Why complaint procedures have so many stages?

Original post by profile

I have seen complaint procedures having up to three or more stages. I would like to know why complaint procedures have so many stages?

Depending on your POV...

- to give ample time for resolution with escalation where necessary.

OR

- in the hope that you give up and drop the complaint.

Reply 2

Original post by Friffinghell

Depending on your POV...

- to give ample time for resolution with escalation where necessary.

OR

- in the hope that you give up and drop the complaint.

I would like to know why an escalation could be necessary?

Reply 3

Original post by profile

I would like to know why an escalation could be necessary?

Because sometimes a complaint can be more than a person is qualified or paid to handle.

So saaaay you have a complaint about an insurance claim.
The person you speak to on the phone deals with general queries and issues, they have no option of recompense or resolution for your complaint.
So it gets passed to their manager or complaints dept.
But lets say your complaint is a real stinker. It goes well beyond £100 compensation which is how much they're allowed to offer.
So it goes up the chain again.

You can't have everyone in a company able to refund £1000's. There's only a small percentage of people that can arrange that for you. So they don't deal with every small complaint- only the bigger ones that the people under them were unable to resolve.

Reply 4

I would like to precise that the problem that I have is that I have started the complaint procedure but my educational institution has processed it only through two stages even though the complaint procedure has three stages.

What has happened if that during stage 2 the manager who should have replied to my complaint was not available and it was the manager which is involved in stage 3 who replied to me under stage 2. The consequence is that there is no manager in my department of a higher seniority to reply to my further complaint under stage 3. Therefore my educational institution refuses to reply to my further complaint under stage 3.

I would like to know what to tell to my educational institution to convince it that it has a duty to comply fully with its own complaint procedure by processing my complaint through three stages and not only two if necessary by asking to a manager of another department to reply to my further complaint under stage 2 because there is nobody in my department of a higher seniority than the manager who already replied to my complaint under stage 2. Otherwise my complaint would not be fairly processed

Reply 5

username1799249

Complaint resolution is exceedingly expensive and generates no revenue. Companies therefore want to weed out the chancers or people who just want to vent from those who have a genuine grievance.

Reply 6

Yes but this is a different matter to when there is an exceptional circumstance and a manager cannot reply to a stage of the complaint procedure. In this case I think that my educational institution should amend its complaint procedure to explain very clearly in which exceptional circumstance it can omit a stage of the complaint procedure. However it is important that as it currently stands the complaint procedure does not allow the possibility of omitting one stage of the complaint procedure. And I would to be able to explain to my educational institution that it would not be fair that she does not comply with the three stages of its own complaint procedure

Reply 7

I would have thought that this would be a satisfactory outcome as it actually meant that your complaint was escalated to the top of the chain faster.

Reply 8

It is the excuse put forward by my educational institution not to provide me with three reply. However this is wrong because according to the rules I am entitle to receive three responses by three independent managers and not only two response by only two managers. The difference is important because I have new evidence that I would like to put forward in a third stage of the complaint procedure and I cannot.

Reply 9

Original post by profile

Probably best to speak to your student union.

However the 3rd Manager must report to somebody - even if that's the Principal/CEO of the institution.

Reply 10

I have already spoken with the Student Union but of no avail.

There is someone above the third manager but my educational institution does not want he replies to my last complaint under stage 3 because it says that he is not involved in the complaint procedure.

I need to be able to explain to my educational institution why each stages is important.

Reply 11

Original post by profile

Is it connected to this:
* https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=71087398
or
* https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2615391

Reply 12

Arianax

It's all to do with one thing only:

To make you fed up of waiting and drop the complaint.

Everything else is just ******** excuses.

Reply 13

999tigger

Original post by Doonesbury

Is it connected to this:
* https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=71087398
or
* https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2615391

Ahhh good you always do a bit of digging.

Its really better to comment when youve seen the procedure concerned.
They tend to be complex and slow because they are quasi legal and potentially subject to review. Its important they are followed and they should be designed to allow a fair hearing and things to be considered. If youd prefer them to have one and no appeal then your case would be closed by now. be thankful they do have further stages OP.

In the situation where there is no level three because the existing level three has been used on level 2 then there will be someone else either the head of department pr even the vice chancellor (as per @Doonesbury wont let me rep you). Its not possible to stall it like this but youd have to read the rules.

If they say its finished then you have to get a completion of procedure letter, which you can then take to the oia and start a claim there or go an get legal advice for judicial review,

As its a college (not uni) its the SFA or Education Agency.

Not commenting on merits.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 14

Original post by 999tigger

(as per @Doonesbury wont let me rep you).

LIkewise

Reply 15

999tigger

Original post by Doonesbury

Is it connected to this:
* https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=71087398
or
* https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2615391

Oh I see I responded first time. I remember it now. You just have to read the OP on the first thread and it gives you an idea of whats being dealt with. Lifes too short.

Reply 16

Original post by profile

If the college has chosen not to offer a course or access, that can't be overturned by any one manager. It's a decision made at board level and would have taken months to come to fruition.

If the college has a poor pass rate for external candidates, I can completely understand their wanting to withdraw that facility as it is clearly not working.

Reply 17

This new thread is about a different course and a different educational institution that my two previous threads

* https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/sho...php?p=71087398

* https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/sho....php?t=2615391

I am communicating with my educational institution trying to convince it to reply to my further complaint under stage 3 and I would like to know which strong arguments I can put forward about the importance of each stage, the importance to have the complaint procedure entirely exhausted and about the fact that if it not comply with all the three stages the processing of my complaint will be frustrated and corrupted....etc
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Reply 18

Original post by profile

You seem to be regularly having "issues" with your educational institutions...

And without detailed knowledge of the circumstances of this new complaint and your institution's policy and procedures there's not much more anyone can add to your situation, without guessing. Especially if your student union is refusing to support you.

Maybe try the local citizen's advice bureau.

Reply 19