Postal Code of Practice

Code of Practice for handling customer complaints relating to post, in accordance with Section 43 of the Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Act 2011 and the Commission for Communications Regulation Guidelines for Postal Service Providers for Complaints and Redress Procedures Ref. document 14/06

1. Scope
   
   
   1. This Code of Practice covers the handling and reporting of complaints, methods of compensation to customers, the methods available to customers for complaint and the methods of appeal available regarding loss, theft or damage to items entrusted to Tico Mail Works for postal management purposes, until a final decision is reached and approved by both the client and Tico Mail Works.
   
   
   2. This Code of Practice shall be available via the Tico Mail Works website, at the Company's Offices, or on request.
   
   
   3. This Code of Practice applies to all verbal and written complaints received by Tico Mail Works in respect of postal services utilised by our customers.
   
   
   4. Statutory rights are not affected by this Code of Practice.


2. Complaint lodging and acknowledgement
   
   
   1. In the nature of the business of Tico Mail Works, the service is generally carried out on behalf of existing customers or new customers with whom a relationship is established Therefore, all users of our services will have a Customer Relationship Manager (CRM), who is known to them, and with whom a relationship has been established.
      
      The first point of contact in the case of a complaint will be the customer's CRM, who will accept (probably by phone) the complaint from the customer and will escalate it if necessary, while remaining as the primary point of contact for the complainant. However, all the following methods of communication listed in 2.2 of this document are available to the complainant and any other method that is made available by future technologies.
      
      Employees of Tico Mail Works are issued with the Company's standard operating procedures as well as the Code of Practice for complaints which contains all relevant information pertaining to complaint resolution.
   
   
   2. A complaint can be lodged by:
      
      
      • Contacting your CRM by Telephone on 01 2959077 between the hours of 09:30 and 17:00 Monday to Friday. Outside these hours a message may be left on the answering machine which will be responded to by the relevant CRM on the next business day.
      • Letter addressed to Complaints Manager, Tico Mail Works, Unit T8, Maple Ave, Stillorgan/Sandyford Industrial Park, Co Dublin L6G 56LP
      • E mail directly to the relevant CRM or to complaints@ticomailworks.ie
      • Fax at 01 2959079
      
      This information is integrated into the Terms and Conditions agreed to by the customer when a job is quoted and undertaken by Tico Mail Works.
   
   
   3. In accordance with the guidelines as issued by the Commission for Communications Regulations (Com Reg) a customer may lodge a complaint in line within the following timescales:
      
      • for domestic mail, one month from date of receipt of an item and three months from date of posting of an item.
      • for international mail, up to six months from date of receipt or posting of an item
      • for all non mail related complaints, one month
      Notwithstanding the prescribed timescales, Tico Mail Works will do all in its power to resolve any complaint received as quickly as possible irrespective of the time scale involved.
   
   
   4. On receipt of the complaint a Complaint Form will be filled out by the relevant CRM and returned to the complainant for approval that the complaint has been recorded correctly. The Complaint Form is reviewed by the customer, who may amend details as he/she sees fit. When satisfied with the details recorded, the customer signs the form and returns it to the CRM. At this point the complaint is deemed to be received.
   
   
   5. All complaints lodged will be acknowledged by Tico Mail Works on day of receipt either by telephone, in writing or by e-mail. Such acknowledgement will state the timescale within which the specific category of complaint will be addressed and resolved (see section 3 below).
   
   
   6. Assistance in submitting a complaint will be given to any customer who requests such assistance.


3. Complaint handing and resolution
   
   
   1. Procedure for Handling Complaints Following receipt and acknowledgement of complaints, the following procedure will be followed by Tico Mail Works in responding to complaints:
      
      • Initial investigation of the complaint to establish responsibility i.e. whether Tico Mail Works or the relevant Universal Service Provider of Postal Services. In either case Tico Mail Works will handle the complaint.
      • Notification of the resolution, (see 3.2 below.)
      • Internal escalation (if necessary) and
      • Final response.
   
