Operating Procedure
Polymers & Olefins, APS and I&D Europe
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04.04.2023
Revision: 14
1.2.1.1 Quality Notification for Customer Complaints
Contents
0
REVISION HISTORY ....................................................................................................................... 2
1
PURPOSE ....................................................................................................................................... 3
2
SCOPE ............................................................................................................................................ 3
3
DEFINITIONS .................................................................................................................................. 3
4
DESCRIPTION OF OPERATING PROCEDURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES ................................ 5
5
RECORDS ....................................................................................................................................... 7
6
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................ 7
7
VALIDITY AND REVISION CYCLE ................................................................................................ 7
8
DISTRIBUTION ............................................................................................................................... 7
9
ATTACHMENTS.............................................................................................................................. 7
Andrii Faraonov
Corporate Quality Management
Name
Department
Process Owner
Celine Violleau
Corporate Quality Management
(electronic approval)
Name
Department
Author
COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENT
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Operating Procedure
Polymers & Olefins, APS and I&D Europe
Page 2 of 7
04.04.2023
Revision: 14
1.2.1.1 Quality Notification for Customer Complaints
0 Revision History
Rev.
12
Rev. Date
23.04.2015
Section
ALL
Description
Author changed.
Definitions for complaint & goodwill settlement costs
changed
Acknowledgement letter for QNs on material supplied via
distribution platforms
QN review process added (repeats, high severity / potential
high severity claims)
13
12.07.2017
4
Customer sample retention period/Customer Compensation
approval (value)
14
30.04.2020
ALL
Full revision of text
15
04.04.2023
Olefins BU added, Minor QN definition updated, attachment
of complaint form, I&D manual task assignment removed
COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENT
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Operating Procedure
Polymers & Olefins, APS and I&D Europe
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04.04.2023
Revision: 14
1.2.1.1 Quality Notification for Customer Complaints
1 Purpose
This operating procedure outlines the responsibilities and gives guidance for managing
customer complaints entered using the Quality Notification (QN) module in SAP.
Customer complaints must be raised promptly, investigated thoroughly in a timely manner and
appropriate corrective actions proposed that should prevent recurrence and increase
customer satisfaction.
2 Scope
This operating procedure is valid for all employees of LyondellBasell who are involved in
complaint handling within scope of responsibility.
3 Definitions
Customer
Complaint
When a customer expresses dissatisfaction for a product or service received
from LyondellBasell (and / or subcontractors) and the complaint is received in
writing.
Quality
Notification
(QN)
A customer complaint in SAP.
Quality
Corrective
Action
(QC)
Notification type automatically generated in SAP for accepted QN’s used for
review of corrective action effectiveness.
Priorities are defined by 4 categories and must match the defect as reflected by
the customer:
Priority
(Category)
o
Quality: noticeable defect (angel hair, odour, black spots, moisture etc.) or
products out of specification;
o
Application: product processing difficulties or issues with final product (n/a
for OLA);
o
Service: logistic issues (delivery dates, packaging defects, paperwork etc.)
or
o
Service Minor (n/a for OLA):
o
a) maximum 10 (ten) broken bags OR
o
b) quantity discrepancy up to $ 500 ex VAT (no investigation required).
Note: priority should not be seen as a level of urgency.
Defect
Deviation as perceived by the customer.
Root
Cause
Source of deviation identified following investigation.
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Operating Procedure
Polymers & Olefins, APS and I&D Europe
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1.2.1.1 Quality Notification for Customer Complaints
Task
Actions to be executed by task owner within a defined period.
Extra investigation cost: additional investigation costs e.g. technical centre,
3rd party lab or surveyor costs.
Return cost: actual / estimated logistics cost required to return product from
Customer back to plant or warehouse.
Re-delivery cost: actual / estimated logistics cost to re-deliver to the Customer
with new material.
Cost
categories
Extra logistics cost: actual cost in addition to the return and/or re-delivery cost
e.g. demurrage, temporary external warehousing, disposal cost etc.
Complaint settlement: actual value paid to a customer for an accepted
complaint (responsibility within LyondellBasell or contracted toller, haulier etc.).
Goodwill settlement: actual value paid to customer for a complaint not directly
attributed to LyondellBasell however for commercial reasons compensation is
agreed with the customer.
Customer Claimed Compensation (CUCC): actual amount requested by
Customer or an estimate based on Account Managers / TS knowledge of
Customer / Application). The amount will not necessarily to be paid by
LyondellBasell but is used as value for a financial accrual.
Complaint
Creator
Primarily the Customer Service Representative.
ADTS and AM on voluntary basis or otherwise agreed.
Complaint
Owner –
AM
Account Manager (or Commercial Manager for OLA) is overall accountable
and responsible for the customer complaint and for providing satisfactory
feedback to customer.
Task
Owner(s)
Person assigned to complete task(s) in a QN within a designated time frame.
(AD)TS
(Application & Development) Technical Service.
SI
Site Investigator responsible for determining root cause of the complaint and to
propose Corrective Action
aDir
Associate Directors Feedstocks, Olefins and Aromatics
OLA
Olefins and Aromatics.
