Unacceptable actions
Aggressive or abusive behaviour
We understand that many customers can be angry about the issues they have raised in their complaint. If that anger leads to aggression towards our colleagues, we consider that unacceptable and appropriate action will be taken.
Violence or abuse is not restricted to physical harm. It also includes behaviour or language, verbal or in writing, that may cause staff to feel afraid, threatened or abused. This includes threats, personal verbal abuse, offensive remarks and rudeness.
Unreasonable demands
A demand becomes unacceptable when it starts to, or would start to, impact greatly on our work and provision of services. For example, if the demand takes up an excessive amount of colleague time which results in other customers being disadvantaged. Examples of unreasonable demands include
- Repeatedly demanding responses within an unreasonable timescale
- Insisting on seeing someone or speaking to a particular colleague when that is not possible
- Repeatedly changing the substance of a complaint or raising unrelated concerns
Unreasonable levels of contact
The volume and duration of contact made to us by an individual can cause problems. This can occur over a short period, such as a number of phone calls in one day, or it may occur over the lifespan of the complaint or issue.
Examples of unreasonable levels of contact include the customer
- making long telephone calls to us
- inundating us with copies of information which have been sent to us already or which are irrelevant to the complaint or issue
We consider that contact has become unacceptable when the amount of time dealing with it impacts on our ability to deal with that complaint or issue, or impacts on the service we provide to other customers. Contact time may involve time spent talking to a customer on the phone; responding to and reviewing emails; or written correspondence.
Unreasonable use of the complaints procedure
Customers have the right to complain about our services through a range of means. They also have the right to complain more than once about an organisation if further incidents occur.
Examples of unreasonable use of the complaints procedure include
- when repeated complaints result in the harassment of our colleagues, or
- the repeated complaints prevent us from pursuing a legitimate aim or from implementing a legitimate decision.