How do I provide feedback?
If you would like to make an enquiry, request a service, provide feedback or register a complaint, please choose from one of the following methods:
Service standards
- Your issue will be addressed at the initial point of contact where possible
- Your call will be returned within one working day or at an agreed time, if not resolved at the initial point of contact
- Receipt of your written correspondance will be acknowledged within 5 working days
- A response to your enquiry will be actioned within 15 working days with either a progress report or a resolution.
How do I escalate a complaint?
If you have previously contacted Council on an issue and feel the matter has not been handled in accordance with the Customer Service Charter, please notify the Customer Focus Manager on 9599 4376 or enquiries@bayside.vic.gov.au , who will investigate the matter on your behalf.
Your complaint may be about the time taken to resolve an issue, the service experience provided by a Council officer or contractor, or a Council policy or procedure.
What happens when I escalate a complaint?
On receipt of your complaint, the Customer Focus Manager will contact you to discuss your concerns and provide you with a case number for future reference.
If the matter can be resolved easily, the Customer Focus Manager will explain what action is to be taken, when it will be done, and provide you with contact details for the staff member responsible for resolving the matter.
If the matter is of a more complex or specialised nature, the Customer Focus Manager will arrange for the appropriate Department Manager to contact you within one working day to discuss your concerns. Every endeavour will be taken to negotiate an appropriate course of action that is to your satisfaction.
The Department Manager will then confirm what action is to be taken, when it will be done and provide you with the contact details for the staff member responsible for resolving the matter. The Department Manager will also be responsible for ensuring that the appropriate action is taken by the responsible officer/s.
If at any stage you are not satisfied with the progress towards resolution, please feel free to contact either the Department Manager or the Customer Focus Manager to discuss your concerns.
Once the designated actions have been completed, the responsible officer will contact you to see if you are satisfied with the outcome.
The responsible officer will then notify the Department Manager and the Customer Focus Manager of what actions have been taken and whether you were satisfied with the outcome.
What if I am not satisfied with the outcome?
If you are not satisfied with either the proposed actions or the final outcome, please discuss your concerns with the responsible Department Manager who will ensure that the reasons for the outcome or decision are fully explained to you.
If you are still not satisfied, you may make a request for your complaint to be reviewed by a higher level of management.
What if my concerns cannot be resolved?
Occasionally, there will be times when we are not able to resolve a customer’s enquiry. This may be because the issue is the responsibility of another organisation, and Council is simply unable to give an answer or provide a solution, or the Council policy/position does not allow your desired outcome. At other times, the request may simply fall outside Council’s ability to resolve it. If this is the case, the reasons will be explained to you.
If after all internal processes have been exhausted, you are still not satisfied with the outcome or decision, you may elect to pursue the matter through the Victorian State Ombudsman who can be contacted on 9613 6222 or toll free 1800 806 314 or by fax 9614 0246.
Confidentiality and your Privacy
Please note that your privacy is important to us. Council collects your personal information for the purpose of processing your request through Council's complaint handling procedure and for internal research purposes. If you have any queries or wish to gain access to your information, please contact Council's Privacy Officer on 9599 4444 or at privacy@bayside.vic.gov.au.
01-Dec-2008
