Complaint stage tracking

Tracking a complaint

Statutory complaints have stages, and each stage has a clock and an escalation right. Missing one hands the complainant the case.

Per stage, record

Stage number · date entered · statutory deadline for a response · who owns it · date responded · whether the complainant escalated, and when.

Always tell them the next step

Every response ends with what they can do if they remain dissatisfied, who to, and by when. That is usually a legal requirement and it is always the difference between a resolved complaint and an ombudsman referral.

Escalate on the clock

A stage approaching its deadline escalates before it expires, not after. If it will be late, tell the complainant before the deadline with a new date. A late response nobody warned of is a second complaint.

Flag

Repeat complaints on one issue, anything alleging discrimination, and anything involving a child or a vulnerable adult.

Never

Restart a stage to reset a clock, or close a complaint the complainant has not been told is closed.