Elements and Performance Criteria
- Establish that dispute exists
- Identify all information relating to original problem and clarify grounds for dispute
- Contact all parties to identify and clarify disputed issues and confirm that customer has a legitimate dispute, or that initial complaint has not already been settled to customer’s satisfaction
- Ensure that organisational operating procedures have been followed and all information relevant to dispute resolution process is provided to customer
- Obtain additional information from relevant parties as required and manage information exchange appropriately
- Inform customer of organisation’s obligations, procedures and timeframes where existence of genuine dispute is established
- Investigate dispute and determine action to be taken
- Collect all information from prior dealings with customer and undertake further investigations if necessary
- Inform customer of progress and advise of any delays
- Determine resolution action with consideration of facts, legislation, organisational policy and procedures and industry codes of practice, and inform appropriate personnel of action to be taken
- Negotiate and resolve dispute
- Inform customer of decision, including reasons if appropriate, and negotiate with claimant or representative if required
- Resolve dispute effectively and in a timely manner, aiming to reduce need for litigation or formal conciliation services
- Respect rights of customer in all dispute settlement procedures and refer any unresolved disputes to formal conciliation services
- Finalise dispute
- Record dispute resolution process outcomes and advise all parties affected by the decision clearly and promptly on the outcome and their rights to review of the decision
- Prepare relevant documentation for unresolved disputes which have been referred to formal conciliation services according to legislation, regulations and codes of practice
- Act on decisions of external dispute resolution as required
- Complete all documentation in accordance with legislation and organisational procedures