| File Reference : | GG-1-04 Problems Complaints Customer Care |
| Date File Updated | 05-10-26 |
| File Format | MS Word |
| No. of files | 1 |
| Category | General Guidance | Tags: ISO 9001, 5.1, 7.4, 8.2, 8.7, 9.1, 10.2, IMS1 3.3, IMS1 5.1, IMS1 5.2 |
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This guidance makes it clear which problems to log and which to let go. It walks through the problems form and sets out how staff should treat customers.
This guidance document is supplied in fully editable MS Word format and can be easily customised and edited. The document uses pre-defined style formatting throughout, with all text in Calibri font for improved readability.
The following document labelling is included in the footer:
- Guidance number and title
- Information-classification
- Version
- Page number / total pages
Further guidance on nonconformity, corrective action and customer feedback:
These files are included in the alphaZ subscription. The guidance is also included in the ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 toolkits, including the integrated toolkits that combine them.
If you'd like hands-on help setting up your issues register, problems form and complaints process, our remote support services provide direct expert input from our team, by the day, by project, or on an ongoing basis.
Problems, Complaints and Customer Care Guidance
A general guidance document on problems, complaints and customer care for everyone who deals with issues or customers. It explains which problems to log, how the problems form is completed, how issues and complaints are reviewed for trends and root causes, and how staff should treat customers.
Topics Covered
- Deciding what to log - judging the significance of each issue, which ones go on the issues and actions register, and when the problems form is needed
- Completing the problems form - the issue summary and containment, the corrective action, and the final review that checks the action worked before closing
- Trends and root causes - reviewing the register for recurring issues and patterns, and analysing physical, human and organisational causes
- Customer complaints - acknowledging and logging every complaint, upheld or not, with a responsible person who reviews it and contacts the complainant
- Customer care - how everyone representing the company should behave with customers, from courtesy and accurate information to protecting their privacy
- Customer feedback - recording and analysing formal and informal feedback, and investigating negative feedback in the same way as a complaint
Who Is It For?
Everyone who deals with customers, problems or complaints, and the managers who review issues, complaints and feedback for trends.
Included in the ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 Toolkits
This guidance is supplied with the TT-1-04 Problems, Complaints and Customer Care training talk, which is part of the ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 toolkits, including the integrated toolkits that combine them.
Using the Guidance
Use it to support the problems and complaints procedure, brief customer-facing staff on customer care, and keep it beside the problems form as a reference. Record who has received it, for example on the training matrix.
Not Every Problem Needs Logging
The guidance is clear that trivial issues and minor problems do not need to be logged, because doing so creates an administrative burden that gets in the way of the work. It gives examples of the significant issues that are logged, such as a late supplier delivery that affected operations, a complaint or nonconformity report from a major customer, or an incident causing damage or injury.
Adapting the Guidance
Edit the guidance to match your own arrangements - your examples of significant issues, the problems form and root cause review form you use, how you collect customer feedback and the communications policy staff follow.
Related Documents
Other documents that work alongside this guidance:
- PP-1-04 Problems Complaints Customer Care Policy Procedure
- F-Q10 Significant Problem / Incident / Complaint Form
- F-Q70 Root Cause Problem Review
- F-Q12 Customer Questionnaire
- F-IMS23 Opportunities Risks Register
Would you rather we prepared it for you?
Our IMS Manual and Registers Preparation service writes your management system manual around your business and completes the registers behind it, so the arrangements your staff are briefed on match what is written down.
