GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL POLICY2014-15
INDEX
POINT
NO
1
1.1
2
2.1
2.2
2.3
3
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
5
6
7
8
9
SUBJECT
INTRODUCTION
THE CUSTOMER COMPLAINT ARISES DUE TO
INTERNAL MACHINERY TO HANDLE CUSTOMER
COMPLAINTS /GRIEVANCES
CUSTOMER SERVICE COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD
STANDING COMMITTEE ON CUSTOMER SERVICE
NODAL OFFICER & OTHER DESINGNTED OFFICILS TO
HANDLE COMPLAINTS & GRIEVANCES
THE BANK SHALL PROVIDE
RESOLUTION OF GRIEVANCES – INTERNAL MACHINERY &
TIME FRAME
TIME FRAME FOR RESOLUTION OF COMPLAINTS
GRIEVANCES ESCALATION SYSTEM
BANKING OMBUDSMAN SCHEME
INTERACTION WITH CUSTOMER
SENSITIZING OPERATINGS STAFF ON HANDLING
COMPLAINTS
DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION TO CUSTOMERS
CUSTOMER DUE DILIGENCE FOR ALLOTMENT OF
LOCKERS /MEASURES RELATING TO LOCKERS WHICH
HAVE REMAINED UNOPERATED
DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION IN FINANCIAL RESULTS
PAGE
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3
3
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Page 1
Annexure-1
GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL POLICY2014- 15
1. INTRODUCTION
In the present scenario of competitive banking, excellence in customer service is
the most important tool for sustained business growth. Customer complaints are
part of the business life of any corporate entity. This is more so for banks because
banks are service organizations. As a service organization, customer service and
customer satisfaction are the prime concerns of the bank. The bank believes that
providing prompt and efficient service is essential not only to attract new
customers, but also to retain existing ones. This policy document aims at
minimizing instances of customer complaints and grievances through proper service
delivery and review mechanism and to ensure prompt redressal of customer
complaints and grievances. The review mechanism will help in identifying
shortcomings in product features and service delivery. Customer dissatisfaction
would spoil bank’s name and image. The bank’s policy on grievance redressal
follows the under noted principles.

Customers be treated fairly at all times
 Complaints raised by customers are dealt with courtesy and on time

 Customers
are
fully
informed
of
avenues
to
escalate
their
complaints/grievances within the organization and their rights to alternative
remedy, if they are not fully satisfied with the response of the Bank to their
complaints.

 Bank will treat all complaints efficiently and fairly as they can damage the
Bank’s reputation and business if handled otherwise.

 The Bank employees must work in good faith and without prejudice to the
interest of the customer

This Policy
principles
on
Grievance
Redressal
follows
the
under
noted
In order to make Bank’s redressal mechanism more meaningful and effective, a
structured system is built up towards such end. Such system would ensure that the
redressal sought is just and fair and is within the given framework of rules and
regulation. The Policy document is made available at all branches.
Page 2
1.1
The customer complaint arises due to:
 The attitudinal aspects in dealing with customers
 Inadequacy of the functions/arrangements made available to the customers or
gaps in standards of services expected and actual services rendered.
The customer is having full right to register his/her complaint if he/she is not
satisfied with the services provided by the Bank. He / She can lodge his / her
complaint in writing, orally or over telephone. If customer’s complaint is not
resolved within given time or if he/she is not satisfied with the solution provided by
the Bank, he can approach Banking Ombudsman with his/her complaint or other
legal avenues available for grievance redressal.
2.
INTERNAL
GRIEVANCES
MACHINERY
TO
HANDLE
CUSTOMER
COMPLAINTS/
We have a Public grievance machinery functioning at three levels:
1. Branch
2. Zonal Office
3. Head Office
All complaints received at every level to be immediately acknowledged, redressed
and finally replied to the complainant.
2.1
Customer Service Committee of the Board
Board is the competent authority for formulation of a Comprehensive Deposit Policy
incorporating all the related issues such as the treatment of death of a depositor for
operations of his account, the product approval process and the annual survey of
depositor satisfaction. The recommendations of this sub- committee of the board
will be taken into account for fine tuning the policies and processes. This Committee
will review the functioning of Standing Committee of Customer Service including
compliance with the recommendations of the Committee on Procedure and
Performance Audit of Public Services (CPPAPS). The Committee would examine
issues having a bearing on the quality of customer service rendered to customers
and also suggest innovative measures of enhancing the quality of customer service
and improving the level of customer satisfaction for all categories of customers at
all times.
2.2
Standing Committee on Customer Service
The Standing Committee on Customer Service will be chaired by the Chairman&
Managing Director/ Executive Director of the Bank. Besides two to three senior
executives of the Bank, the committee would also have two to three eminent nonexecutives drawn from the public as members / invitees. The committee would
have the following functions:

