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Compliments and complaints policy

Introduction

Armonia Health and Beauty is committed to providing a quality service for all learners, employees, visitors and customers related to the business, including members of the general public, who may make a complaint about any provision of services or facilities that Armonia provide.

 

This policy identifies the arrangements to be used by Armonia to deal with anyone who has had a positive or negative experience with the organisation’s services. This includes compliments, comments, feedback and complaints from learners, parents, customers, employers, contractors, local residents, visitors and any other users of our services.



Scope

This policy and procedure will enable customers to provide Armonia with compliments, comments, feedback and complaints. It will help to eliminate direct and indirect discrimination against any individual on grounds of protected characteristics.

 

This policy will not discriminate either directly or indirectly against any individual on grounds of sex, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, disability, inclusion need, gender identity, socio-economic status or any other protected characteristic.

 

Armonia does not accept any form of sexual harassment, violence or abuse and any member of Armonia’s community who wishes to make a complaint of this nature will be supported to do so as outlined in this policy. Any reasonable adjustment or support required to enable compliments and complaints to be made will be put in place.

 

This policy does not replace Armonia’s Disciplinary Procedure, Whistleblowing Policy, Safeguarding Policy, or Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy and these policies / procedures should be followed where appropriate.

 

Policy Statement

Armonia is committed to providing high quality experience for all its customers through teaching, learning and a range of professional support and commercial services.

 

Armonia welcomes compliments, comments, feedback and complaints and will deal with them in a sensitive, fair and efficient way. The Policy will be published on the Armonia’s website, communicated to all staff via induction, staff training and the shared drive and updated accordingly.

 

Aim

The compliments, comments, feedback and complaints procedure plays an important part in enabling Armonia to gain awareness of positive aspects of our services and areas that require further development. This policy is in place to:

  • Help customers understand the compliments, comments, feedback and complaints procedure
  • Enable customers to compliment, comment, feedback and complain
  • Address all complaints effectively
  • Allow speedy handling with established time limits for action
  • Keep people informed of the progress of their complaint
  • Ensure a full and fair investigation where required
  • Respect customers confidentiality
  • Collate information to assist the organisation to improve services and work in a more equitable way.

 

Armonia defines Compliments, Comments, Feedback and Complaints in the

following way:

Compliment: ‘A polite expression of praise or admiration’.

Comment: ‘A verbal or written remark expressing an opinion or reaction’.

Feedback: ‘Information about reactions to a product or a person’s performance of a task, which is used as a basis for development or praise’.

Complaint: ‘An expression of dissatisfaction about the standard of services provided which requires a response’.

 

Roles and responsibilities

All staff

  • All staff have responsibility for ensuring that customers are sign posted to the Chief Operation Officer (COO) who will receive and record both informal and formal compliments, comments, feedback and complaints.
  • All staff must refer Compliments, Comments, Feedback and Complaints to the COO so that they can be logged and tracked.

 

Chief Operation Officer (COO)

  • The COO will ensure that this policy is updated and accessible.
  • The COO will be responsible for the allocation of Complaints for investigation to the appropriate Manager
  • The COO will make the manager of the reviewer aware of the investigation.
  • The COO is responsible for monitoring the compliment and complaints process and for preparing termly reports and an annual report on the operation of the procedure.
  • The COO will respond to any reasonable adjustment or support. 

 

Investigating Manager

  • The Investigating Manager is responsible for undertaking the timely investigation into a Complaint allocated to them and reaching an outcome or resolving the Complaint and compiling the resolution letter. The Investigating Manager is also responsible for recommendations for future preventive measures.
  • The Investigating Manager will respond to any reasonable adjustment or support.

 

Customer

  • Customers are required to bring their Compliments, Comments, Feedback and Complaints to the organisation’s attention as soon as possible. This can be done in various ways including face to face, writing a letter, by telephone and via Armonia’s Website.
  • Representatives are only permitted when the student’s consent is confirmed.
  • If there is an ongoing investigation, this must first be concluded before a formal complaint can be raised.

