How to Add and Complete a Complaint Record
Note: A Complaint Record is a Standalone Record and does not require a Programme to be set up first before it can be created.
The Complaints module allows you to capture and trend Complaints from Customers. The Complaint Record workflow also allows you to add Complaints against your Suppliers and related Sites.
Below are the steps that must be carried out in order to complete a Complaint Record. Expand each step below for further explanation.
To add a Complaint in Safefood 360°, navigate to the Complaints module via 'Management>Complaints' and click the 'Add Complaint' button to open a blank Complaint Record.
Image: Navigating to Complaints Module via 'Management>Complaints', Clicking 'Add Complaint' Button
Image: Blank Complaints Record
After creating your Complaint Record, the Complaint Details workflow stage will open. The Complaint Details workflow stage must be completed and saved and submitted for the next workflow stage will become accessible. The Complaint Review workflow stage will remain greyed out and inaccessible until the 'Save & Submit' button has been clicked within the Complaint Details workflow stage.
Image: Blank General Details
1. Date: The Date will auto-populate to the date the Record has been opened. However, using the calendar option, the date can be updated.
2. Company: Customers, Suppliers and Sites can be selected from the Master Data dropdown, allowing you to select the Customer, Supplier or Site that the Complaint relates to. See the following articles for more information on adding Customers, Suppliers and Sites.
Note: If you select a Supplier within the Company dropdown, and this Supplier has access to their Supplier Portal, the Supplier will be able to see any Complaint Records raised for them.
Image: Company Dropdown
3. Source: The Source of the Complaint can be noted using the dropdown options, e.g. Consumer, Quality Assurance Process, Regulatory Body, Retail Customer Complaint Department, etc. This is a fixed field and cannot be customised by the User. The option of 'Other' is available and the details for this choice can be noted in the Details open text field.
Image: Source Dropdown
4. Details: An open text field to allow for the details of the Source and Method to be noted.
5. Method: The Method of the Complaint can be noted using the dropdown options, e.g. Phone, Email, Post, Personal Visit to Site, Social Media Sources. This is a fixed field and cannot be customised by the User. The option of 'Other' is available and the details for this choice can be noted in the Details open text field.
Image: Method Dropdown
6. Reference: An open text field to detail the Reference Number/Code for the Complaint.
7. Sample Request and Collection Details: An open text field to detail all pertinent information relating to the details of how the Complaint Sample was retrieved.
Image: Completed General Details
Image: Blank Contact Person
If the Complaint was received from a Consumer and their details are known to you, these details can be recorded here. Otherwise this can be left blank.
1. Name: The Consumer's Salutation, First and Last Name can be detailed here. The Salutation comes from a dropdown list, e.g. Mr, Ms, Mrs, etc, and the Consumer's First and Last Name can be detailed in the open text fields.
2. Address: The Consumer's home address can be detailed within the open text field.
3. Purchased: The details of where the Consumer purchased the product can be detailed within the open text field.
4. Phone: The Consumer's phone number can be detailed within the open text field.
5. Mobile: The Consumer's mobile phone number can be detailed within the open text field.
6. Email: The Consumer's email address can be detailed within the open text field.
Image: Completed Contact Person
Image: Blank Product Material Service Details
1. Product Material Service: Select the Product, Material or Service the Complaint has been made against from the Master Data dropdown. The quantity of the Product, Material or Service can be noted within the open text field. See the following articles for more information on adding Products, Materials or Services.
Image: Product Material Service Dropdown
Note: If you have selected a Supplier within the 'Company' dropdown of the General Details section, the Material folder will only populate with Materials that have been linked to that Supplier.
2. Date of Manufacture: Using the calendar option, select the Date of Manufacture for the Product, Material or Service. The Time of Manufacture can also be noted using the dropdown.
3. Date of Minimum Durability: Using the calendar option, select the Durability Date for the Product, Material or Service. The Durability Date can be noted as Best Before or Use By using the dropdown.