The Committee will evaluate feedback on quality of customer service received
from various quarters.
The Committee will also review comments/feedback on customer service and
implementation commitments in the Code of Bank’s Commitments received from
BCSBI.
The Committee would be responsible to ensure that all regulatory instructions
regarding customer service are followed by the Bank. It will also receive
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necessary feedback to determine that the action taken by various departments
is in tune with the spirit and intent of such instructions.
The Committee will look into the simplification of procedures and practices
prevailing in the Bank with a view to safeguarding the interest of common
persons, be they current or savings account holders depositors or borrowers,
from any unfair procedural practices by banks.
The committee would also consider unresolved complaints/grievances referred
to it by functional heads responsible for redressal and offer their advice.
The minutes of the meeting of the committee would be placed before the
Customer Service Committee of the Board at quarterly intervals.
The Committee may review the practice and procedures prevalent in the bank
and take necessary corrective action, on an ongoing basis as the intent is
translated into action only through procedures and practices.
The Committee will review the regulations and procedures prescribed by
Reserve Bank of India that impinge on customer service of Banks and make
suitable recommendations for elimination / rationalisation of the same,
especially keeping in view the need to drastically reduce the complaints and
improve the ease of conducting transactions both for banks and customers.
The Committee will review all the awards given by the Banking Ombudsman and
will address issues of systemic deficiencies existing in bank, if any, brought out
by the awards.
The Committee will examine the awards remaining unimplemented for more
than three months and the reasons for not implementing the awards and will
initiate necessary remedial action.
2.3
Nodal Officer and other designated officials to handle complaints and
Grievances
The Bank has appointed the General Manager in-charge of Customer Service as the
Principal Nodal Officer, he is also Principal Code Compliance Officer under BCSBI
who will be responsible for the implementation of Customer Service and complaint
handling for the entire Bank. The Zonal Managers shall be responsible for the
implementation of Customer Service in their respective Zones who in turn shall
appoint Customer Relation Officer at Zonal offices to handle complaint grievances in
respect of branches falling under their control.
The management is fully aware that unless there is a proper infrastructure and
mechanism in place, the degree of Customer Service can not be measured and
improved.
At the Head Office, a separate Department, to handle Customer Grievances headed
by a fairly senior official, supported by suitable officers with operational experience
and those with IT / analytical background as also Personnel with Management and
Customer Relation background shall be posted to ensure that the system operates
effectively. Head of the Department will be Nodal Officer under Banking
Ombudsman Scheme.
3.
THE BANK SHALL PROVIDE:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Appropriate arrangement for receiving complaints and suggestions.
The name, address and contact number of Principal Nodal Officer
Contact details of Banking Ombudsman of the area
Code of Bank’s commitments to customers / Fair Practice code
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4. RESOLUTION OF GRIEVANCES - INTERNAL MACHINERY & TIME
FRAME
At Branch Level :
Grievances Redressal Process:
Branch Manager will be responsible for the resolution of the complaints /
grievances in respect of customer's service by the Branch.

The complaint book should be made available to the customer to lodge the
complaint.

An acknowledgment should be given to the customer immediately on receipt of
complaint in writing.

The Branch Manager will analyse the complaint and if need be he/she will
contact the complainant personally and resolve the complaints. He would be
responsible for ensuring closure of all complaints, immediately on receipt of
complaints.

It is Branch Manager’s foremost duty to see that the complaint should be
resolved completely to the customer's satisfaction and if the customer is not
satisfied, then he/she shall be provided with alternate avenues to escalate the
issue to Zonal Office, if the same is not resolved within 48 hours.

