We will always give top priority to customer care. The standards set out below are the minimum levels of service our users can expect. We will make every effort to meet these standards and to exceed them if we can. They are reviewed regularly and we welcome comments and suggestions for improvement. Please contact Diana Sterck, Chief Executive on 0208 944 5501 or email diana.sterck@mertonchamber.co.uk

Telephone calls

• A full public enquiry service will be provided between 9.15am and 5pm Monday to Friday. An answering service will operate outside these hours
• All calls will be answered within 5 rings
• When the answering service is in operation, we will respond to all messages within one working day
• All readily available information will be sent within one working day. If there is likely to be a delay we will advise on approximate timescales
• If the best course of action is to signpost enquiries to another source of help, we will provide full contact details

Written correspondence

• All letters and emails will be acknowledged within two working days of receipt (exceptions to this are mailshots/promotions)
• We will write in plain English
• We will ensure that contact names and details are clearly displayed on any outgoing correspondence
• If we cannot respond to correspondence within two working days, we will advise on timescales for when to expect a full response
• All emails will be answered with an autoreply if the member of staff is on leave, giving details of when they will return to the office and who to contact in their absence

Meetings

• The purpose, location, time and expected duration of meetings will be communicated prior to the meeting. Where appropriate, a map and directions will be offered along with a list of other attendees
• You will be met by your contact or their representative at the stated time of the meeting
• All meetings will start within 5 minutes of the agreed start time, unless otherwise agreed by the attendees and will run to time
• We will avoid cancelling meetings wherever possible. We will give you a minimum of 24 hours notice of cancellations, unless there are exceptional circumstances
• If we have to cancel a meeting or visit, we will offer you an alternative means of conducting the business or an alternative date

Bills and Finance

• We recognise the importance of cashflow to businesses and will pay all correctly documented invoices within 28 days of receipt

Complaints

• We take all complaints seriously
• All complaints will be logged, whether they are received verbally or in writing
• All written complaints will be acknowledged within two working days and responded to in full within 2 weeks of initial receipt
  

Service Promise

As a customer of an organisation that has achieved the Customer First standard, you can expect....

• your business needs to be clearly diagnosed and your business objectives understood prior to any service being delivered to you
• to be given access to the full range of services available to you - whether delivered directly by this organisation or by another more appropriate service provider
• to be clear about what you can expect from any service we deliver to you and the timescales within which that service will be provided
• that we will continually review your needs and follow up after services have been delivered to you
• to have open access to our customer feedback and complaints procedure and that your feedback will be listened to and, where appropriate, will inform the development of future services
• services to be clearly targeted, relevant and appropriate for your business
• our people to be appropriately trained and developed to have the necessary skills to diagnose and meet your needs
• our people to deliver an impartial and objective service operating in your best interests at all times