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Complaint Resolution Steps

Brent Ramsey
  • Updated

Quick Definition

A complaint is…

  • A concern or issue
  • From a Volunteer or Client
  • Non-Technical

Complaint Risk Levels

Complaints received by SCORE vary in the range of low to high risk.

 

Risk Level No/Low Risk Medium Risk High Risk
Resolution Level Complaint Recipient or Helpdesk Helpdesk, Field Leader (optional) Investigation - ELT/Legal/Board
Description These are minor concerns or questions that can be resolved without extensive intervention. These complaints involve moderate issues or policy-related concerns that may require additional oversight or actions but don’t pose severe reputational or legal risk. These complaints pose a potential legal, ethical, or serious reputational risk to SCORE and require immediate escalation.
Examples

Satisfaction Concerns: "I felt my mentor didn't fully understand my business model."

Technical Clarifications: "I'm having trouble accessing SCORE resources; can someone help with logging in?"

Simple Miscommunications: "I expected a follow-up meeting, but my mentor didn’t confirm it."

Minor Process Complaints: "The SCORE onboarding process was confusing for me."

Website Navigation Issues: "I find it hard to locate certain resources on the SCORE website."

Quality of Advice: "The advice I received was outdated and irrelevant to current market trends."

Inconsistent Communication: "My mentor missed two scheduled meetings without notifying me."

Professionalism Issues: "A volunteer made an offhand comment that I found slightly dismissive."

Minor Ethical Concerns: "I’m worried that my mentor might be discussing my business with others without my consent."

Interpersonal Conflicts: "A volunteer was rude and unwilling to work with a client I referred."

Harassment or Discrimination: "My mentor commented inappropriately about my gender or ethnicity."

Breach of Confidentiality: "I discovered that my mentor shared sensitive business information with external parties."

Conflicts of Interest: "My mentor offered paid services unrelated to SCORE after our meeting."

Threats or Intimidation: "A volunteer threatened to report me to competitors if I didn’t follow their advice."

Legal or Media-Related Concerns: "A volunteer mentioned they might contact the media due to dissatisfaction with SCORE."

Complaint Resolution Steps

  1. Receive the Complaint

    • Determine if it's a complaint (non-technical issue from a client or volunteer). Examples:
      • Complaint: "My mentor was unprofessional."
      • Not a complaint: "How do I use Engage?"
    • For low-risk complaints:
      • Handle directly if possible.
      • If unsure, forward to the SCORE Helpdesk.
    • For medium- or high-risk complaints:
      • Always forward relevant details to the SCORE Helpdesk.

  2. Escalate or Resolve (Handled by Helpdesk)

    • Medium-risk complaints: Resolved by the Helpdesk using existing resources.
    • High-risk complaints: Escalated to the appropriate SCORE staff/ Executive Leadership Team (ELT) member.

  3. Close the Complaint

    • After resolution, the Helpdesk documents and closes the ticket.
    • For escalated issues, ELT ensures resolution, which may include:
      • Disciplinary actions.
      • Documentation in the system.

  4. Respect Anonymity

    • If anonymity is requested, maintain it unless it prevents resolution.

Key Contact Points:

  • Helpdesk: First stop for medium/high-risk complaints.
  • Field Leaders: Notified as needed based on complaint level and resolution.

For full details, refer to the SCORE Complaint Resolution Guide.

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