Customer Service promise and aims

Thursday, 08 April 2010 15:43

Customer Service promise

Our customer service promise to you is that we will be committed to providing and developing a high quality service that meets your needs. We want our customers and stakeholders to feel valued, to find it easy to communicate with us and at all times to find us approachable, knowledgeable, fair and consistent.

In doing this we will set clear standards and performance levels and ensure you are able to communicate with us easily and through various channels. We have also clearly communicated our complaints process and would welcome your feedback to help us continuously improve our service.

Customer Service standards and performance levels

The following sets out the standards of service you can expect from Ofqual:

Access arrangements:

• We are committed to making our service accessible through various channels either via the telephone, text phone, email, letter or via the website
• We will consider requests for information and make material available where appropriate in alternative formats.
• Our website is configured to allow easier access by increasing the font size
• We will ensure easy access to our buildings for people with a disability

When you telephone us:

• Our switchboard and Helpline is open Monday to Friday 9am – 5.00pm (GMT/BST).
• We will always give you a contact name in Ofqual and will ask you to do likewise
• We will answer the telephone within five rings and will be professional and polite
• If we need to call you back we will arrange a convenient time to do so and always commit to this promise.
• If we are not available you will have the opportunity to call back or leave a message via email for us to call you back.

When you write to us:

• We aim to acknowledge your letter within two working days with at least an initial response.
• We will make it clear who is dealing with your request and keep you updated if a full response is going to take longer than ten working days.
• If you send an email into our This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it box we will endeavour to send an initial response within one working day.

When you visit us:

• If you have an appointment we will meet with you within 5 minutes of our appointment time
• If you call and you do not have an appointment we will endeavour to meet with you within 30 minutes of your arrival or alternatively arrange another mutually convenient time to reschedule the meeting
• We will endeavour to make parking arrangements available for visitors and ensure easy access to the buildings for people with a disability.

If you require publications:

• We will despatch publications within five working days of receipt of an order
• We will make new publications available within 15 days working days of publication.
• We will keep you informed on new publications and news releases on our website

Freedom of information (FOI) request:

The Freedom of Information Act came into force in January 2005. It requires publicly funded organisations (not only government organisations but also schools, hospitals and local authorities, for example) to maintain a publication scheme and make this publicly available, put in place systems for effective records management and respond to requests from the public for information. The Act recognises the need to maintain government confidentiality in some circumstances and so it includes exemptions.

All FOI requests must be made in writing to:

Freedom of Information Requests

Ofqual
Spring Place
Coventry Business Park
Herald Avenue
Coventry
CV5 6UB

or alternatively by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

• We will send an initial acknowledgement letter to you and respond to the request within the 20 working days deadline as laid down in the FOI Act.
• If we are unable to respond fully within 20 days you will be notified there is likely to be a delay.
• If Ofqual does not hold the information you are requesting we will help you identify which part of the public sector may be able to help

If you are unhappy with the way in which your request has been handled, you have the right to request an internal review in the first instance. You can request an internal review by contacting the Freedom of Information Officer, Ofqual, Spring Place, Herald Avenue, Coventry Business Park, Coventry CV5 6UB.

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the internal review, you can apply to the Information Commissioner. Complaints to the Information Commissioner should be sent to: FOI/EIR Complaints Resolution, Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

More about the Act can be found on the Information Commissioner's Office website.

Advice on whistle blowing

If you are concerned about malpractice or wrongdoing at work and you are unsure whether or how to raise this, you may find it helpful to contact the independent whistleblowing charity, Public Concern at Work (PCaW), for advice. PCaW can talk to you about how best to raise your concern. You can call them on 0207 404 6609 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . To find out more about Public Concern at Work, please visit www.pcaw.co.uk.

About PCaW

Public Concern at Work (PCaW) is the independent authority on public interest whistleblowing. Established as a charity in 1993 following a series of scandals and disasters, PCaW has played a leading role in putting whistleblowing on the governance agenda and in developing legislation in the UK and abroad. All our work is informed by the free advice we offer to people with whistleblowing dilemmas and the professional support we provide to enlightened organisations.

Complaints:

If you have a complaint about the quality of service you have received from Ofqual we welcome your feedback and see this as an opportunity to improve our service.

Similarly if you have a complaint about an Awarding Organisation (AO) and you have exhausted the relevant AO's complaint procedure you may also raise this type of complaint with Ofqual where an investigation on your behalf can be made.

You can make us aware of your complaint by either ringing our helpline on 0300 303 3346, by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by writing to us at:

Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation,
Spring Place, Coventry Business Park,
Herald Avenue,
Coventry
CV5 6UB.

You should include:

• a clear explanation of the nature of your query or complaint
• your full name and candidate number
• your centre name and number (school/college/training provider)
• the name of the awarding body/organisation
• the qualification or unit title and code number
• copies of any relevant supporting documents.

We will

• send an initial acknowledgement within 2 days of receipt of the complaint
• A substantive response to the complaint will be sent within 10 working days. If this is not possible due to the complexity of the investigation you will be notified and kept updated in progress.

Note:

If you have a complaint or appeal about your exam results, awarding body or school, college or training provider you should normally address these complaints via the place of study in the first instance who direct the complaint via the Awarding Organisation.

If you are unhappy with the way Ofqual dealt with your complaint you can write to the independent Parliamentary Commissioner Administration (the ombudsman) via your local MP to request a review of your complaint.

Following an investigation, the ombudsman may conclude that the complaint was wholly or partly justified, or that it was not justified. If the complaint is found to be justified, the Ombudsman can recommend that we should take action to resolve the matter. If, however, the complaint is found to be unjustified, the case may be closed.

Download our full complaints policy and procedure.

In situations where correspondence between Ofqual and a complainant becomes vexatious Ofqual will refer the complainant to its Vexatious correspondence policy.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 01 November 2011 18:13 Tags: Ofqual, education, examination regulation, qualifications, assessments