What are my obligations?
As an organisation that has met the requirements of the Customer First Standard you are entitled to hold the Putting the Customer First ® certification mark for two years. As part of your Customer First status you have an obligation to ensure that the Standard against which you were assessed is maintained and where appropriate developed and improved to ensure that your customers receive the best possible service.
Under your obligations as a Customer First complaint organisation you are required to:
- maintain your commitment and compliance with the requirements of the Customer First Standard throughout the duration of your compliance period
- conform and adhere to the requirements of the Customer First branding guidelines.
- only use the Putting the Customer First ® certification mark in relation to services and or the organisation judged to have met the Customer First Standard. Any misuse or misrepresentation of the certification mark will be dealt with as a matter of trade mark infringement
- permit reasonable requests from Customer First UK to investigate complaints and any potential breaches of the Customer First Standard to check this is continuing to be complied with. Under this obligation to permit Customer First UK and or representatives of Customer First UK to enter premises for the purpose of inspection including the right to meet staff and or customers and to inspect appropriate documentation and relevant evidence
- implement action and make good or remedy any compliance breaches within the terms specified by Customer First UK
- notify Customer First UK of any conviction or offence which might bring the Customer First Standard into disrepute
- notify Customer First UK of any organisation financial mismanagement, insolvency or bankruptcy
- notify Customer First UK in the event of merger, take-over and or significant changes in structure or service-offering. These changes may require the new or revised organisation to undertake a full re-assessment.
- discontinue the use of the Putting the Customer first ® mark, certificate and plaque where you no longer meet the requirements of the Standard and or where Customer First UK has legislated that you have infringed or breached your obligations as a Customer First holder and has withdrawn the use of mark.
- act in a professional manner and not to do anything to bring either the Mark or Customer First UK into disrepute.
It is important that Customer First UK manage the integrity of the mark to ensure that you and your customers receive the full benefits of your Customer First status therefore any persistent and or significant breaches of these obligations may result in the withdrawal of the Putting the Customer First ® mark and in the most serious of cases legal action.