We recognise that it may sometimes be necessary to complain about the way a microchip database operator, or an individual, has provided a service. AMDO has a formal and transparent complaints process in place to handle them.

AMDO will only investigate complaints where it is alleged that the member is in breach of legislation or AMDO rules, policies, procedures or standards.  We will not investigate minor complaints of poor customer service, disagreement with members’ reasonable procedures, or other similar minor and common complaints.

However, we will give members anonymised feedback so they are aware that these complaints have been received, and with the written permission of the complainant, we will forward full details to the member.

If you have a complaint about a microchip database operator, please let us know

as soon as possible in writing or via email. We have a 3-stage process designed

to deal with complaints quickly, effectively and fairly.

Investigation

Stage 1

Complaints will be investigated by an appropriate individual (investigator) appointed by the Chair and who is not employed by the database that your complaint relates to. The investigator will aim to respond within 10 working days. If this is not possible, they will write to you and explain the delay, informing you when you may expect a response.

Where investigation involves speaking to a number of different individuals, this may take longer, but the complainant will receive regular updates and we aim to resolve all complaints within 2 calendar months of receipt.

Wherever possible, the management and/or directors of the member organisation about which the complaint has been received will be informed and given the detail of the complaint, unless it is believed that to do so would significantly compromise the safety of any individual.

In some cases, it may be appropriate to refer the complaint directly to other bodies. In the case of allegation of serious financial mismanagement or potential illegal activity, the complaint may be referred directly to the police or relevant regulatory body.

Where referrals to other authorities are made, the complainant should be informed of this, and written records kept detailing the nature of the report, to whom it was made, and any acknowledgement and outcomes received.

Stage 2

If further action by the member database, and/or the initial response from AMDO does not resolve your complaint, you have 28 calendar days to ask for your complaint to be escalated. To do this, please respond to AMDO in writing explaining why. Your complaint will then be escalated to a director who has thus far not been involved in your complaint and is not employed by the database which your complaint relates to. The director will aim to respond to you in writing within 10 working days.

Stage 3

If you are not satisfied with the director’s decision, please let us know in writing explaining why and your complaint will be escalated and discussed at the next AMDO members’ meeting to review your complaint. Meetings take place monthly so our response at stage 3 may take up to 6 weeks. We will aim to respond to you with our final decision in writing within 10 working days of the members’ meeting taking place.

Customer remedies

Where a complaint is upheld, the action AMDO will take to put matters right can include any combination of the remedies set out in the list below. The general principle we follow is that a complainant should, so far as possible, be put in the position he or she would have been in, had things not gone wrong.

The remedy chosen will be proportionate and appropriate to the failure of service and take into account what the complainant was looking for when making their complaint. An apology is normally appropriate, but other action may also be necessary.

The member will be informed of the findings of the investigation and the Chair and directors will determine possible remedies and next steps which may include:

• no further action if the complaint is not upheld
• a sincere and meaningful apology, explaining what happened and/or what went wrong
• remedial action, which may include reviewing or changing a decision relating to the service given to an individual complainant
• provide the service desired by the complainant
• putting things right (for example, a change of procedures to prevent future difficulties of a similar kind, either for the complainant or others)
• training or closer supervision of staff or volunteers
• referral to authorities
• termination of membership

An apology is not an acceptance of liability under Section 2 of the Compensation Act 2006.

Where a complaint is not upheld, the complainant will receive an oral or written response by the appointed investigator as appropriate, explaining the reason and outcomes.

Members may appeal a decision to terminate their membership according to the appeals process set out in the AMDO Articles of Association.

Implementing lessons learned

AMDO expects members to include insights and learnings from customer complaints in customer service or process improvement initiatives to produce better future outcomes.