Public complaints

Annual Report 2018-19: Table of contents | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Number of public complaints reported

Complaint categories	Sub-categories	Example	Number of complaints 2018-19
Professional behaviour	Staff attitude	Failure to demonstrate values such as empathy, respect, fairness, courtesy, extra mile; cultural competency	0
Professional behaviour	Staff competency	Failure to action service request; poorly informed decisions; incorrect or incomplete service provided	0
Professional behaviour	Staff knowledge	Lack of service specific knowledge; incomplete or out-of-date knowledge	0
Communication	Communication quality	Inadequate, delayed or absent communication with customer	1
Communication	Confidentiality	Customer’s confidentiality or privacy not respected; information shared incorrectly	0
Service delivery	Systems/technology	System offline; inaccessible to customer; incorrect result/information provided; poor system design	2
Service delivery	Access to services	Service difficult to find; location poor; facilities/ environment poor standard; not accessible to customers with disabilities	0
Service delivery	Process	Processing error; incorrect process used; delay in processing application; process not customer responsive	1
Policy	Policy application	Incorrect policy interpretation; incorrect policy applied; conflicting policy advice given	0
Policy	Policy content	Policy content difficult to understand; policy unreasonable or disadvantages customer	0
Service quality	Information	Incorrect, incomplete, out dated or inadequate information; not fit for purpose	1
Service quality	Access to information	Information difficult to understand, hard to find or difficult to use; not plain English	0
Service quality	Timeliness	Lack of staff punctuality; excessive waiting times (outside of service standard); timelines not met	0
Service quality	Safety	Maintenance; personal or family safety; duty of care not shown; poor security service/ premises; poor cleanliness	0
Service quality	Service responsiveness	Service design doesn’t meet customer needs; poor service fit with customer expectations	1
No case to answer	No case to answer	Third party; customer misunderstanding; redirected to another agency; insufficient information to investigate	9
		Total	15

Additional metrics	Total
Number of positive feedback comments	68
Number of negative feedback comments	6
Total number of feedback comments	74
% complaints resolved within policy timeframes	75

Data for previous years is available at: Data.SA Public Complaints received by the Department of the Premier and Cabinet

Service improvements for period

Service improvements resulting from complaints or consumer suggestions over 2018-19
While the small number of public complaints and feedback limits extensive analysis, there were some opportunities to improve the department’s complaint processes and improve policy compliance. Complaint triggers included poor customer information, technology failure or process issues. Where there was no case to answer, generally the complaint triggers were customer misunderstanding, or another agency was responsible. The number of complaints where the department was responsible compared with those triggered by other causes was similar. Encouragingly, where there was a service failure or perceived deficiency, DPC teams implemented effective service improvements. For example, Multicultural Affairs received a complaint regarding how they managed negative public comments in social media posts as part of their Multicultural Legislative Review 2019. As a result of discussions with the customer and reviewing how other organisations manage social media comments, Multicultural Affairs has improved and clarified their community standards statement for future social media consultations. Cabinet Office developed an online portal for the South Australian Lobbyist Register to improve the annual return process. The portal eliminates the need to send in a paper form and makes it easier for lobbyists to understand what information is required. The portal has around 80 users. Feedback on this service improvement has been positive, as the previous process was sometimes considered confusing and required rework by employees. The one complaint raised about the portal’s performance related to an issue that was being fixed and was resolved within 24 hours. It should be noted that fewer than 75% of complaints were resolved either within 21 business days or within a negotiated extension as per the department’s policy. Anecdotally, this appears to be due in part to employees becoming more familiar with their local complaints procedure, as well as team roles and responsibilities settling post machinery of government changes. It is anticipated that compliance with policy time frames will improve with experience over time.

Service improvements resulting from complaints or consumer suggestions over 2018-19

While the small number of public complaints and feedback limits extensive analysis, there were some opportunities to improve the department’s complaint processes and improve policy compliance.

Complaint triggers included poor customer information, technology failure or process issues. Where there was no case to answer, generally the complaint triggers were customer misunderstanding, or another agency was responsible. The number of complaints where the department was responsible compared with those triggered by other causes was similar.

Encouragingly, where there was a service failure or perceived deficiency, DPC teams implemented effective service improvements. For example, Multicultural Affairs received a complaint regarding how they managed negative public comments in social media posts as part of their Multicultural Legislative Review 2019. As a result of discussions with the customer and reviewing how other organisations manage social media comments, Multicultural Affairs has improved and clarified their community standards statement for future social media consultations.

Cabinet Office developed an online portal for the South Australian Lobbyist Register to improve the annual return process. The portal eliminates the need to send in a paper form and makes it easier for lobbyists to understand what information is required. The portal has around 80 users. Feedback on this service improvement has been positive, as the previous process was sometimes considered confusing and required rework by employees. The one complaint raised about the portal’s performance related to an issue that was being fixed and was resolved within 24 hours.

It should be noted that fewer than 75% of complaints were resolved either within 21 business days or within a negotiated extension as per the department’s policy. Anecdotally, this appears to be due in part to employees becoming more familiar with their local complaints procedure, as well as team roles and responsibilities settling post machinery of government changes. It is anticipated that compliance with policy time frames will improve with experience over time.

Annual Report 2018-19: Table of contents | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7