If the Branch Manager feels that it is not possible at his/her level to solve the
problem, then it may be referred to Zonal Office for guidance. Similarly, if Zonal
Office finds that they are not able to solve the problem such cases may be
referred to the Nodal Officer of the Bank at Head Office.

Prominently display at the branches, the names of the officials who can be
contacted for redressal of complaints, together with their direct telephone
number, fax number, complete address and email address etc. for proper and
timely contact by the customers and for enhancing the effectiveness of the
redressl machinery.
For improvement of Customer Service, Branch Manager to ensure that:
Suggestion / complaint Box and Suggestion / Complaint Book are made
available to the customer.

Any written complaint is instantly and promptly acknowledged.

All branches other than small branches have " May I help you counters ".

Counter staff is provided with training and additional inputs.

If counter staff is unable to resolve a grievance, the Branch Manager should
intervene and resolve the issue.

 On 15th of every month (next day if 15th is holiday or half day), Customers'
Day is to be observed and Customer Service Committee Meeting will be
conducted at Branch level.

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Customer Service Committee meetings are held every month at all Branches
and minutes are sent to Zonal Office.

The sole task of the Customer Service Committee is to find out ways and means
to render efficient and highly satisfactory services to the Customers. For this
purpose Committee will meet regularly at monthly basis to discuss in detail the
strengths and deficiencies of the services presently rendered and take steps to
improve it.

Special Customers' Meet is conducted on special occasions.

Time norms for specialised business transactions are displayed prominently in
the banking hall.

All details as prescribed by various regulatory authorities / BCSBI are displayed
at the branch.
At Zonal Office Level :
Grievances Redressal Process:
Zonal Manager / Dy Zonal Manager to hold exclusive charge of Customer Service
Cell / Department at Zonal Office.
An acknowledgment is sent to the customer within 24 hours on receipt of the
complaint.

By and large, complaints are redressed within shortest possible time.

Whenever the guidance is sought for by the branches for resolution of
complaints, the Zonal Manager / Dy Zonal Manager should provide the same
expeditiously.

Whenever, it is not possible to resolve the complaints immediately for want of
cross checking / further investigation, steps should be taken to settle the matter
within a reasonable time.

Zonal Manager / Dy Zonal Manager in-charge of Customer Service Cell at Zonal
office shall contact the aggrieved customers as and when necessary, meet them
personally with the Branch Manager, for ensuring timely redressal of the
complaint.

Zonal Manager / Dy Zonal Manager to visit branches periodically and submit a
report on Customer Service, as per Branch Visit Report.Monthly consolidated
report on customer service to be sent to H.O.

Wherever deficiencies are noticed, accountability is to be fixed and action should
be taken against erring Officials.

 On 15th of every month (next day if 15th is holiday or half day), Customers'
Day is to be observed and Customer Service Committee Meeting will be
conducted at Zonal Office.
Special Customers' Meets are to be organised for different segments of the
market, viz., Exporters, SMEs, NRIs, Agriculturists, etc..

