Well-handled complaints ‘restore trusts’

By PETER WARI and LUKE KAMA
WELL-HANDLED complaints help create a culture focused on the public and quality customer service, says an Ombudsman Commission coordinator.
Government bodies’ liaison programme coordinator Olto Thomas said all Government bodies provided service to the public and may need to deal with complaints at some point.
She was speaking at the Ombudsman Commission and Office of Commonwealth Ombudsman Australia partnership workshop on complaints handling systems in Port Moresby yesterday.
Thomas said if complaints were properly handled, it restored trust from members of the public.
She said members of the public had the right to expect quality and timely services from Government and decisions that were transparent and fair.
“The main reason for OC to roll out complaints-handling systems in Government bodies is to ensure Government bodies have an avenue to address unsatisfied clients, and maintain trust and integrity,” Thomas said.
Meanwhile, frontline complaints handling by Government agencies is very crucial to avoid escalating unnecessary complaints to the Ombudsman Commission, deputy Ombudsman with the office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman Australia, Jaala Hinchliffe said.
Hinchliffe said it was important that agencies of Government worked together with the Ombudsman Commission to improve their own governance systems by ensuring services were delivered effectively and efficiently to the people.
“This is similar to what is being done in Australia: By partnering with the agencies of State to ensuring greater compliance of the established systems and processes of good governance,” she said.