ISO 10002:2018 – Customer satisfaction — Guidelines for complaints handling in organizations

Manage customer complaints effectively and you’ll have more chance of meeting their expectations as well. And you can quickly turn customer complaints into customer satisfaction instead – especially when you view complaints as an opportunity to improve what you do and how you do it. ISO 10002 can help you to achieve this whatever the size or nature of your business. The customer complaints management system is a basic but essential requirement for any business – especially businesses that want to become and remain successful.
What is ISO 10002 Customer Satisfaction. Complaints Handling?

Customers expect more and more from the service you provide. And your competitors are working harder to meet these expectations. You can too with ISO 10002, the international standard for customer satisfaction. It provides you with guidelines for putting in place your own complaints management system – helping you to identify complaints, their cause and how to eliminate them. ISO 10002 will also allow you to identify areas in your business where you can improve and eventually remove the cause of complaints. The standard outlines management controls and processes that help you to handle customer complaints more effectively and efficiently – making sure that more customers are satisfied with the service you provide.
What are the benefits of customer complaint management?

    Achieve operational efficiency to identify trends and causes of complaints
    Resolve more complaints by adopting a more customer-focused approach
    Engage staff with new customer service training opportunities
    Integrate ISO 10002 with ISO 9001 to improve overall efficiency
    Monitor and continually improve your complaints handling process.

ISO 10002:2018

This document gives guidelines for the process of complaints handling related to products and services within an organization, including planning, design, development, operation, maintenance and improvement. The complaints-handling process described is suitable for use as one of the processes of an overall quality management system.

NOTE Throughout this document, the terms “product” and “service” refer to the outputs of an organization that are intended for, or required by, a customer.

This document is intended for use by any organization regardless of its type or size, or the products and services it provides. It is also intended for use by organizations in all sectors. Annex B provides guidance specifically for small businesses.

This document addresses the following aspects of complaints handling:

a) 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 products and services, including customer service;

b) top management involvement and commitment through adequate acquisition and deployment of resources, including personnel training;

c) recognizing and addressing the needs and expectations of complainants;

d) providing complainants with an open, effective and easy-to-use complaints process;

e) analysing and evaluating complaints in order to improve the quality of products and services, including customer service;

f) auditing of the complaints-handling process;

g) reviewing the effectiveness and efficiency of the complaints-handling process.

This document does not apply to disputes referred for resolution outside the organization or for employment-related disputes.