Corrective
Action
Action (to be) taken to prevent occurrence of the same root cause.
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1.2.1.1 Quality Notification for Customer Complaints
4 Description of Operating Procedure and Responsibilities
Description
Responsible
1. Customer raises a complaint to express dissatisfaction related to our service /
product which must be confirmed in writing. QN is created (primarily by the CSR)
referencing the delivery note and respective delivery item.
CSR
QN must be entered in English, however attached communication can be in the
customer’s own language. Attaching a complaint form to QN where applicable is
highly recommended and another decision-making information as well (e.g. AM final
decision on QN.
2. Minor complaints for obvious, quick fixes, can be immediately opened and closed
(no Investigation or Corrective Action required) and a credit processed as applicable
(max 10 (ten) broken bags or $500 USD value).
3. For Service complaints, if logistics related, service provider should be informed of
the issue within 3 days (procedure 2.1.2.2). AM to be informed immediately in case
of financial implications.
4. Acknowledgement letter for Service complaints to be sent immediately after the
QN has been created and max. within 48 hours of receipt of complaint using the
acknowledgement letter (see letter templates).
ADTS
5. ADTS to verify the potential severity of Quality & Application complaints and to
request involvement of Product Stewardship in line with OE standards: Incident
Reporting & Classification and Incident Investigation. Referencing the Product
Stewardship Guidance Document an evaluation within the business unit is required
to determine if procedure 1.2.1.3 Product Recall applies.
CSR
Sample for Quality & Application complaints must be requested immediately from
the Customer to arrive at the appropriate LyondellBasell production site.
For reimbursement of sample postage costs the following should be applied:
* Customer pays for sample to be sent to the site
* Customer sends a copy of the courier invoice to the CSR
* CSR raises credit memo request and costs are paid to customer
The recommended retention period for customer samples following QN closure is 3
months unless otherwise indicated.
OLA specific; -> 3rd Party Surveyors
In case of priority Quality, independent surveyors (SGS, CoGem or others) are
involved to either obtain the sample at the customer or coordinate the sending
of the sample from the customer to the laboratory where further investigation
takes place. Coordination of the investigation and sampling / analytical
requirements is done by Olefins and Aromatics business.
Where applicable an insurance task should be added by the Complaint Creator for
complaints where the (expected) claimed value is more than €250.000.
For more information please contact the Corporate Insurance Manager.
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Operating Procedure
Polymers & Olefins, APS and I&D Europe
1.2.1.1 Quality Notification for Customer Complaints
Description
Responsible
6. Task assignment:
: Tasks are determined automatically with the so called "task determination button"
depending upon QN priority & defect chosen.
In case the CSR / TS / AM responsible person is incorrect, please verify the Sold-to
and Ship-to customer master data in line with procedure 4.3.3.1. If master data is
correct, please contact corporate quality to amend background tables.
CSR
Contamination complaints should be investigated from a Quality as well as Service
perspective to determine an accurate root cause, SI to decide and take actions.
Verification required if corrective action might negatively impact other processes.
7. Task owners are informed by an e-mail workflow for timely task completion. During
absence back up functionality can be activated in SAP to ensure timely completion
of the task(s) and eventual closure of the complaint (see QN Training portal).
Task Owners
In case a return order / product recall / carrier protest letters or product rerouting is
required, please refer to the respective operational procedures.
8. Open tasks can be monitored via the QN dashboard
In cases where complaints cannot be closed within 30 days the Intermediate letter
template shall be used to keep customers updated on progress of investigation.
9. For the investigation task it is mandatory to report:
AM
SI
a. investigation details using specific methodology eg. ‘5 Why’ (5.2.3.1.2)
b. any relevant test data and conclusion
c.
8D report (for Automotive customers only and only if requested by
customer, unless other agreements are in place) (5.2.3.1.1)
10. The Account Manager is responsible and accountable to determine final
completion status: Accepted, root cause defined - ACPT, Not accepted, no root
cause defined - NACP, Goodwill, deviation detected but no root cause defined or
commercial settlement - GWIL). Fully close the QN after reviewing the investigation
and corrective action result prior to sending customer feedback (using the closing
letter templates as applicable, see letter templates).
AM
11. SAP automatically triggers a QC upon closure of an accepted QN. The QN
Investigator has 3 months to determine the effectiveness of the corrective action
after which the QC must be closed in SAP (see QN training portal).
SI
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Operating Procedure
Polymers & Olefins, APS and I&D Europe
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04.04.2023
Revision: 14
1.2.1.1 Quality Notification for Customer Complaints
5 Records
Customer communication (e.g. acknowledgement letter, intermediate letter, 8D report, closing
letter), Reviewed FMEA
6 References
ISO 9001
IATF 16949
WI 1.2.1.1.1 Quality Notification Creation
1.2.1.3 Product Recall procedure
Quality Notification guidelines (Quality Portal on Elements)
OES-035 Product Stewardship Standard
Delegation of Authority Matrices
7 Validity and Revision cycle
This procedure is valid from the date of approval and must be revised regularly at least once
every 3 years and updated if necessary.
8 Distribution
All employees of LyondellBasell distribution via LyondellBasell intranet.
9 Attachments
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