BS ISO 10002:2004 Quality management. Customer satisfaction. Guidelines for complaints handling in organizations.
BS ISO 10002 offers guidance on the process of complaints handling related to products within an organization and its use with quality management systems.
BS ISO 10002 is the standard that provides guidance on the process of complaints handling related to products within an organization, including planning, design, operation, maintenance and improvement. The complaints handling process described is suitable for use as one of the processes of an overall quality management system.
BS ISO 10002 is not applicable to disputes referred for resolution outside the organization or for employment-related disputes.
It is intended for use by organizations of all sizes and in all sectors.
Annex A of this standard provides guidance specifically for small businesses.
BS ISO 10002 addresses the following aspects of complaints handling:
- Enhancing customer satisfaction by creating a customer-focused environment that is open to feedback (including complaints), resolving any complaints received, and enhancing the organization's ability to improve its product and customer service
- Top management involvement and commitment through adequate acquisition and deployment of resources, including personnel training
- Recognizing and addressing the needs and expectations of complainants
- Providing complainants with an open, effective and easy-to-use complaints process
- Analysing and evaluating complaints in order to improve the product and customer service quality
- Auditing of the complaints-handling process
- Reviewing the effectiveness and efficiency of the complaints-handling process.
Opportunities for improvements and savings
When the BS ISO 10002 complaints-handling process is implemented, the customer will benefit from responsive treatment of his or her complaint. The organization will also benefit by identifying the problem area and opportunities for improvement and savings.
Implementation of the process described in this standard can:
- Provide a complainant with access to an open and responsive complaints-handling process
- Enhance the ability of the organization to resolve complaints in a consistent, systematic and responsive manner, to the satisfaction of all parties
- Enable the organization to identify trends and eliminate causes of complaints, and improve the organization’s operations
- Help an organization to adopt a customer-focused approach to resolving complaints, and encourage personnel to improve their skills in working with customers
- Provide a basis for continual review and analysis of the complaints-handling process, the resolution of complaints, and process the improvements made
- BS ISO 10002 is for use by organizations of all sizes and in all sectors. Annex A provides guidance specifically for small businesses. Sample forms for complaint logging and follow-up are also included.
BS ISO 10002 is compatible with ISO 9001 and ISO 9004 and supports the objectives of these two standards through the effective and efficient application of a complaints-handling process. It can also be used independently of them.
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