Compliments and Complaints

The Society is committed to providing a quality service and to work in an open and accountable way that builds the trust and respect of all stakeholders.

The Society accepts and acknowledges that one of the ways to continue to improve services provided is by listening and responding to the views of members, volunteers, visitors, and any other stakeholders. In particular the Society intends to respond positively to concerns complaints and to put mistakes right.

The Society is guided by a Complaints Policy.

Many concerns and complaints can be resolved informally, but in some circumstances this may not be possible, and the dissatisfied person may choose to make a formal complaint. A formal procedure has been established to ensure that all complaints are handled fairly, consistently and wherever possible resolved to the complainant's satisfaction.

The Society expects that members or other stakeholders initiating the formal complaints procedure should:

  • Bring the complaint to the Society's attention within a reasonable time;
  • Raise concerns promptly and directly with responsible staff or Society officers;
  • Explain the complaint as clearly and fully as possible and acknowledging any action already taken;
  • Provide contact details for clarification, feedback and response;
  • Allow the Society a reasonable time to deal with the matter; and
  • Recognise that some circumstances may be beyond the Society's control.

Complainants wishing to follow the complaints procedure may do so by forwarding their complaint in writing to the Secretary.

Contact Details:
Hon. Secretary
Genealogical Society of Queensland Inc.
PO Box 1467
CARINDALE QLD 4152

Compliments

GSQ is always seeking to improve its services to members and your feedback is invaluable. Please tell us about something that we have done well.

Complaints Policy

  1. The Genealogical Society of Queensland Inc (GSQ/the Society) is a non-profit Society which exists to assist its members and others researching their family history.
  2. The Society is committed to provide a quality service and working in an open and accountable way that builds the trust and respect of all stakeholders.
  3. The Society accepts and acknowledges that one of the ways to continue to improve services provided is by listening and responding to the views of members, volunteers, visitors, clients and any other stakeholders. In particular the Society Intends to respond positively to complaints, and to put mistakes right.
  4. In this Policy and supporting procedures the Society accepts responsibility to:
    • recognise, promote and protect any stakeholder's right to complain
    • ensure that there is an accessible, easy-to-use and well publicised complaints procedure
    • treat any complaint as a clear and valid expression of dissatisfaction with the Society's service outcomes or processes
    • recognise the need for fairness to both the complainant, and the object of the complaint
    • respond to complaints promptly and politely and where appropriate confidentially
    • respond in the right way, by explanation and apology where mistakes have been made, and information and advice where remedial, preventive or improvement action is taken
    • record, assess and review complaints regularly to use them to improve services and processes
    • provide resources to support the complaints management process.
  5. The Society recognises that many complaints will be made informally and can be resolved quickly, keeping matters low key, and enabling mediation between the complainant and the person against whom the complaint has been made.
  6. Where concerns cannot be resolved informally, then the formal complaints procedure should be followed. This formal procedure will ensure that all complaints are handled fairly, consistently and wherever possible resolved to the complainant’s satisfaction.
  7. The Society expects that complainants initiating the formal complaints procedure should:
    • bring the complaint to the Society’s attention within a reasonable time
    • raise concerns promptly and directly with a responsible volunteer or Society officers
    • explain the complaint as clearly and fully as possible and acknowledging any action already taken
    • provide contact details for clarification, feedback and response
    • allow the Society a reasonable time to deal with the matter
    • recognise that some circumstances may be beyond the Society's control.