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If the Zonal Manager feels that it is not possible at his/her level to solve the
problem, then it may be referred to Principal Nodal Officer of the Bank at Head
Office.
At Head Office Level :
Grievances Redressal Process:
A full-fledged Customer Service Cell is functioning at Head Office, under the
Nodal Officer.
 An acknowledgment is to be sent to the customer within 24 hours on receipt of
the complaint.
 On receipt of complaint, the matter should be resolved at the shortest period.
If the guidance is sought for from Branch Manager / Zonal Manager for
resolution of grievances, then the reply should be sent immediately.
 The complaints referred from Branches / Zonal Offices , will be analysed by
Customer Service Cell at Head Office and based on the explanation received
from the Branch /
Zonal Office, Head Office will send a suitable reply to
complainant.
Thorough analysis of the complaints is to be done and necessary instructions
have to be given to Zonal Offices / Branches for speedy redressal to the same
shall and followed up till final redressal letter is sent to the complainant duly
explaining the decision taken on the complaint.
 Meetings of Customer Service Committee of Board and Standing Committee on
Customer Service should be held at quarterly basis to appraise the committees,
the development of the customer service and to review the policies in relation to
Customer Service.
 Special Customers' Meets may be
organised for different segments of the
market, viz., Exporters, SMEs, NRIs, Agriculturists, etc..
 Customer Satisfaction Surveys (Customer Service Rating) through In-house as
well as by External agencies may be
satisfaction.
conducted to assess the level of customer
 If customer complaint is received over phone at our designated telephone Help
Desk or Customer Service Cell, the Bank shall provide a complaint reference
number and keep the customer informed of the progress within a reasonable
period of time.
 After examining the matter, the Bank will send final response or explain why
Bank need more time to respond and shall endeavor to do so within 30 days of
receipt of complaint and will tell customers to take their complaint further if
they are still not satisfied.
In cases where complaints received require investigation, the same will be
informed to the customer through a interim reply.
 Branches/Zonal Offices will send action taken report on complaints received
at their end to Head Office at the end of every month.
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Online Registration of Complaints
The bank has put in place web enabled registration of complaints / grievances,
where the customers having grievance can visit our web site and register their
complaints online under Online Customer Complaints. On registration of the
complaints, an automatic complaint number is generated by the system for
acknowledgment and future reference by the complainant. These complaints are
tracked at Head Office for immediate redressal. Further, registration of complaints
through e-mail at csc@denabank.co.in is also enabled, the receipt of which is
acknowledged by the HO and redressal is taken up immediately.
4.1
Time frame for resolution of complaints.
a) Within 48 hours of receiving the complaints / grievances at the Branch level.
b) If it remains unresolved for 48 hours at Branch level, the same should escalate
to Zonal Office, wherein, the time limit is extended by further 48 hours.
c) If the complainant / grievances remain unresolved for 48 hours at Zonal Office,
the same shall be escalated to General Manager’s Office /Head Office and the time
limit shall be extended by further 48 hours.
d) In case of any delay beyond the stipulated time frame, permission from General
Manager at HO should be obtained.
Seven days time limit for resolving grievances should be the outer/ maximum limit.
4.2 Grievances Escalation System:
Customers can lodge their complaints directly to Branch Manager and it will be
the responsibility of the Branch Manager to resolve the complaint within 48
hours from the date of receipt.

The Branch Manager will analyse the complaint and if need be he/she will
contact the complainant personally and resolve the complaint.

A complaint redressal letter will be sent to complainant, if the complaint is
resolved at Branch level. The Branch will also send the details of the grievance
resolved by the branch at periodical intervals to Zonal Office.

If the Branch Manager is not able to resolve the complaint within 48 hours, the
complaint will be referred by the Branches to the concerned Zonal Office along
with their comments / replies for further action.

The complaints referred to Zonal Office will be analysed by Customer Service
Dept. and based on the explanation received from the Branch, Zonal Office will
send a suitable reply to complainant.

If the reply received from the Branch is not satisfactory and if Zonal Office
cannot resolve the complaint within 48 hours from the date of receipt of
complaints by Zonal Office, the same will be referred to Customer Service Cell,
Head Office.

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The Zonal Office will also send the details of the complaints received directly by
them and not settled within 48 hours to Customer Service Cell, Head Office
along with their comments/replies.

