Maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction is a significant challenge for many organizations. One way of meeting this challenge is to put in place and use a customer satisfaction code of conduct. A customer satisfaction code of conduct consists of promises and related provisions that address issues such as product delivery, product returns, handling of personal information of customers, advertising, and stipulations concerning particular attributes of a product or its performance.
Why have a code of conduct?
A customer satisfaction code of conduct can be part of an effective approach to complaints management. This involves:
- Complaints prevention, by making use of an appropriate customer satisfaction code of conduct
- Internal complaints handling, for instances when expressions of dissatisfaction are received
- External dispute resolution, for situations in which complaints cannot be satisfactorily dealt with internally.
BS ISO 10001:2007 provides guidance to assist an organization in determining that its customer satisfaction code provisions meet customer needs and expectations and that the customer satisfaction code is accurate and not misleading. Its use can:
- Enhance fair trade practices and customer confidence in an organization
- Improve customer understanding of what to expect from an organization in terms of its products and relations with customers, thereby reducing the likelihood of misunderstandings and complaints
- Potentially decrease the need for new regulations governing an organization’s conduct towards its customers.
Who should use BS ISO 10001?
BS ISO 10001 provides guidance for planning, designing, developing, implementing, maintaining, and improving customer satisfaction codes of conduct. BS ISO 10001 is intended for use by organizations regardless of type, size, and product provided, including organizations that design customer satisfaction codes of conduct for use by other organizations.
Guidance from BSI British Standards targets low consumer satisfaction and confidence
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RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER STANDARDS
BS ISO 10001 is compatible with BS ISO 9001 and BS ISO 9004 and supports the objectives of these two standards through the effective and efficient application of a process to develop and implement a code of conduct related to customer satisfaction.
BS ISO 10001 is also compatible with BS ISO 10002 and BS ISO 10003. These three standards can be used either independently or in conjunction with each other. When used together, they can be part of a broader and integrated framework for enhanced customer satisfaction through codes of conduct, complaints handling, and dispute resolution.
