FEEDBACK FROM COMPLAINANTS

The Press Complaints Commission’s commitment is to offer the best possible service to all those who complain to us. In order to help us assess whether we are honouring this commitment and maintaining the high standards we have set ourselves in our Complainants’ Charter, we regularly survey hundreds of complainants who have used our service.

In 2007, 338 people returned our anonymous survey. The figures encouragingly reveal that:

• 82% of people thought their complaint had been dealt with ‘very thoroughly’ or ‘thoroughly’;
• 76% of people considered their complaint to have been handled ‘very satisfactorily’ or ‘satisfactorily’;
• 81% of people thought that the time taken to deal with their complaint was ‘about right’;

In common with previous years, members of the PCC’s staff were praised, with 68% of people rating the helpfulness of staff either 8, 9, or 10 out of 10.

The PCC welcomes constructive feedback from complainants and builds on the suggestions and comments it receives, some of which are critical, to continually strive to improve its services.

The following is a selection of quotes from people who have used our service:

‘Financially I could not have employed a legal team to resolve the matter but my complaint was successfully resolved with the assistance of the PCC’

‘Many, many thanks for all that the PCC, you particularly, have done in this matter. It is a great relief to have the statement on your website and enables me to move on with life now.’

‘Very efficient and thorough, and as a first time user of the PCC, I couldn’t have found it any easier to understand or submit my complaint. Very satisfied customer’.

‘I had not expected a good response. I had expected a lack of support, interest or efficiency. I was bowled over by the amazing efficiency and support I received – quite wonderful. I have been praising [the] PCC ever since.’

NB: Information about the results of a survey of public opinion of the PCC, conducted by Ipsos MORI, can be found here. This survey is based on the opinions of the UK general public as a whole, rather than members of the public who have necessarily used the PCC’s service.