Making a complaint
Skillset Customer Complaints Procedure
Skillset is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity. It is a member of the Skills for Business Network for Sector Skills Councils and is currently regulated by the Sector Skills Development Agency. Please note from 1st April 2008, Skillset will be regulated by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.
Skillset is committed to being open and accessible and we welcome all comments on our work and the services we provide. We strive to provide the very highest standards of professionalism and customer service. However, there may be occasions when you feel dissatisfied with the service you have received from us. Our customer complaints procedure is as follows:
Stage 1 - Initial complaint
If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the service you have received from Skillset, we ask that you initially liaise with the member of staff concerned. We hope that most complaints can be resolved quickly and to your satisfaction in this way.
Stage 2 - Formal Complaint
If you are dissatisfied with the initial response we would like you to put the details of your complaint in writing. We request you contact us within 4 weeks of the initial complaint. If you require a large print version please email complaints@skillset.org or call 0207 713 9807. You can make a complaint by either:
- completing the Customer Complaints form below (available in English and Welsh) and send by e-mail at complaints@skillset.org ;
Customer complaints form - sending the form or an Audio Tape or CD by post to: Complaints, Skillset, Focus Point, 21 Caledonian Road, London N1 9GB;
- if you are a textphone user, the Typetalk service is available to use (this service is available in English only). Information on this service can be accessed here.
Once your complaint has been received, you will receive an acknowledgement within 5 working days indicating who will be responding to your complaint and their contact details. You will receive a full response from the relevant Manager(s) within 15 working days.
From this point onwards, all correspondence will have a reference number for this specific complaint and we would like you to quote this in any correspondence you have with us. All correspondence will be recorded in our internal complaints log.
Stage 3 - If you are not satisfied
If you are not content with the responses you have received to date, then our Chief Executive Officer will investigate the complaint. Please address your letter to:
Chief Executive, Skillset, Focus Point, 21 Caledonian Road, London, N1 9GB
At this stage it is also possible to contact us via textphone or audio tape / CD. You will receive an acknowledgement within five working days and a full response within 15 working days.
The Chief Executive Officer will investigate the circumstances of your complaint, review the responses you have received to date and speak to the staff involved. You will then receive notification in writing of the decision on your complaint and what action, if any will be taken.
Step 4 - Appeals
If you have exhausted the previous three stages and you still do not agree with the adjudication provided by the Chief Executive then you may appeal to the Chair of Skillset's Board of Trustees/Directors.
Please write to the Chair, c/o Complaints, Skillset, Focus Point, 21 Caledonian Road, London N1 9GB - or email care of complaints@skillset.org . You will receive an acknowledgement of your appeal within 5 working days.
The Chair will instigate further enquiries in to the matter in dispute. Appeals may take longer to be arbitrated upon due to level of investigation required. You will receive a response to your appeal in writing from the Chair of Skillset's Board of Directors/Trustees within 20 working days of receipt.
Funding applications
Please note that we have a separate complaints procedure for decisions on applications for funding and details of these procedures can be obtained from the person to whom your application for funding was submitted. Decisions on the awarding of funds are made at the discretion of the Skillset and there is no appeal against a decision taken on creative grounds.
Your Personal Information
If you use our complaints procedure, you are agreeing that we can use any personal information you send us for purposes connected with your complaint. We may also give your personal information to other people and organisations if we have to do so by law or if you have given us permission.
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