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Have you ever received a product-related complaint where the severity of the situation requires an investigation, but have no idea where to start? And what is the risk that this complaint may become more frequent?
Complaints in which a consumer could be injured or that compromise general (electrical) safety are called Safety Related Complaints, abbreviated as VGKs. Examples of such complaints include: an oven that short-circuits, a chair whose legs break off, or toys whose loose parts can break off too easily.
In order to properly assess the severity and risk of recurrence in these VGKs and to act quickly on these complaints, a complaints procedure is of great importance. The regulator in this area is the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). The NVWA ensures that VGKs are investigated and analyzed and that the appropriate corrective follow-up steps are taken in the case of an unsafe product. The complaints procedure is reviewed by the NVWA during an audit of your company.
To assess whether a company's complaints procedure is guaranteed in practice, Précon has conducted so-called Mystery Visits regarding the procedure regarding VGKs. Consultants have visited several branches in the role of Mystery Visitor to investigate the procedure for complaints related to consumer safety. By stepping into the role of the consumer as a Mystery Visitor and actually reporting a safety-related complaint in various stores, the consultants were able to test and map how the procedures are implemented in practice and what questions are asked in the store in response to a safety-related complaint.
In order to gain a more complete understanding of the existing complaints procedure at the company in question, in addition to Mystery Visits, interviews were conducted with employees in various branches. From these, it can be assessed to what extent the employees are aware of the procedure concerning VGKs and whether the existing procedure is clear enough, so that it can also be properly applied in practice.
The results of these Mystery Visits and the interviews conducted are used by the client to tighten the procedure and, where necessary, to bring it to the attention of employees in a renewed manner.
Précon can support in reviewing your current grievance procedure or assist in setting up a sound VGK procedure. Please contact us at: info@precongroup.com or +31 30 65 66 010.
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