An effective complaints management system is integral to providing quality customer service. It helps to measure customer satisfaction and is a useful source of information and feedback for improving services. Often customers are the first to identify when things are not working properly.

Implementing effective complaints management systems within Queensland public sector agencies:

• improves agencies’ internal complaints handling
• reduces recurring complaints
• improves standards of service to the community
• raises standards of decision-making.

The way an agency handles complaints can affect its reputation. Poorly handled complaints can be an expensive exercise that reflects badly on the organisation and reinforces defective business processes.

If complainants feel they are being ignored or not taken seriously, they may look for redress by seeking external review or by publicly exposing their experience, which could directly impact on an agency’s reputation.

There is much to lose by ignoring complaints and much to be gained by having an effective complaints management system.

A good complaints management system can be an economical and efficient way of improving an agency’s public image and increasing client satisfaction, and can also enable agencies to review their own performance and identify and address systemic and service-related problems.