Complaint & Feedback Procedure

BHS SWITZERLAND welcomes feedback and complaints from stakeholders in order to provide excellence. Any person may provide us with feedback or make a complaint regarding any aspect of our services, programs, policy and procedures. Those elements will help us to identify the things we can improve.

Feedback

• Feedback is information about reactions to a course, trainer/ teacher, facilities, service or a person’s performance of a task, which is used as a basis for improvement.

Complaint

• A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction made to an organisation related to its services or service quality, decisions, policies, procedures, charges or fees, employees, or the complaint handling process itself, where a response or resolution is explicitly or implicitly expected.

 Grievance

• A grievance is a matter to be investigated according to formal grievance processes. This includes complaints which are not able to be resolved through informal processes or mediation, and matters relating to allegations of misconduct where disciplinary action against a worker may be an outcome of the investigation.

The Student Services Centre is responsible for:

• providing leadership in demonstrating a commitment to the resolution of complaints made
• making any final decisions relating to grievances
• providing independent impartial advice and assistance to managers or supervisors who have received and are handling a complaint

The Student Services Centre is responsible for:

• Overall management and monitoring of complaints handling within their programs.
• Exercising primary responsibility for receiving and resolving complaints and any conflict in their areas in a timely and fair way.
• Advising people of their right to make a complaint where appropriate.
• Providing advice and assistance to people who have a complaint.
• Providing independent impartial and confidential information to complainants about the procedure for dealing with complaints including listening to the issues and helping the person clarify the facts.
• Conducting internal reviews of complaints in both process and content.
• Identifying systemic issues arising from complaints and making recommendations to management.

Complainants and the Complaint Respondents are responsible for:

• Providing a clear and honest account of their concerns and their expectations for the outcome of their complaint, including providing all relevant information and documents to assist in the investigation and/or resolution of the matter.
• Engaging openly in the complaint handling process, including participating in discussion with other parties to resolve the concerns.
• Responding to BHS SWITZERLAND requests for information in a timely manner.
• Respecting those individuals involved in the complaint handling process.

Everyone is welcome to provide feedback by verbal communication, email, training evaluation form or teacher classroom visit form.

We will respond to all feedback and it will be treated in a confidential manner.

In particular, complaints will be assessed and resolved wherever possible within 7 working days. If there is a delay, correspondents will be kept up-to- date with the progress.

The Recipient (or nominee) shall assist the person by sensitively and carefully understanding the complaint, explaining the options available and helping the person decide if they want to proceed to an informal conciliatory or formal internal investigation process as outlined in Option 1 and Option 2 below:

Option 1 – Resolution between the parties through conciliation

If the person chooses to seek resolution through an internal conciliation process then the following steps are appropriate:

• The Complainant may approach the other party directly or ask the Recipient (or nominee) to approach the other person or persons on their behalf. If a third party is to be involved in resolution, it is recommended that a trained conciliator/mediator be involved to assist the parties. 

• If the other person or persons admit to the behaviour or the acts complained about, and an agreement between the parties is reached, the complaint is resolved. 

• Even if the person does not admit to the behaviour or acts complained about, the parties may be able to agree to an outcome that is acceptable to the complainant and the other parties. 

• If an acceptable outcome is reached the Manager will be responsible for 
ensuring that the appropriate people who need to know about the outcome are appropriately informed so that the outcome is implemented and followed. As matters handled this way are usually minor, resolution would generally include an apology and agreement not to repeat the behaviour or actions complained about.

Option 2 – Resolution through an internal investigation

If the person chooses to seek resolution through the internal and formal investigation process the following steps will be followed.

• The Investigator (usually the supervising Team Leader) will interview the Complainant and the allegations will be particularized in writing. During this interview and in any consequent stages of the process an appropriate support person may support the complainant. 

• The Investigator will put the allegations in full to the other party or parties. 

• If there are any disputes over facts, the Investigator will interview any witnesses and gather evidence that will assist in making a finding, and gather any other relevant evidence that will assist in making a finding. Based on the facts of the matter the Investigator will make a finding whether the complaint has substance. 

• A report documenting the investigation process, the evidence, the findings and a recommended outcome will be made to the Student Services Centre. The Student Services Centre will assess the report, consult with any appropriate parties (not the parties to the complaint) and implement an appropriate outcome. 


The Student Services Centre will advise the direct parties to the complaint and any other relevant parties of their decision.

Key elements in resolving a complaint:

• All parties have the right to have any complaint addressed. 

• Any complaint can be addressed by either the formal or informal options 
under this procedure. 

• There is a guarantee of timeliness, confidentiality and objectivity when an issue is raised. 

• The principles of natural justice will be given to both the person making the complaint and the person or persons who are subject to the complaint.

The procedures for investigation and record keeping are clear:

• No person making a complaint will be victimised or disadvantaged for making a complaint.
• Outcomes, processes and other areas for improvement are used to inform service planning and strategies are put in place to address any areas requiring change at an individual or organisational level.

Progress to a further stage occurs only if resolution of the complaint is not achieved and the Complainant wishes to proceed with the internal grievance process.

The Complainant determines what action will be taken, and may withdraw the grievance or discontinue the process at any time, except in circumstances that pose a threat to the health and safety of workers, or circumstances that are potentially criminal in nature.

BHS SWITZERLAND may decline to deal with a complaint at any time where the COO (Chief Operating Officer) forms the view that the complaint is:

1. Frivolous
2. Vexatious (Causing or tending to cause annoyance, frustration, or worry)
3. Not made in good faith
4. Misconceived
5. Lacking in substance
6. Lacking in currency i.e. the content of the complaint has occurred more than 60 days prior to the complaint being lodged without being reported, or a past complaint that BHS SWITZERLAND has already dealt with in the past.