Customer Service Cell, Head Office will analyse the complaint and the replies
received from Branch and Zonal Office. On placing the matter before appropriate
authorities a decision is taken on the complaint. A complaint redressal letter is
sent to the complainant from Bank and suitable instruction are passed by Head
Office on to Branch, Zonal Office for taking action in the deficient areas.
4.3
Banking Ombudsman Scheme
Bank has displayed on the web site and in all our Branches a notice explaining that
Bank is covered by the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006 of the Reserve Bank of
India.
Within 30 days of lodging a complaint, if customer does not get a satisfactory
response from the Bank and if customer wishes to pursue other avenues for
redressal of grievances, customer may approach Banking Ombudsman appointed by
Reserve Bank of India under Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006. Salient features
of the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006 are displayed in the branch notice
boards and the scheme itself is displayed on our Website www.denabank.com If
customers face any difficulty, our Staff will explain the procedure in this regard.
5. INTERACTION WITH CUSTOMERS
The Bank recognizes that customer’s expectation / requirement / grievances can be
better appreciated through personal interaction with customers by Bank’s staff.
Structured customer meets, will give a message to the customers that the Bank
cares for them and values their feed back/suggestions for improvement in customer
service. Many of the complaints arise on account of lack of awareness among
customers about Bank services and such interactions will help the customers
appreciate Banking services better. As for the Bank the feed back from customers
would be valuable input for revisiting its product and services to meet customer
requirements.
6.
SENSITIZING OPERATING STAFF ON HANDLING COMPLAINTS
Staff should be properly trained for handling complaints. We are dealing with
people and hence difference of opinion and areas of friction can arise. With an open
mind and a smile on the face we should be able to win the customer’s confidence. It
would be the responsibility of the Nodal Officer to ensure that internal machinery
for handling complaints/grievances operates smoothly and efficiently at all levels.
The HR Dept. would focus on training needs of staff at various levels on the above
aspects.
7.
DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION TO CUSTOMERS
 As
per BCSBI Code, the Bank will provide information on various
service/products, charges offered by the Bank. The Bank will display at
prominent place in the Branches, the Customer Information Folder containing
following aspects with latest updates.
 Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006 and Name & Address of Ombudsman
 Schedule of charges
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 Services offered free of cost
Instant credit of outstation cheques and time frame for collection of cheques
Time Norms for various services
Interest payment for delayed collection of cheques
Interest rates on domestic, NRE & FCNR
Citizens charter
Facility for soiled and mutilated notes
Exchange rates
Retail loan schemes
Rate of interest for retail loan schemes
Details of various products offered by Dena Bank
Name and address of Zonal Code Compliance Officer & Principal Code
Compliance Officer
 Name and contact details of Nodal Officer (Customer Grievance Cell)
 Toll Free number of Customer Grievance Cell











Bank has provided “Customer Information Folder” in all its Branches.
8. CUSTOMER DUE DILIGENCE FOR ALLOTMENT OF LOCKERS /
MEASURES RELATING
UNOPERATED
TO
LOCKERS
WHICH
HAVE
REMAINED
This emphasizes that bank should be aware of the risks involved in renting safe
deposit lockers. In this connection, bank shall take following measures:
Branches shall assess the risk profile of the customers, who have been rented
out lockers. Based on this, branches would classify customers in three risk
categories i.e. low risk, medium risk and high risk.
The classification of the risk would be based on the total value of the account,
the duration of account with the Bank, track record of the customer such as
locker rent payment in time, operations of the locker, compliance of Bank’s
norms in operation of his other accounts with the Bank, etc., action/s initiated
by enforcement authorities/court, etc.
a. Branches shall carry out customer due diligence for both new and existing
customers at least to the levels prescribed for customers classified as
mediumrisk. If the customer is classified in a higher risk category, customer due
diligence as per KYC norms applicable to such higher risk category be carried
out
Where the lockers have remained unoperated for more than one year for
medium risk category or three years for a higher risk category, Branches shall
immediately contact the locker-hirer and advise him to either operate the locker
or surrender it. This exercise shall be carried out even if the locker hirer is
paying the rent regularly. Further, Branches shall ask the locker hirer to give in
writing, the reasons why he / she did not operate the locker. In case the lockerhirer has some genuine reasons as in the case of NRIs or persons who are out of
town or due to a transferable job etc., Branches may allow the locker hirer to
continue with the locker. In case the locker-hirer does not respond nor operate
the locker, bank shall consider break opening the lockers after giving due notice
to him. In this context, bank shall incorporate a clause in the locker agreement
Page 10
that in case the locker remains unoperated for more than one year, the bank
would have the right to cancel the allotment of the locker and break open the
locker, even if the rent is paid regularly.
 Breaking open a locker should be undertaken after three rent reminder
notices and a Final Notice of breaking open a locker are sent by
Registered Post to the hirer and permission of the Zonal Office is obtained
for getting the locker broken open.
 The locker should be broken in the presence of a “panch” consisting of
two respectable outsiders, one officer from Zonal Office, the Branch
Manager and the Custodian.
9. DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION IN FINANCIAL RESULTS
Bank is required to disclose the brief details regarding the number of complaints
along with their financial results. This statement should include all the complaints
received at the Head Office / Controlling Office level as also the complaints received
at the branch level. However, where the complaints are redressed within the next
working day, Bank need not include the same in the statement of complaints. This
is expected to serve as an incentive to the banks and their branches to redress the
complaints within the next working day.
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