 

End Point Assessment Providers

  • The Employer acknowledges that Armonia does not exercise control over the End Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO). If the Employer has a complaint about the EPAO they should contact Armonia in the first instance to discuss the complaint by contacting the Chief Operation Officer: 

Telephone: 01757 212130 

Email: [email protected]

 

  • Armonia at its sole discretion considers it appropriate to mediate any complaints between the Employer and EPAO. Armonia may, however, determine that it is appropriate for a complaint against an EPAO to be raised directly with the EPAO. If the Employer is directed to EPAO to raise a complaint with them, the Employer shall keep Armonia’s COO informed of the progress and resolution of the complaint.
  • In the event that the Employer is not able to reach a resolution with the EPAO, Armonia may provide assistance to the Employer or the EPAO as it considers appropriate in order to resolve the complaint.
  • If the Employer has not been able to resolve a complaint with EPAO in accordance with the above the Employer could raise a formal complaint with Armonia regarding the EPAO set out below.

 

Procedure

Informal compliments, comments, feedback and complaints

  • Informal Compliments, Comments, Feedback and Complaints may be received by any member of staff. 
  • Staff members should listen and respond to any concerns or negative feedback in a sensitive, fair and efficient way
  • Informal Compliments and Complaints should be referred to the COO to be recorded. (This means that if an employee has received a Compliment, Comments or Complaint and have resolved the case, they should send the information only to the COO for recording purposes).
  • No formal responses are necessarily required for Compliments, Comments, Feedback, and informal Complaints.
  • Where appropriate, Staff should make recommendations for improvement within their own area when they have resolved an informal complaint. Formal compliments, comments, feedback and complaints.
  • All formal Compliments and Complaints from Clients, visitors, contractors should be referred to the COO to be recorded
  • All formal Compliments and Complaints from learners should be referred to their course tutor in the first instance or learning mentor who will refer to the COO for recording.
  • If an employee should feel that they need to make a complaint they should firstly discuss this with their line manager. If the situation is not resolved satisfactorily then the Grievance Procedure should be invoked, this is located in the employee handbook.
  • The COO will respond to any formal complaints with an acknowledgement letter. The complainant will receive this within 2 working days. (Face to face complaints may receive an acknowledgement letter immediately).
  • The COO will allocate an investigator within 2 working days
  • The investigator may liaise with the complainant to seek further clarification
  • The investigator will investigate the complaint and aim to find a resolution within 12 working days
  • The investigator will provide the complainant with an outcome letter within 12 working days
  • The COO will record the outcome of the investigation
  • Where further investigation is required and more time is needed, this will be communicated to the complainant.
  • Where appropriate the investigator will make recommendations for improvements.
  • If there are any HR implications, these will be sent to the CEO.

 

Recording Complaints

  • Armonia will comply with our obligations under the Equality Act 2010.
  • A complaint may be made in person, by telephone, or in writing
  • All complaints made in writing should be addressed to the Chief Operating officer,

Armonia Training Academy, 10 Park Street, Selby, North Yorkshire, YO8 4PW or by Emailing: [email protected]

  • Alternatively, complaints may be made by Telephone: 01757 212130

 

Appeals

  • If the complainant is dissatisfied with the outcome offered by the investigator, the complainant may appeal and request a review of the outcome.
  • The COO will record the appeal and allocate a Reviewer within 2 working days.
  • The Reviewer will be a member of the Senior management Team
  • The Reviewer will review the complaint and aim to find a resolution
  • The Reviewer will provide the complainant with a final outcome letter within 12 working days of the date appeal being made.
  • The COO will record the outcome on Armonia’s system. 

 

Unresolved

If the complainant has exhausted all avenues within Armonia’s policy and remains unsatisfied with the resolution provided by Armonia, then they should seek advice from the Apprenticeship helpline.

 

Feedback & Comments

Armonia will also offer a wide range of opportunities for its learners to provide feedback and comments including during Enrolment and Open Days, Learner Voice mechanisms, tutorials, Progress Reviews, email, its Learning and via social media.




© Armonia Health & Beauty Compliments & Complaints

Date of Policy: July 2019

Reviewed: October 2025

Next review: October 2026