COMPLAINT RESOLUTION POLICY & PROCEDURE
Policy Statement
Olympic Peninsula Title Company (OPT) is committed to providing a professional, fair, efficient, courteous and helpful service to the public and a key aspect for achieving this is to promptly investigate and, where possible, resolve complaints about its service to the satisfaction of the customer.
Dealing with complaints effectively and efficiently is a core element of OPT’s customer service and reflects OPT’s commitment to service excellence.
OPT’s Complaint Policy & Procedure will be posted on the Company website for easy access by consumers.
Scope
This policy applies to the handling of all formal complaints submitted to OPT. For the purposes of this policy, a complaint is defined as any expression of dissatisfaction about the service/s provided by the OPT and/or about the professional conduct of OPT staff.
Examples of the types of complaints are (do not have an exhaustive list):
• Poor service or failure to meet promise/commitment
• A failure to follow policies, procedures or written instructions
• Mistakes/Errors by OPT personnel
• Unreasonable delay caused by OPT
• Wrong or misleading information provided to consumer
(NOTE: OPT is NEVER to provide legal advice!)
• A failure to provide explanations or give reasons for decisions
• Discrimination of any kind, inconsistency or lack of objectivity
• Inappropriate staff behavior, discourtesy, disrespect or rudeness
Purpose:
It is the policy of OPT to provide a complaint resolution procedure that is timely and responsive to consumers of our services.
• The compliant procedure will be timely and accessible to the consumer.
• All employees will welcome complaints with the understanding that our goal is satisfied customers.
• Where possible, all OPT staff should endeavor to resolve complaints at the first point of contact or knowledge of the complaint.
• Customers who remain dissatisfied after speaking to an OPT Employee should be offered the option of being transferred to an OPT department Manager. If the Manager is unavailable to take the call and/or the consumer would prefer to write in to complain, the OPT Employee should provide the consumer with the company address details (email and/or postal address) and should direct the consumer to OPT’s website where OPT’s Complaint Policy is posted.
• OPT will always endeavor to respond to consumer complaints using the consumers preferred mode of communication. Where this is not specified, OPT will usually respond using the same mode of communication as the complainant has used to raise the complaint.
Step One: Upon the receipt of a complaint (all employees need to be sensitive to the idea that consumers may make a complaint in a variety of ways including phone calls, voice mail, email, or regular mail) the person receiving the complaint or becoming aware of a complaint will fill out the Company Complaint Intake Form, attaching a copy of any emails, letters, or notes from the voicemail, that will be helpful in providing a full picture to the Complaint Coordinator or anyone else involved later in the process.
• Contact the customer by telephone/email to acknowledge receipt of the complaint. Discuss the complaint with the customer and ask the customer how they would like the matter resolved.
• The Complaint Intake Form should be delivered to the Company’s designated Complaint Coordinator (CC) as soon as possible, but in no event later than the end of the business day which the complaint came in or was discovered. The employee will provide the consumer with the Company Complaint Coordinator’s name and contact information.
Step Two: The Complaint Coordinator (CC) will review the Complaint Intake Form and any documentation attached.
• The Complaint will be logged on the Company’s Annual Complaint Log and the CC will determine if there is a need to notify any other parties about the complaint.
• If necessary, the CC will request additional information or speak directly with any employees involved to be sure the CC has all the necessary information (employee’s “side of the story” and surrounding circumstances of any other entities or parties involved) and respond to the party who made the complaint to the best of their ability and authority.
• The goal is to resolve any complaints within three business days. Depending on the nature of the complaint, the CC will contact the consumer by the end of the second business day from the Complaint Intake to acknowledge receipt of the complaint and update the customer with the status.
• If the CC is unable to resolve the complaint within three business days, the consumer will be updated by the Complaint Coordinator on progress (even if there is no progress) every 3rd day from initial contact until resolution is reached.
• If the CC is unable to satisfactorily resolve the complaint within three business days, they will bring the matter to the attention of the CFO and Owner.
Step Three: The Company President, will respond to the consumer within two business days of being notified by the Complaint Coordinator that the issue has not been resolved.
• The President will utilize objectivity and flexibility (being mindful of state and federal regulations for the title industry) in determining the proper resolution.
• The decision of the CFO is final. Only the CFO shall have the authority to revise the decision should additional information be provided that would warrant a change in part or whole of the CFO’s original decision for resolution.
• The CFO’s explanation and resolution will be communicated to the party that made the complaint directly by the CFO or if the CFO designates, by the Complaint Coordinator the same business day as the CFO outlines the resolution.
HOW MIGHT OPT RESPOND AFTER REVIEWING A COMPLAINT?
• An explanation
• Provision of a service, an additional service or a follow-up service;
• A change of the initial decision;
• Confirmation of the original decision;
• Additional training for staff;
• A change in operational practice to try to prevent a similar event from occurring; and
• In some cases, a change in policy or practice.
Record Keeping and Reporting:
• copies of all documentation related to the complaint, such as the initial email, the Complaint Intake Form, notes, etc. will be scanned to the server and held in an electronic file folder (or hard copy Complaint Portfolio).
• All complaints will be updated on the Annual Complaint Log completing all the areas listed on the Log at the close/resolution of complaint.
Monthly Meeting:
• On a monthly basis, Complaint Coordinator will make a brief presentation to the Staff about the complaints received and any resolutions.
• The purpose is to keep the Staff informed and to provide an opportunity for suggestions on how to avoid similar complaints in the future, illuminate training needs and discuss trends.
Revision History
Rev #
Date
Description
1
09/20/2015
Original Date Published (Add any revision dates/notes below)