   
   2. Timeframe
      
      Tico Mail Works shall endeavour to investigate and respond to the complaint as soon as reasonably practicable. The target maximum time frames for resolution are
      • thirty days for post for delivery within the State
      • forty days for post for delivery within Europe Canada, New Zealand and Australia
      • sixty days for the rest of the world
      Notwithstanding these time frames, Tico Mail Works will make all reasonable efforts to ensure that complaints are resolved as quickly as possible. Customers will be updated on progress at least once if the time frame exceeds forty days.
      
      If a complaint is not handled within the original timeframe, the customer will be advised of the reason for the delay and will be given a revised time frame. In such circumstances, and in accordance with industry norms, the customer may also be entitled to a payment of
      
      Tico Mail Works will reply to any queries from a customer regarding a delay caused by the failure of a postal service provider operating in another jurisdiction, in handling a complaint, including queries as to the exact reasons for the delay.
   
   
   3. Compensation
      
      If Tico Mail Works is found to have failed to satisfactorily provide the service which it undertook to provide, then, subject to force majeure and excluding consequential loss, Tico Mail Works will, at a minimum, put the customer in the position he/she would have been in had the service been satisfactorily provided.
      
      In particular Tico Mail Works will
      
      • make prompt and easily accessible provision, without charge, for the customer to receive some compensation in the form of a number of stamps/credit note and/or a cash amount (denominated in Euros) provided it is reasonable and in proportion to the full cost of the mailing
      • cover the full cost of the mailing, which includes recompense for the following elements
      • the cost of the postage fee paid
      • the cost of the material in the mailing, which will reflect the current cost of the replacement/reproduction of the packaging and contents
      • a small compensation to cover any other relevant and reasonable costs incurred.
      It should be noted however that NO COMPENSATION FOR CONSEQUENTIAL LOSSES OF ANY KIND will be paid.
   
   
   4. Internal Redress
      If the complaint is not resolved within the above time frames or the customer is not happy with the progress of the complaint, he/she may request that the complaint be escalated within the Tico Mail Works organisation to the appropriate supervisor, manager or the Managing Director. Tico Mail Works may also escalate such complaint internally, without having received a request from the customer if it believes escalation is necessary. The escalation process is as follows:


4. Independent Advice
   
   Customers have the right to seek independent advice, including, but not limited to the following:
   • At the request of a customer, a person may be appointed by Tico Mail Works to act as postal service user advocate. The complainant must normally request such an appointment within thirty days of receiving a final response to his/her complaint. The request should be made in accordance with the provisions of Com Reg Document 14/06 'Complaint Procedure Guidelines' in particular, the provisions at sections A1.25 to A1.33 of those Guidelines. The appointed advocate will be deal with the complaint, also in accordance with those provisions.
     If a customer requests the intervention of a postal service user advocate, Tico Mail Works will assist the customer and explain what is required.
   • Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), Irish Life Centre, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1;
   • Small claims court: to contact the small claims court, see your local telephone directory under court services;
   • Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs: 4 Harcourt Road, Dublin 2.


5. Record of Complaints and File Retention.
   
   
   1. Retention
      Tico Mail Works will retain records relating to the complaint(s) for at least 1 year following its resolution. All Data will be handled by Tico Mail Works in line with the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003.
      
      The complaint will be recorded by Tico Mail Works in a central database and may include details of the complaint such as the assigned reference number, the date of the complaint, a brief description of the complaint, the category of the complaint, customer details, any action planned and/or carried out by Tico Mail Works to resolve the complaint and details of any communications with the customer or any person acting on the customer's behalf. These records may also include details of any previous complaints made by a customer.
   
   
   2. In accordance with Com Reg Guidelines, information on the number of complaints and the manner which they have been resolved will be published on an annual basis by Tico Mail Works using the table recommended by Com Reg, a copy of which is below.
      
      Table to be used for recording complaints (a) dealt with in accordance with company procedures at 3 above (b) dealt with where independent advice has been sought in accordance with 4 above. Separate tables to be used for (a) and (b).
      • Item lost or substantially delayed
      • Item arriving late
      • Item lost or substantially delayed
      • Item arriving late
      • Item damaged
      • Change of address
      • Mail delivery or collection
      • Misdelivery
      • Access to customer service information
      • Behaviour and competence of postal personnel
      • Access to postal services
      • How complaints are treated
      • Other complaints (not appropriate to be included in the categories above)