. Complaints may be lodged by:
• Customer Feedback web form
• Phone: 1800 554 968
• Email: info@bloomhearing.com.au
• Post: Suite G.03, Ground Floor, 191-197 Salmon Street, Port Melbourne VIC 3207, Australia
Complaints will be acknowledged, and customers will be advised of a reference number that can be used to identify the progress of their complaint within 3 business days.
3.0 Review of Policy
The Customer Complaint Policy is available for all staff and customers to view and download from the bloom Hearing Specialist website.
This Policy will be reviewed and monitored on a regular basis to ensure it remains current and practical to bloom Hearing Specialists.
Complaints Procedure
MAKING A COMPLAINT
A person wishing to make a complaint may do so in writing or verbally to:
• the staff member they were dealing with at the time unless you are making a complaint
about this person
• the Regional Manager, Retail Operations Manager, General Manager of Retail
• the Chief Executive Officer, or
• via Customer Feedback form
Phone on 1800 554 968
Email to info@bloomhearing.com.au
Post: Suite G.03, Ground Floor, 191-197 Salmon Street, Port Melbourne VIC 3207, Australia
If the complaint is about:
• a product or service delivered by bloom Hearing Specialists, then the complaint will normally be dealt with by the relevant manager
• a staff member, then the complaint will normally be dealt with by the relevant manager
• a senior staff member, the complaint will normally be dealt with by the CEO
PROCEDURE FOR COMPLAINTS MANAGEMENT
The person managing the complaint will be responsible for:
1. Registering the complaint:
• registering the complaint in the bloom Hearing complaints register
• informing the complainant that their complaint has been received and providing them with information about the process and time frame within 3 business days
2. Investigating the complaint:
• examining the complaint within 5 working days of the complaint being received
• informing the complainant by letter within 10 working days of the complaint being received of what is being done to investigate and resolve it, and the expected timeframe for resolution.
As far as possible, complaints or appeals will be investigated and resolved within 20 working days of being received. If this time frame cannot be met, the complainant will be informed of the reasons why and of the amended time frame for resolution.
3. Resolving the complaint:
• making a decision or referring to the appropriate people for a decision within 20 working days of the complaint being received
• Informing the complainant of the outcome and any options for further action if required
4. What if I am unhappy with the resolution?
• If you are not happy with the outcomes of a complaint, you may be able to lodge a complaint with the Ombudsman in your state. The Ombudsman’s office will determine if it has the power to investigate your complaint.
RECORD KEEPING
A register of complaints will be kept by bloom Hearing. The register will be maintained by the Retail Operations Manager and will record the following for each complaint:
• Details of the complainant and the nature of the complaint
• Date lodged
• Action taken
• Date of resolution and reason for the decision
• Indication of complainant being notified of outcome
• Complainant response and any further action
Copies of all correspondence and other materials received by bloom hearing in connection with any complaints will be kept for 7 years.
The complaints register and files will be confidential and access is restricted to the Sales Directors, the RBMs and the MD.