Complaints Policy and Procedure

Our aim:

SonoSkills is committed to providing a quality service for its customers in a way that builds the trust and respect of all our clients. One of the ways in which we can continue to improve our service is by listening and responding to the views of our customers and in particular by responding positively to complaints, and by putting mistakes right.

Therefore we aim to ensure that:

• We treat a complaint as a clear expression of dissatisfaction with our service which calls for an immediate response;
• We deal with it promptly, politely and, when appropriate, confidentially;
• We respond in the right way - for example, with an explanation, or an apology where we have got things wrong, or information on any action taken etc;
• We learn from complaints, use them to improve our service, and review annually our complaints policy and procedures.

We recognize that many concerns will be raised informally, and dealt with quickly. Our aims are to resolve informal concerns quickly and to enable mediation between the customer and us.
An informal approach is appropriate when it can be achieved. But if concerns cannot be satisfactorily resolved informally, then the formal complaints procedure should be followed. All complaints and its outcome will be registered and kept at the SonoSkills head-office for 2 years.

Definitions:

We define a complaint as 'any expression of dissatisfaction (with us as a company and with a member of staff or trainer) that relates to us and that requires a formal response. The formal complaints procedure is intended to ensure that all complaints are handled fairly, consistently and wherever possible resolved to the complainant's satisfaction.
Our responsibility will be to:

• acknowledge the formal complaint in writing;
• respond within a stated period of time;
• deal reasonably and sensitively with the complaint;
• take action where appropriate.

A complainant's responsibility is to:

• bring their complaint, in writing, to our attention normally within 1 week of the issue arising;
• raise concerns promptly and directly with a member of staff or trainer;
• explain the problem as clearly and as fully as possible, including any action taken to date by us;
• allow a reasonable time to deal with the matter;
• recognise that some circumstances may be beyond our control.

Responsibility for Action: All staff and trainers of SonoSkills.

Confidentiality:

Except in exceptional circumstances, every attempt will be made to ensure that both us and the complainant maintain confidentiality. However, the circumstances giving rise to the complaint may be such that it may not be possible to maintain confidentiality (with each complaint judged on its own merit). Should this be the case, the situation will be explained to the complainant.

Formal Complaints Procedure

Stage 1 
In the first instance, if you are unable to resolve the issue informally, you should write to the us via email or letter. If your complaint concerns a member of staff of trainer, you should write formally to us stating the name of the individual concerned.

In your letter you should set out the details of your complaint, the consequences for you as a result, and the remedy you are seeking. You can expect your complaint to be acknowledged within 7 working days of receipt. Our contact details are:
Address: Minderbroederssingel 13c, 6041 KG Roermond, The Netherlands
E-mail: info@sonoskills.com
Phone: +31(0)40 - 3041 587

Stage 2 
If you are not satisfied with the initial response to the complaint then you can write to us asking for your complaint and the response to be reviewed. You can expect us to acknowledge your request and formulate a response within 14 workings days.

Our aim is to resolve all matters as quickly as possible. However, inevitably some issues will be more complex and therefore may require longer to be fully investigated. Consequently, timescales given for handling and responding to complaints are indicative.

If a matter requires more detailed investigation, you will receive an interim response describing what is being done to deal with the matter, and when a full reply can be expected and from whom.

Stage 3
If you are not satisfied with the subsequent reply, then you have the option of writing to the CEO of SonoSkills Marc Schmitz (marc@sonoskills.com), stating the reason why you are dissatisfied with the outcome. You must do this within 10 days of receiving the written response.

The CEO will respond normally within 15 working days to inform you of the action which will be taken to investigate your complaint, and when you can expect to hear the outcome of the investigation.

Final Stage
If SonoSkills is unable to resolve the complaint, or you’re not satisfied with the outcome, the dispute has to be resolved by an external independent third-party Dispute Committee. The decision of the Dispute Committee is binding for SonoSkills. This committee is chaired by Mr. drs. P. Wijntje of Bureau voor Conflictbemiddeling en Mediation. Contact details:

Bureau voor Conflictbemiddeling en Mediation
Heuvel 105
6042 JS Roermond

E-mail: info@mediationroermond.nl
Phone: 0475 - 320 438