Complaints Policy

COMPLAINTS HANDLING POLICY OF AT HOME WITH HILDA GROUP

1.1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 About this policy

This Complaints Handling Policy (“this policy”) is the official complaints handling policy of AT HOME WITH HILDA PTY LTD ABN 60 513 527 804 and any of its wholly owned subsidiaries (hereafter collectively referred to as the “AT HOME WITH HILDA Group” or “we”, “us” or “our”).

1.2 Objectives and purposes of Complaints Handling Policy.

(a) The AT HOME WITH HILDA Group is committed to delivering high quality services and products to those who deal with it. We are committed to understanding and responding to the needs and concerns of our customers and clients.

(b) The aim of this policy is to provide guidance as to the manner in which a company within the AT HOME WITH HILDA Group receives and handles complaints made to it in respect of its business activities and dealings with its customers and clients.

(c) The objective of this policy is to assist the AT HOME WITH HILDA Group in dealing with and resolving complaints in an efficient, effective and professional manner.

1.3 Background

In creating this policy, the AT HOME WITH HILDA Group have sought to ensure that our procedures accord with relevant legal requirements and best practice. In particular, this policy has been created to satisfy the requirements of AS ISO 10002-2006 Customer Satisfaction – Guidelines for complaints handling in organisations.

1.4 What is a Complaint?

(a) AS ISO 10002-2006, defines a complaint as follows:

“An expression of dissatisfaction made to an organisation, related to its products, or the complaints–handling process itself, where a response or resolution is explicitly or implicitly expected.”

(b) The AT HOME WITH HILDA Group adopts that definition of “complaint” for the purposes of this policy.

(c) Any person or entity who is dissatisfied with a product or service provided by a company within the AT HOME WITH HILDA Group for any reason, may contact us to complain. A complaint may be made in writing or verbally.

(d) Certain types of “complaints” may be by way of negative feedback, which may not require a resolution or any response. Whilst we acknowledge this type of feedback can be useful and valuable, this policy does not apply to such feedback as such feedback does not fall under the definition of a complaint as set out above.

2 GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR EFFECTIVE HANDLING OF COMPLAINTS

The AT HOME WITH HILDA Group abides by the guiding principles as set out section 4 of AS ISO 10002-2006 for effective handling of complaints. The guiding principles set out at section 4 of AS ISO 10002-2006 are as follows:

Principle	Explanation of Principle
Visibility	Information about how and where to complain should be well publicised to customers, clients, a company within the AT HOME WITH HILDA Group’s personnel and other interested parties. This policy is available on the AT HOME WITH HILDA Group’s various websites and also internally.
Accessibility	The complaints-handling process as outlined in this policy should be easily accessible to complainants and all relevant representatives of a company within the AT HOME WITH HILDA Group. This policy is drawn in a manner that is easy to understand and sets out simply the process of making and resolving of complaints.
Responsiveness	Receipt of each complaint is acknowledged to the complainant immediately. Complaints will be addressed promptly in accordance with their urgency. Complaints will be handled in an efficient and effective manner and complainants will be treated courteously and kept informed of the process of the complaint through the complaints-handling process.
Objectivity	Each complaint will be addressed in an equitable, objective and unbiased manner through the complaints-handling process.
Charges	The complaints-handling process is free of charge to the complainant.
Confidentiality	Personally identifiable information concerning the complainant is actively protected from disclosure unless the complainant expressly consents to its disclosure.
Customer-focused approach	The AT HOME WITH HILDA Group are committed to adopting a customer-focused approach to dealing with complaints. We are open to feedback, including in respect of the form of complaints and we acknowledge the right of our customers and clients to complain.
Accountability	The AT HOME WITH HILDA Group and our employees accept responsibility for effective complaints handling procedures, including being accountable for and reporting on the actions and decisions of a company within the AT HOME WITH HILDA Group in respect to complaints handling.
Continual improvement	The AT HOME WITH HILDA Group is committed to continually improving its complaints-handling processes.

 

3 COMPLAINTS HANDLING

3.1 How may a complaint be made

(a) Where possible, complaints should be made in writing so that the details of the complaint are clear and complete and so that we may more effectively deal with the complaint.

(b) Complaints should be directed and addressed to the AT HOME WITH HILDA Group Complaints Officer:

Email: hello@athomewithhilda.com.au

Please note: If complaints are not appropriately addressed as set out above, your complaint will be directed to our general Customer Services Team.

(c) Complaints relating to privacy of information may be directed to the AT HOME WITH HILDA Group Privacy Officer at:

Email: hello@athomewithhilda.com.au

Please note: If complaints are not appropriately addressed as set out above, your complaint will be directed to our general Customer Services Team.

(d) Information to be provided when making a complaint

When making a complaint, please provide the following information:

(e) your name, the organisation you are from (if applicable), your position and contact details;

(f) your relationship with the AT HOME WITH HILDA Group;

(g) the name of any contact person at the company within the AT HOME WITH HILDA Group you dealt with;

(h) details of the complaint (including when the conduct giving rise to the complaint occurred);

(i) details of any persons or persons of the company within the AT HOME WITH HILDA Group involved (if applicable); and

(j) copies of any documentation that supports the complaint.

3.2 Help with making a complaint

If you require any assistance in formulating or lodging a complaint, please contact the Complaints Officer at the contact details set out above.

3.3 Acknowledgment of complaint

(a) We will acknowledge receipt of a complaint immediately upon receipt.

(b) We will endeavour to resolve complaints within four (4) weeks of receiving the complaint. However, this may not be possible in all instances. Where time to deal with a complaint will exceed four (4) weeks, we will contact the complainant to inform of the reasons for the delay and indicate when we expect to be in a position to complete our review of the complaint.

3.4 Your rights in the complaints process

Complainants have the right to enquire as to the status of their complaint by contacting the Complaints Officer or any other employee or representative of a company within the AT HOME WITH HILDA Group who has been identified to the complainant as handling the complaint.

3.5 Responding to a complaint

Once we have reviewed a complaint, we will provide the complainant with a written response. If the complainant is dissatisfied with our response, the complainant has a right to ask for the response to be re-considered by the Complaints Officer. Such a request should be made in writing to the Complaints Officer and forwarded by post or email to the addresses provided above.

3.6 Further action

(a) If a complainant remains dissatisfied with the manner in which the complaint has been handled, the complainant may have a right to refer the complaint to some other external resolution body.

(b) Complaints relating to privacy of information may be referred to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oiac.gov.au.

4 QUALITY ASSURANCE

4.1 Periodic investigation

Complaints will be analysed by our Complaints Officer at regular intervals to identify any recurring or systemic problems. If any such problems are identified, we will consider what actions we need to take to address any such problems.

4.2 Review of procedures

Our complaints handling process will be reviewed periodically in order to enhance our delivery of efficient and effective outcomes in respect of complaints received.