Cars have become increasingly complex in terms of their engineering and electronics, and are today made up of thousands of different parts.
Therefore, when something goes wrong, customer complaints can occur as a result of a repair that has been carried out, or because a garage has been unable to successfully diagnose or solve a problem.
With the rise of review websites and the power of social media, consumers can freely engage in “citizen journalism” and publically express their view to a large audience.
The Motor Ombudsman says it’s more important than ever for a business to nip any issues in the bud, and to strive to reach a mutually satisfactory resolution that seeks to maintain a positive and long-term relationship with the customer.
Clear, simple and fair
A spokesperson for The Motor Ombudsman said: “To help achieve the swift resolution of disputes, no matter how minor, one of the most effective steps that a business can take, is to have a comprehensive and effective internal complaints handling process in place.
“There is no one-size-fits-all approach, but it should nevertheless be documented, easy to understand and fair for all parties involved.
“The Motor Ombudsman’s Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)-approved Motor Industry Code of Practice for Service and Repair equally requires businesses to be able to make a copy of the process available on request by a customer.
“By introducing prescribed dispute handling procedures, this means that both garages and vehicle owners are clear as to how a complaint can potentially be resolved, and who the relevant point of contact is, such as a customer service manager or business owner.
“As of 2015, the law also dictates that the consumer should be signposted to a business’ preferred Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider, such as The Motor Ombudsman, in the event of deadlock. Additionally, organisations that are part of an ADR scheme should make customers aware of this by displaying the appropriate logo their website, literature and premises, in order to adhere to the requirements laid down by CTSI.”
Internal complaints handling process
According to The Motor Ombudsman, there are three defined stages in a typical internal complaints handling process, which are namely “informal front-line resolution”, “formal investigation” and “appeal”.
The spokesperson added: “Some disputes will be resolved quicker than others.
“This is where the first stage of informal resolution comes in, and for those that are more straightforward to conclude with a simple remedy such as an apology, a target of around five working days to offer a solution to the customer is recommended.
“If this proves unsuccessful, the business should undertake a formal and more detailed investigation to review the complaint, and a decision should be provided to the consumer in writing within a recommended period of 20 working days.
“Of course, going through the above doesn’t guarantee a suitable outcome that a customer would be amenable to, and therefore, when the final position is delivered by a business, it is advisable to detail how a customer can lodge an appeal.”
“This should be via an impartial third party, such as an ADR provider, who can help bring the dispute to a close, and avoid any element of bias.”
For more information on The Motor Ombudsman, and the benefits of accreditation to its Motor Industry Codes of Practice, select ‘more details’ below.