Image: Date of Minimum Durability Dropdown
4. Trace Number: The Traceability Lot or Batch Number for the Product, Material or Service can be detailed within the open text field.
5. Brand: The Brand this Product Complaint relates to can be selected from the Master Data dropdown. See the following article for more information on adding a Brand.
Image: Brand Dropdown
6. Production Unit: The Production Unit, Supplier or Site which the Material, Product or Service has come from can be selected from the Master Data dropdown. See the following article for more information on adding Production Units, Suppliers and Sites.
Image: Production Unit Dropdown
Image: Completed Product Material Service Details
Image: Blank Complaint
1. Nonconformance: Select the Nonconformance for which the Complaint has been raised using the Master Data dropdown. See the following article for more information on adding a Nonconformance.
Image: Nonconformance Dropdown
2. Description: Using the open text field, give a detailed description of the Complaint.
3. Responsible (Review): An Employee can be appointed as the Responsible for reviewing the Complaint Details workflow stage and completing the Complaint Review workflow stage using the Master Data dropdown.
Image: Responsible Review Dropdown
4. Save: Click the 'Save' button to save the information added to the Complaint Details workflow stage. This will save the information added, but not move to the next workflow stage. As this is the first workflow stage, the 'Save' button will also move the Record into the Actions Tab. If you forget to click the 'Save' button before moving away from the Record, you will lose all the information that was added to the Record. Ensure to click the 'Save' button to save the progress of your work.
5. Save & Submit: Click the 'Save & Submit' button to save the Complaint Details workflow and move to the next workflow stage. If you choose to 'Save & Submit', the workflow stage will be closed, and you must click the 'Edit' button to re-enter the stage to make changes.
6. Cancel: Click the 'Cancel' button if you wish to discard the changes made and move back to the Complaint module.
Note: The Risk of the Nonconformance will become the Risk of the Complaint Record. If the Risk is noted as 'None' or 'Low', the Record will become overdue after 14 days and if the Risk is noted as 'Medium' or 'High', the Record will become overdue after 7 days on the Summary Dashboards if not closed out.
Tip: An Alert can be built within the Alerts Module to notify this employee that a Complaint Record is ready for review. Navigate to the Alerts Module using the 'Utilities>Alerts' button, and click the 'Add Alert' button. Click here for more information on building Alerts.
Image: Completed Complaint
When the Complaint Details workflow stage has been Saved and Submitted, the Complaint Review workflow stage will open. If an employee has been selected as the Responsible (Review) in the Complaint Details workflow stage, they will receive a notification on their 'My Actions' Tab or by email if an Alert has been built for it in the Alerts Module. The Reviewer should then complete the Complaint Review workflow stage details.
Image: Blank Complaint Review
1. Decision: Make a decision on the Complaint using the dropdown options,confirming if it is a 'Valid', genuine Complaint or 'Non Valid'.
2. Report: Provide a Report in the Report open text field.
3. Save: Click the 'Save' button to save the information added to the Complaint Review workflow stage. This will save the information added, but not complete (close) the Record. If you forget to click the 'Save' button before moving away from the Record, you will lose all the information that was added to the Record. Ensure to click the 'Save' button to save your work.
4. Save & Submit: Click the 'Save & Submit' button to save the Complaint Review workflow stage and complete (close) the Record. As this is the final workflow stage, if you choose to 'Save & Submit' the Record, the final workflow stage will be closed, the Record will be moved from the Actions Tab to the Complete Tab and you must click the 'Edit' button to re-enter the stage to make changes. Once the Record has been moved to the Complete Tab, it cannot be moved back to the Actions Tab.
5. Cancel: Click the 'Cancel' button if you wish to discard the changes made and move back to the Complaint module.
Image: Completed Complaint Review
Tip: If a Corrective Action is needed following the Complaint Review, use the 'Actions>Add Related Record>Corrective Action' button to create a Corrective Action Record and link it to the Complaint Record.
Image: Creating a Corrective Action using the 'Actions>Add Related Record>Corrective Action' Button
